Team Lead, Sales Development - India
SophosSophos

Team Lead, Sales Development - India

Role Summary

The India SDR Team Lead is a Player-Coach role with the primary responsibility of driving pipeline creation and qualified sales opportunities (QSOs) across the India & SAARC region.

While coaching and developing a small team of SDRs, this role is expected to make direct individual contributions to opportunity creation through proactive outbound prospecting for new logo acquisition and effective qualification of inbound leads generated through Digital, Web, Events, and Partner-led activities

This role is critical to accelerating early-stage pipeline growth across the region by combining hands-on sales development execution with front-line team leadership. The successful candidate will build and execute strong outbound cadences, maintain high standards of lead follow-up and qualification, and work in close partnership with Account Executives, Sales & Marketing Leadership, and channel stakeholders to maximise conversion into high-quality sales opportunities.

In addition to coaching and developing the team, the SDR Team Lead will help strengthen regional Go To Market execution by improving lead management discipline, supporting targeted campaigns and strategic call-downs, and identifying opportunities to enhance processes, systems, and overall sales development performance.

What You Will Do

  • This is a Player-Coach role. You will be hands-on, and while not 100% dedicated to pipeline creation, you will have pipeline and QSO targets to meet as your primary responsibility.

  • Coach and manage a small team of SDRs to successfully grow, develop and achieve the targets outlined by APJ Sales Leadership.

  • Work with the local Sales team and the APJ Sales Development Leader on an assigned territory to qualify, develop, and mature marketing-supplied leads and self-created leads, which will result in high-quality sales opportunities for Sophos Sales Reps and/or Sophos Partners.

  • Ensure the team and you as a participant meet and/or exceed daily and monthly performance targets for the number of outbound calls, qualified leads passed and pipeline contribution at an individual and team level.

  • Ensure all sales leads from marketing-driven campaigns are qualified and passed through Sophos’ CRM system as per the APAC lead management process as efficiently as possible.

  • Build strong relationships with all sales teams, including Channel, Commercial, and Enterprise Sales. Ensure these relationships are nurtured and productive.

  • You will be a key resource for new starters’ onboarding, ensuring appropriate training, mentoring and coaching is available for all India SDRs and tracking execution against the development plan.

  • Provide weekly & monthly reporting to the APJ Sales Development Leader and others on individual and team performance against targets.

  • Partner with ASEAN Marketing Managers to identify and execute strategic call downs and other direct campaign activities.

  • Work with in-region sales & technical managers and in-country SDRs to ensure they are effectively trained on all products and understand and use APJ SDR best practices for operational efficiency and overall success.

  • Work with Marketing Operations, Sales Operations and IT to enhance processes and systems (E.g. SFDC enhancements) to support smooth lead and opportunity handling processes for SDRs, Sales and Sophos Partners.

  • Proactively obtain program feedback and initiate plans in response to opportunities for improvement.

  • Participate in the review and enhancement of Sales Development processes and practices.

  • Manage individual team member performance and team productivity. Regularly evaluate individual employee job performance through 1 on 1 meetings and call shadowing, providing constructive suggestions for improvement and rewarding accomplishments.

  • Some travel will be required within this role. Approximately 3-5 trips per year across the SAARC & APAC region.

What You Will Bring

Essential

  • 4+ years‚ experience in a Sales Development Role.

  • Working in a channel-based company, an understanding of the IT channel

  • Experienced in high-volume outbound, telephone-based lead generation/sales.

  • Experience with technical products in the hi-tech industry

  • Process-oriented in lead management

  • Ability to create a sense of urgency with prospects

  • Ability to identify needs/pain

  • Ability to present value-based messaging

  • Solid Communication skills (written and verbal)

  • Familiar with CRM system for managing leads

  • Meeting deadlines and commitments

  • Active Listening

  • Influencing skills

  • People Management

  • Assertiveness

  • Attention to Detail

  • Creativity

  • Driving for Quality

  • Goal Oriented

Desirable:

  • Inside sales experience in the Cybersecurity or related industries

  • Experience being a Player/Coach in an SDR or Inside Sales organisation

  • Demonstrated ability to work with Sales Leadership to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes

  • At least 1 year of experience in managing people

  • SFDC/CRM

  • IT literate: Word, Excel, PowerPoint

  • Capacity for rapid learning

  • Familiar with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Sales Prospecting tools such as Outreach or Groove, Cognism or Lusha

  • Relevant degree or similar qualification

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