Sales Development Representative (SDR / BDR)

Niagaros is looking for a Sales Development Representative (SDR / BDR) for our cloud security platform.

Interns can fill in this form.

Sales Development Representative (SDR )

Location: Netherlands / Hybrid / Remote
Job Type: Internship, Freelance, Parttime, Fulltime | Income Progression Roadmap
Industry: Cloud Security Platform, Advisory
Responsibilities: In consultation

What You’re Going to Do

As a Sales Development Representative (SDR), you’ll be on the front lines of growth: identifying high-potential companies, engaging technical buyers, and helping shape how modern cloud security is sold.

• Become an expert in cloud security problems faced by modern infrastructure teams
• Identify, research, and engage high-quality prospects (cloud, platform, DevOps, security teams)
• Start meaningful conversations with engineering-driven buyers, not just “sales personas”
• Qualify inbound and outbound leads and convert them into high-intent opportunities
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Community teams
• Help refine our ICP, messaging, and go-to-market motion as we scale
• Represent the company in a way that builds trust, credibility, and long-term relationships

Your Key Responsibilities

• Prospect into modern infrastructure companies (cloud-native startups → large tech companies)
• Run outbound campaigns via email, LinkedIn, events, and community channels
• Qualify prospects using frameworks (BANT, MEDDICC-light, or similar)
• Book high-quality meetings and demos for Account Executives
• Maintain accurate activity and pipeline data in CRM
• Provide feedback to Marketing and Product based on real customer conversations
• Learn and articulate technical value propositions clearly and confidently

What We Ask

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Curiosity about cloud infrastructure, security, and modern software development
• Ability to learn technical concepts and explain them simply
• High ownership mindset — you care about results, not just activity
• Comfort with ambiguity in a fast-moving startup environment
• Coachability and a genuine desire to grow in sales and technology

You don’t need a traditional sales background — we value curiosity and learning speed over resumes.

Bonus If You Have Experience With

• Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure)
• DevOps, SRE, or platform engineering concepts
• Cybersecurity, CNAPP, CSPM, CWPP, ASM, or SaaS security
• Selling or marketing to technical audiences
• CRM tools (GoHighLevel, HubSpot, Salesforce)
• Community-driven growth or developer communities
• Startup or high-growth SaaS environments

Extra Information

• You’ll sell a product engineers actually want to use
• You’ll interact with highly technical, thoughtful buyers
• You’ll help shape how a new category of AI-native cloud security is defined
• You’ll be part of building not just a company, but a trusted industry community
• We invest heavily in training, mentorship, and career progression

Future Career Path

We don’t view the SDR role as a dead end. It’s a launchpad into multiple high-impact careers across sales, technical roles, growth, and leadership. Your path depends on your strengths, interests, and performance — not a fixed timeline.

1. Intern / Junior SDR (0–6 months)

Focus: Learning, foundations, confidence

What you’ll develop

• Fundamentals of cloud security, CNAPP, and modern infrastructure
• Understanding how DevOps, platform, and security teams work
• Prospecting basics: research, outreach, messaging, follow-ups
• How to qualify real problems vs. surface-level interest
• Professional communication with technical stakeholders

Success looks like

• Consistent activity and learning velocity
• Clear understanding of our ICP and buyer personas
• First qualified meetings booked
• Ability to explain our value proposition clearly

Promotion outcome: SDR

2. SDR (6–18 months)

Focus: Ownership, execution, impact

What you’ll own

• End-to-end pipeline generation for assigned segments or regions
• Outbound campaigns targeting modern infrastructure companies
• Qualification of inbound leads from content, community, and events
• High-quality meeting handoff to Account Executives
• CRM hygiene and pipeline accuracy

What you’ll develop

• Objection handling with technical buyers
• Value-based selling (security outcomes, not features)
• Deep understanding of customer pain points
• Cross-functional collaboration with Marketing and Product

Success looks like

• Consistent quota attainment
• High meeting-to-opportunity conversion
• Strong feedback loop into GTM strategy

Promotion outcome: Senior SDR or lateral move into another track

3. Senior SDR (18–30 months)

Focus: Leadership, strategy, leverage

What you’ll own

• Strategic accounts or priority verticals
• Mentorship and onboarding of new SDRs
• Experimentation with new GTM motions (verticals, regions, channels)
• Contribution to messaging, ICP refinement, and playbooks

What you’ll develop

• Advanced discovery and qualification
• Influence without authority
• Coaching and leadership skills
• Strategic thinking about revenue growth

Success looks like

• Top-tier performance and consistency
• Clear impact beyond your own quota
• Trusted voice in GTM discussions

Post-SDR Career Tracks

After Senior SDR, there is no single “correct” path. We actively support transitions based on your strengths.

