Director of Business Development at Tropic

About TropicTropic’s AI-powered Procurement Intelligence solutions gives companies like Zapier, Q2, and Zendesk the insights they need to reduce spend and mitigate risk. With $15B+ in spend data and the backing of tier 1 investors like Insight Partners, Tropic is shaking up the procurement landscape, and the best is yet to come!

Director of Business DevelopmentRemote (work from home) / Full-time

Location(s)To align with our team’s working hours, we are seeking candidates located within the Eastern or Central/Mountain time zones.
About the RoleThe SDR Team sits at the top of the funnel for Tropic’s GTM organization driving pipeline creation and serving as a key talent pipeline for our Account Executives. We’re hiring a Director of Business Development to elevate SDR performance across both inbound and outbound plays.This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can be a doer, leader, and strategic operator. You’ll coach SDRs to consistent attainment from activity and tactics to talk tracks, messaging, and how we pitch Tropic in-market. You’ll also own the operating rhythm for the team: clear goals, performance management, enablement, forecasting, and cross-functional alignment with Sales and Marketing.You’ll report to our CMO, partnering closely with our Sales leader to ensure the SDR team is delivering predictable pipeline impact and continuously optimizing performance.
What You’ll DoLead the team to consistent attainment (player-coach leadership)

• Manage, mentor, and motivate a team of SDRs while maintaining a high bar for performance and professionalism.
• Provide daily coaching and development through weekly 1:1s, call reviews, live coaching, shadow sessions, enablement sessions, and role plays.
• Coach across the full SDR skill set: multichannel tactics, discovery/qualification, objection handling, meeting quality, and crisp handoffs to AEs.
• Step in as a player-coach when needed. Eg. jumping into outreach, calls, messaging workshops, and deal team alignment to raise the bar.

Own inbound + outbound strategy and execution

• Own SDR performance across inbound and outbound motions, ensuring we convert demand efficiently and create net-new pipeline.
• Build and continuously improve the inbound operating system: speed-to-lead, routing/coverage, SLAs, qualification standards, meeting quality, and conversion rates.
• Develop repeatable outbound plays by ICP segment/persona: account selection, messaging pillars, sequencing, channel mix, and consistent execution.
• Balance team capacity across inbound/outbound so inbound doesn’t cannibalize outbound focus (and vice versa).

Drive alignment with Sales + Marketing to improve pipeline quality

• Work closely with Sales leadership, sales managers, and AEs to ensure alignment on account coverage, target personas, opportunity quality, and SDR → AE handoff.
• Create tight feedback loops on meeting quality and conversion, and implement changes to improve acceptance rates and downstream performance.
• Partner with Marketing on campaigns, content, and insights to strengthen SDR messaging and improve conversion across inbound and outbound channels.

Build the SDR operating rhythm (metrics, forecasting, optimization)

• Set and communicate weekly and monthly goals, track progress, and create clarity on performance drivers (inputs → conversion → outputs).
• Forecast where the SDR team will land, communicate performance trends to Sales and Marketing leadership, and proactively flag risks.
• Identify areas of optimization (messaging, segments, routing, sequences, coaching gaps) and take action quickly to improve results.
• Build and improve onboarding and enablement programs that ramp reps faster and create consistent execution.

Build a high-performance culture

• Hire, develop, and retain high-performing SDR talent; create a culture of learning, accountability, and crisp execution.
• Keep the team motivated and focused on goals through strong leadership, clear expectations, and recognition tied to outcomes.
• Become an essential part of Revenue Leadership at Tropic and help shape how we go-to-market.

What You’ve Done

• 7+ years of B2B sales/sales development experience, including 3+ years leading SDR teams (Sr. Manager/Director scope preferred).
• Proven ability to drive SDR attainment and pipeline outcomes across inbound and outbound motions.
• Direct sales experience and comfortable coaching live, running call reviews, improving messaging, and stepping in tactically when needed.
• Experience hiring, training, and enabling reps for success, with a clear philosophy for onboarding and continuous development.
• Strong analytical and operational rigor: you use metrics to diagnose performance and you take action fast.
• Passion for Sales Development and building high-performing teams.

Experience with

• Gong Engage, Nooks, Clay, Salesforce

CompensationSpecific to pay transparency laws, the minimum annual salary for this position is $135,000 and may also include commission, incentive pay, incentive stock options, and benefits. The final job level and compensation will be determined by various factors such as a candidate's relevant work experience, years of relevant experience, skills, qualifications, certifications, geographic location, and other business considerations.