Manager, SMB Sales

Ultimate.ai; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 254,000; Full time

Job summary

Zendesk is seeking an inspiring, AI-forward Manager, SMB Sales to lead a high-performing Account Executive team. You will recruit, coach, and drive growth across new business and expansions, utilizing AI insights, data, and collaboration with cross-functional partners.

You will guide high-velocity sales cycles, build strategic roadmaps for AI-driven transformation, and shape measurable outcomes. The role requires strong leadership, coaching, and a passion for developing talent.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in sales leadership within SaaS or Customer Support tech.
• Consistent track record of leading teams to 100%+ quota achievement.
• Experience managing high velocity sales teams across transactional and six-figure deals.
• Ability to leverage AI, predictive analytics, and automation to boost productivity.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with customer-facing, technical, and operational teams.
• Exceptional presentation, organization, coaching, and listening skills.
• Analytical, data-driven, and proficient in forecasting and strategic planning.
• Passion for developing talent, especially early career reps, in a performance-driven culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Account Executives to meet quotas.
• Recruit, onboard, and mentor talent while fostering AI learning.
• Guide the team through fast-moving, multi-stakeholder sales cycles using AI insights.
• Help AEs build strategic roadmaps for AI-driven transformation and long-term value.
• Coach on AI-powered ROI cases to influence procurement decisions.
• Identify expansion, upsell, and renewal opportunities via data signals.
• Collaborate with Solutions Engineers, AI Specialists, Product, and Marketing.
• Coordinate product capability discussions and AI architecture when needed.
• Conduct weekly forecast and pipeline reviews for clarity and guidance.
• Create dashboards to monitor sales efficiency, pipeline health, and customer behavior.
• Report insights and regional trends to leadership.
• Innovate sales processes by automating workflows and refining demos.

Skills

Sales leadership

SaaS sales

Quota attainment

AI tools

Forecasting

Cross-functional collaboration

Coaching

Talent development

BA/BS degree

Willingness to travel

Education

BA/BS degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Description

Join us at Zendesk, where we’re on a mission to power exceptional service for every person on the planet. Our AI-informed solutions turn every interaction into an opportunity for authentic human connection. Helping businesses deliver faster, smarter, and more personal experiences at scale.

To advance this vision, we’re seeking an inspiring, AI-forward Manager, SMB Sales who is passionate about building high performance teams and shaping the future of our SMB business. In this role, you will lead a dynamic group of Account Executives, unlocking their potential, elevating sales excellence, and driving revenue across both new business and expansion. You will harness AI, data, and strategic insight to accelerate growth, streamline execution, and empower your team to deliver exceptional customer outcomes across a diverse SMB landscape.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Account Executives. Setting clear expectations, driving accountability, and achieving monthly and quarterly quotas across new business and expansion.
• Recruit, onboard, and mentor talent while fostering a culture of innovation, curiosity, and continuous AI learning.
• Guide the team through high-velocity and complex multi-stakeholder sales cycles using AI insights, predictive analytics, and customer data.
• Support AEs in building strategic customer roadmaps for AI-driven transformation, focusing on measurable outcomes and long-term value creation.
• Coach AEs to build compelling, AI-powered ROI cases that influence procurement and strengthen customer partnerships.
• Identify expansion, upsell, and renewal opportunities using customer usage data, signals, and AI-driven predictions.
• Partner with Solutions Engineers, AI Specialists, Product, and Marketing to co-design differentiated, technically sound customer solutions.
• Facilitate customer conversations on product capabilities, integrations, and AI architecture where needed.
• Conduct weekly forecast and pipeline reviews, providing clarity, strategic guidance, and operational rigor.
• Build and maintain dashboards to monitor sales efficiency, pipeline health, and customer behavior trends—including buying and churn signals.
• Report on team performance, insights, and regional trends to senior leadership.
• Innovate and improve sales processes by automating manual workflows and evolving demonstration strategies.

What You Bring

• Extensive experience in sales leadership, ideally within SaaS or Customer Support technologies.
• Consistent track record of leading teams to 100%+ quota achievement.
• Experience managing high velocity sales teams across both transactional motions and six-figure strategic deals.
• Ability to incorporate AI tools, predictive analytics, and automation to increase team productivity and accelerate cycles.
• Strong cross-functional experience working with customer-facing, technical, and operational teams.
• Exceptional presentation, organization, coaching, and listening skills.
• Analytical, data driven, and highly effective at forecasting, operational rigor, and strategic planning.
• Passion for developing talent, especially early career reps, and building a positive, performance-based culture.
• BA/BS degree or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Who You Are

• Inspirational Leader: You empower teams to think boldly, innovate continuously, and deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
• Performance Driven: You set ambitious goals, monitor performance rigorously, and instill accountability and urgency.
• Customer-Obsessed Strategist: You put the customer at the center of every decision and champion AI-driven value creation.
• AI- & Data-Driven Decision Maker: You leverage analytics and insights to shape strategy, coaching, and team execution.
• Collaborative Partner: You build trust, alignment, and strong relationships across internal and external teams.
• Growth Mindset Mentor: You promote continuous learning, AI fluency, and professional development within the team.
• Execution-Focused Visionary: You balance strategic thinking with disciplined, results-oriented execution.

The US annualized OTE (On Target Earnings) range for this position is $170,000.00-$254,000.00 with a pay mix of 50/50 (base/commission). This position may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives. While this range reflects the minimum and maximum value for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations, the offer for the successful candidate for this position will be based on job related capabilities, applicable experience, and other factors such as work location. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only (or OTE for commissions based roles), and do not include bonus, benefits, or related incentives.

The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] with your specific accommodation request.