Account Executive (AE)

For those who love closing and owning deals

• Own deals end-to-end
• Work closely with Sales Engineers
• Drive revenue and expansion

Sales Engineer / Solutions Engineer

For technically curious SDRs

• Deep technical product expertise
• Run demos and technical discovery
• Bridge sales and engineering

Growth / Revenue Operations

For analytical and systems thinkers

• Improve funnel performance
• Optimize tooling, data, and processes
• Partner closely with Sales & Marketing

Partnerships & Alliances

For relationship builders

• Build cloud, tech, and ecosystem partnerships
• Enable co-selling and integrations

Community & Developer Relations

For community-driven profiles

• Engage engineers and security teams
• Build trust and brand through content and events
• Support product-led and community-led growth

Sales Leadership

For future managers

• Team lead → Manager → Head of SDR / Revenue
• Hiring, coaching, and scaling teams

How We Support Your Growth

• Clear expectations at every level
• Regular feedback and career conversations
• Training on cloud security, sales, and communication
• Exposure to leadership, product, and customers early
• Internal mobility encouraged and supported

We hire SDRs not just to hit numbers — but to grow into future leaders, builders, and experts in cloud security.

Quick Overview 13 Sales Phases

• Preparation & Research. Global cybersecurity market research. Defining the ideal customer profile (ICP). Competitor analysis. Understanding customer pain points. Setting sales goals & strategy.
• Prospecting. Identifying potential leads (cold calling, email outreach, social selling, networking, referrals, inbound leads). Building lead lists (CRM, LinkedIn, events, purchased lists, etc.). Segmenting & qualifying initial interest.
• Lead Qualification. Determining fit based on budget, authority, need, and timing (BANT or MEDDIC frameworks). Discovery calls. Filtering out unqualified leads to save time.
• Initial Contact. First outreach (call, email, LinkedIn, networking, etc.). Making a strong first impression. Securing interest for a meeting/demo.
• Discovery & Needs Assessment. Asking open-ended questions. Identifying pain points and challenges. Uncovering buying motivations and priorities. Mapping buyer journey and decision-making process.
• Solution Presentation / Demonstration. Tailoring pitch to customer needs. Product demo or proposal. Case studies, proof of concept, or pilot programs. Highlighting ROI and differentiators.
• Handling Objections. Addressing concerns (price, timing, trust, competition). Active listening and empathy. Using data, testimonials, and success stories. Negotiation techniques.
• Proposal & Negotiation. Formal proposal (pricing, terms, service levels). Aligning with stakeholders. Negotiating pricing, packages, and conditions. Internal approvals (on both sides).
• Closing the Sale. Asking for commitment. Verbal agreement or signed contract. Handling last-minute hesitation ("closing techniques" — assumptive close, summary close, etc.). Ensuring mutual understanding of deliverables.
• Onboarding & Implementation. Customer handoff to delivery/support team. Training and setup. Smooth transition from sales to account management.
• Post-Sale Relationship Building. Customer success check-ins. Follow-up support and service. Gathering feedback (surveys, interviews). Identifying upsell/cross-sell opportunities.
• Retention & Expansion. Renewals. Upselling additional features/services. Cross-selling complementary products. Long-term relationship nurturing.
• Advocacy & Referrals. Turning satisfied customers into promoters. Encouraging testimonials, case studies, and online reviews. Generating referrals to new prospects.

Sales Planning Essentials

• Set Clear Objectives. Define revenue targets, sales volume, market share, or customer acquisition goals. Align sales goals with overall business strategy.
• Understand the Market. Market analysis: size, trends, seasonality. Customer segmentation: identify high-value customer groups. Competitive analysis: know strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT).
• Define Sales Strategies. Decide on approach to market: direct sales, partners, online, hybrid. Develop positioning and messaging for different segments. Identify key value propositions for customers.
• Sales Forecasting. Use historical sales data, pipeline analysis, and market trends to predict future sales. Establish realistic quotas for teams and individuals.
• Allocate Resources. Sales team structure (territories, accounts, roles). Budget for training, tools, and marketing support. Technology stack (CRM, automation, analytics).
• Action Plan. Daily/weekly/monthly activities (prospecting, demos, follow-ups). Campaigns (product launches, seasonal promotions). Cross-team collaboration with marketing and customer success.
• Performance Metrics. KPIs: revenue, win rate, average deal size, pipeline coverage, conversion rate. Regular reporting and dashboard reviews. Incentives and compensation plans.
• Review & Adjust. Conduct quarterly business reviews (QBRs). Identify gaps between plan and actuals. Adapt strategies to changing customer or market conditions.

