Manager, SMB Sales

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

LI‑LM5

The US annualized OTE (On Target Earnings) range for this position is $‑$ with a pay mix of 50/50 (base/commission). This…