About Anakin
Anakin is a Y-Combinator backed technology company and a competitive pricing intelligence platform for brands and online stores. Anakin sends eCommerce stores and brands the pricing, products and trends data of other similar stores (their competitors) so they can adjust their prices accordingly, fast. We collect web data at scale so that you don't have to. We track and categorize all this data using AI and machine learning.
About Role
The SDR Manager at Anakin is responsible for leading the Sales Development Representative team in generating a consistent pipeline of qualified outbound leads for the Account Executive (AE) team to close. This role focuses on outbound lead generation, driving SDRs to achieve high-volume prospect outreach and ensuring a steady flow of sales opportunities. The SDR Manager will oversee a team of SDRs, guiding them from initial onboarding through to full productivity. By providing training, setting clear targets, and monitoring performance, the SDR Manager supports the sales team's success and contributes directly to Anakin's revenue growth.
Role and Responsibilities
Lead Generation & Pipeline Ownership
The SDR Manager owns the outbound prospecting strategy and is accountable for maintaining a robust pipeline of leads. This involves both setting activity targets and ensuring those activities yield qualified leads that the AE team can pursue. Key duties include:
- Pipeline Volume: Ensure the SDR team consistently generates a high volume of qualified outbound leads to maintain a healthy sales pipeline for the AE team.
- Activity Targets: Set and enforce daily, weekly, and monthly outreach targets for each SDR (including phone calls, emails, and LinkedIn touches) to meet pipeline generation goals.
- Quality Oversight: Monitor the quality of leads and align with Account Executives on qualification criteria, so that only high-potential prospects are handed off for further sales conversations.
- Pipeline Gap Management: Identify any gaps or slowdowns in the pipeline early and take proactive steps (e.g. increasing outreach or retargeting efforts) to boost lead generation when needed.
- Strategic Prospecting: Provide direction on outbound prospecting techniques and help SDRs prioritize target accounts or industries to maximize conversion rates and pipeline impact.
SDR Onboarding & Training
The SDR Manager is responsible for hiring and onboarding new hires to Anakin's business and sales development processes, with the goal of making them productive quickly. Key responsibilities in onboarding include:
- Structured Onboarding Program: Design and implement a comprehensive 2-week onboarding curriculum for new SDRs, covering Anakin's business model, product/service offerings, ideal customer profiles, and the SDR playbook (processes and best practices).
- Multi-Channel Training: Train SDR hires on all outreach channels (phone calls, LinkedIn messaging, and email), ensuring they gain hands-on practice and confidence in each medium during the onboarding period.
- Leverage Existing Resources: Utilize existing sales collateral and insights from current AEs and experienced SDRs to enrich training materials (e.g. call scripts, email templates, objection-handling guides). If possible, include role-play sessions or shadowing opportunities with seasoned team members.
- Progress Monitoring: Monitor each new SDR's learning progress with daily check-ins or brief exercises. Conduct an evaluation at the end of week 2 (e.g. a final role-play or written test) to assess knowledge retention and skills.
- Onboarding Completion Goal: Ensure each SDR completes the onboarding program within two weeks and meets a minimum competency standard by its conclusion. By the start of week 3, every SDR should be fully prepared to begin independent outreach activities.
Requirements
- Experience: 1013 years of overall work experience, including a minimum of 4-5 years leading SDR/BDR teams within IT or SaaS companies, with a proven ability to design and manage global lead generation strategies.
- International Markets Experience: Prior experience working with North American and European B2B markets, with an understanding of regional nuances in outreach and prospecting.
- Team Leadership: Strong track record of hiring, coaching, and scaling SDR teams (ideally having built a team or function from the ground up).
- Strategic & Metrics-Driven: Demonstrated ability to develop sales development strategies and processes. Metrics-driven mindset with skill in defining and tracking KPIs (e.g., outreach volume, SQLs, conversion rates).
- Startup Aptitude: Experience working in a fast-growing startup or scale-up environment, with the adaptability to thrive in a dynamic setting.
- Communication Skills: Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to report on pipeline metrics and insights to senior leadership.
- Tech Proficiency: Proficiency in CRM systems (such as Salesforce or HubSpot) and familiarity with sales engagement platforms and automation tools. Comfortable leveraging data enrichment and prospecting tools to enhance outreach.
- Self-Starter: Proactive and self-driven, capable of independently assessing business needs and setting both personal and team targets accordingly.
- Analytical Mindset: Strong analytical and process-optimization skills, enabling continuous improvement of SDR workflows and performance.