Advanced Sales Planning

• Strategic Alignment. Tie sales goals to corporate strategy (growth, profitability, market penetration, or customer retention). Use a balanced scorecard approach (financial, customer, internal processes, innovation/learning). Integrate go-to-market (GTM) strategy: direct sales, channel, digital, or hybrid.
• Market & Customer Intelligence. Advanced segmentation: Use RFM (Recency, Frequency, Monetary), firmographics, technographics, or behavioral data. Propensity models: Predict which accounts are most likely to convert using AI/ML scoring. Buying center mapping: Identify decision-makers, influencers, gatekeepers in complex B2B deals. Competitive playbooks: Document competitor tactics, pricing models, and counter-strategies.
• Sales Forecasting & Modeling. Move beyond static forecasts: Pipeline velocity analysis (time in stage, conversion ratios). Scenario planning (best-case, base-case, worst-case). Leading indicator models (activity-based metrics like calls, demos, meetings tied to outcomes). Predictive forecasting (CRM + historical data + external signals like market shifts).
• Territory & Account Planning. Use data-driven territory optimization: Balance potential revenue vs. workload. Apply white space analysis to find untapped accounts. Account scoring models: revenue potential, strategic fit, buying intent, churn risk. Create account-based sales (ABS) plans for top-tier accounts: Personalized engagement roadmaps. Multi-channel touchpoints (email, events, LinkedIn, exec-level outreach).
• Resource & Capacity Planning. Sales capacity model: Calculate total reps × available selling time × productivity rate. Compare against quota to check coverage. Decide hunter/farmer model (new business vs. existing accounts). Optimize compensation plans: Tiered accelerators, SPIFs, team bonuses, or retention-based rewards.
• Execution Roadmap. 90-180-365 day plan with milestones. Align sales & marketing plays (ABM campaigns, product launches). Implement sales playbooks: Discovery scripts, objection handling, competitor battle cards. Enablement: continuous training, role-play sessions, deal coaching.
• Performance Management. Use advanced KPIs: Pipeline coverage ratio (3–5× quota). CAC payback period. Net revenue retention (NRR). Sales efficiency (Revenue ÷ Sales & Marketing spend). Dashboards & analytics: Real-time revenue dashboards in CRM. Cohort analysis for deal cycles. Rep-level performance heatmaps.
• Continuous Optimization. Quarterly business reviews (QBRs): Analyze gaps between forecast vs. actual. Share best practices across teams. Feedback loop: Customer insights → product roadmap. Sales objections → marketing content. Experimentation: A/B testing messaging, pricing, discounting strategies.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Revenue & Growth KPIs

• Total Sales Revenue
• Revenue Growth Rate
• Average Revenue per Account (ARPA)
• Average Revenue per User (ARPU)
• Recurring Revenue (MRR / ARR)
• Revenue per Sales Rep
• Revenue per Product/Service
• Sales per Region / Territory
• Year-over-Year Growth
• Sales Forecast Accuracy

Sales Activity & Productivity KPIs

• Number of Calls Made
• Number of Emails Sent
• Meetings Scheduled
• Demos Conducted
• Proposals Sent
• Opportunities Created
• Follow-up Rate
• Sales Cycle Length (Average Days to Close)
• Time Spent Selling vs Admin Work
• Lead Response Time

Conversion & Funnel KPIs

• Lead-to-Opportunity Conversion Rate
• Opportunity-to-Customer Conversion Rate
• Sales Win Rate (%)
• Pipeline Coverage Ratio
• Average Deal Size
• Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)
• Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)
• Opportunity-to-Win Ratio
• Quote-to-Close Ratio

Customer KPIs

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV / LTV)
• CAC Payback Period
• Customer Retention Rate
• Customer Churn Rate - % of customers lost.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Expansion Revenue (Upsell/Cross-sell)
• New vs Returning Customers
• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

Team & Individual Performance KPIs

• Sales per Rep
• Quota Attainment (%)
• Percentage of Sales Reps Hitting Quota
• Leaderboard Rankings
• Sales Coaching Hours per Rep
• Employee Turnover Rate in Sales Team
• Training Completion Rate

Profitability & Efficiency KPIs

• Gross Margin per Sale
• Profit Margin per Sale
• Sales Expense Ratio
• Cost per Lead
• Sales Efficiency (Revenue ÷ Sales & Marketing Costs)
• Return on Sales (ROS)

Forecasting & Pipeline KPIs

• Pipeline Value
• Pipeline Growth Rate
• Weighted Pipeline Value
• Forecast Accuracy (%)
• Deal Slippage Rate
• Sales Velocity

Digital & E-commerce Sales KPIs (if applicable)

• Website Conversion Rate
• Cart Abandonment Rate
• Online Sales Growth
• Average Order Value (AOV)
• Sales by Channel (social, email, ads, SEO)