Manager, Sales Development - Chicago, IL

kong; United States; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, seeks a Sales Development Leader to guide a growing SDR team across the AMER region. You will build, coach, and scale inbound and outbound programs that fuel the sales pipeline and accelerate revenue.

In a hands-on, hybrid in-office setting, you’ll partner with Revenue Ops, Marketing, Customer Success, and Partnerships to design go-to-market plans, define KPIs, and deliver accurate forecasts.

Qualifications

• Experience in B2B SaaS sales leadership.
• Proven ability to build and manage SDR teams.
• Strong communication and feedback skills.
• Experience in high-growth startup environments with hybrid teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of SDRs.
• Hire top talent and shape development programs for career progression.
• Maintain operational rigor to drive a predictable business.
• Foster a positive, collaborative culture across teams.
• Find balance in a hybrid in-office environment.
• Create a reporting and feedback loop on KPIs, pipeline forecasts, and insights.
• Collaborate with Sales, Revenue Ops, Marketing, CS, and Partnerships to design go-to-market plans.

Skills

B2B SaaS

Sales leadership

SDR management

High-growth

Hybrid work

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

About the role

As one of the Sales Development leaders , you will oversee a team of inbound and outbound Sales Development Representatives (SDRs). Your mission is to drive the growth of our sales pipeline across the AMER region. This role requires a dynamic leader that is comfortable building and executing. You are passionate about career development and scalable success. Lastly, you are hands‑on and excited about fostering an in‑office culture and your best work is done cross‑functionally.

What you'll be doing

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of SDRs.
• Hire the best talent in the industry. Shape development programs for career progression to keep talent engagement and doing great work at Kong.
• Maintain operational rigor across all elements of the business. Drive a predictable business.
• Drive a positive and collaborative culture that inspires teamwork and professional growth.
• Find a successful balance in a hybrid in‑office environment
• Create a reporting and feedback loop with stakeholders on team performance, KPIs, customer insights, roadblocks, and pipeline forecasts.
• Work within an ecosystem of leaders across Sales, Revenue Operations, Marketing, Customer Success, and Partnership teams to design and execute a go-to-market plan for pipeline generation.
• Excel in change management as the company strives to meet critical and aggressive revenue milestones
• Maintain a strong pulse on the market. Facilitate a feedback loop between Sales and other departments.
• Identify opportunities to innovate. Be a catalyst to positive change.

What you'll bring

• 5+ years of experience in B2B SaaS.
• 1+ years of experience building and managing a high-performing Sales or Sales Development Org in B2B SaaS.
• Exceptional communication skills with an ability to give and receive feedback thoughtfully.
• Experience in high-growth, fast-paced startup environments, preferably with hybrid remote and in‑office teams.
• Experience building and leading high-performance sales teams, selling a complex technical product.
• Subject matter expert in building pipeline programs and efforts to drive revenue.

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About Kong

Kong Inc., the AI Connectivity Company, is building the connectivity layer of AI. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and AI-native startups alike, Kong's unified API and AI platform enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI traffic - on any model, any cloud. For more information, visit www.konghq.com .