Business Development Representative

Location: San Francisco; New York City Workplace: Hybrid WHAT YOU’LL DO Drive Revenue & Qualify Opportunities - Balance dual inbound and outbound responsibilities to drive pipeline growth - Qualify inbound enterprise prospects using BANT criteria to identify high-value opportunities for Account Executive handoff - Execute targeted outbound campaigns to penetrate specific industry verticals Strategic Outbound & Market Development - Use social selling to represent the Perplexity brand—posting, commenting, and experimenting with new formats to stay top-of-mind with prospects - Research and map accounts within assigned verticals to build comprehensive prospect lists - Develop vertical-specific messaging that resonates with industry pain points and use cases for Perplexity Enterprise - Contribute to top of funnel strategy Sales Operations & Excellence - Maintain pristine data hygiene in Salesforce, ensuring all prospect interactions and qualification criteria are documented - Respond rapidly to inbound inquiries with consultative, value-driven communication - Build and iterate on outbound sequences that drive consistent pipeline generation What You'll Need Core competencies - Exceptional communication skills: Ability to articulate complex AI/search solutions clearly via email and phone, adapting tone and technical depth to various stakeholders - Vertical expertise: Demonstrated understanding of at least one key industry (e.g., Financial Services, Healthcare, Legal, Consulting) with ability to speak to industry-specific challenges - Sales acumen: Proven ability to qualify prospects using BANT methodology while maintaining velocity in the sales cycle - Technical aptitude: Comfort discussing enterprise software, APIs, and AI capabilities at a high level - Self-starter mentality with ability to manage competing priorities (closing deals vs. qualifying for AEs) - Data-driven approach to tracking conversion rates, response times, and pipeline metrics - Intellectual curiosity about how AI and advanced search transform enterprise workflows - Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment where processes are still being defined Nice to Haves - 9 months to two years in SaaS sales development or business development roles - Experience selling to technical and non-technical buyers - Familiarity with enterprise AI/ML solutions or search technologies - Track record of consistently achieving 100%+ of quota - Pulling data with Salesforce Reporting, SQL or Business intelligence tools - Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience - Experience at a high-growth technology startup