Sales Development Representative - Technology Sales
Introduction
A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is a sales role within the Digital Sales team. The focus of an SDR is to achieve and exceed industry service levels by developing highly qualified opportunities. SDRs action assigned marketing Client Interests (CIs) (e.g., contact modules, trials, "hand raising" moments, events, etc.) and other marketing workloads, and progress them to qualified pipeline (SQLs). These opportunities are passed to IBM sales teams or Business Partners. Today, SDRs focus on inbound client activity and outbound sales development activities driving pipeline creation and new client acquisition.
Sales Development Representatives are the tip of the spear for New Client Acquisition opportunity identification (using data, and Digital Tools to focus prospecting on the right personas, client segments, and value propositions to improve probabilities for opportunity creation). SDRs partner with Digital Technical Specialists, Digital Sales Specialists and eco-system partners to drive quarterly targets.
Part of IBM's onboarding process, new hires are placed in IBM's Global Sales Program, which is a structured, extensive set of training activities that are geared toward building elite digital sales capabilities. The first 6-weeks focuses on IBM's sales methodology, consultative sales, and real-world application via ongoing mentorship and monthly milestones.
Sales Development Representatives operate in a hybrid environment (three days in office, per week) at our flagship Head Office in Markham, Ontario.
Your role and responsibilities
As a Sales Development Representative in Digital Sales, you will be IBM's initial point of contact for inbound client sales activities. Your primary objective will be to qualify leads by assessing customer budgets, identifying decision-makers, understanding business needs, and determining procurement timelines, ultimately converting leads into new business opportunities. By prioritizing prompt engagement, you will utilize your digital, product, and consultative selling skills to connect client needs with IBM's solutions. Collaboration with the Sales team is essential, as you will advise and support new business engagements during the critical early stages of the sales cycle.
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Success in this role means flourishing in your career while ensuring our clients thrive. A 'day-in-the-life' may involve:
Lead Qualification and Management
o Progress marketing Client Interests (CIs) assigned to you, including both active inquiries and passive interest such as trials, demos, and events.
o Research prospects to identify decision-makers and influencers, tailor campaign materials, and engage through various communication channels.
o Collaborate with IBM subject matter experts to enhance and expedite lead conversion.
Sales Execution
• Identifies highly qualified opportunities as Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) and passes SQLs to corresponding Territory Seller or Business Partner via the Sales Accepted Lead (SAL) process
• Support all client segments, with special focus on Select Digital (and New Client Acquisition)
• Responsible for maintaining up-to-date product offering knowledge and delivering technical demos to customers on select product offerings
• Speed to customer by upholding or exceeding SLA responses
• Follow-the-sun 24x7 live chat coverage for high priority client hand raising moments
Required education
Bachelor's Degree
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise
- Drive over 100 calls per week to prospects (to support Opportunity Creation) and 200 activities (social selling & email engagement) to maximize client engagement
- Develops expertise in one or more brands (e.g. Data, Automation, Power, Storage) or product specialties (e.g. SPSS, MaaS360, B2Bi) assigned to the seller as part of their squad or market coverage
- Demonstrates prospecting, hunter skills through lead nurturing and campaign optimization to progress workload assigned
- Aligns with Digital Sales Specialists and leverages buyer intelligence to execute outbound sales prospecting motions
- Possesses proficiency in active listening, inquisitive discovery, and rapport building to understand client needs and propose IBM solutions
- Demonstrates effective utilization of digital tools to drive client engagement, including, but not limited to, SalesLoft, ISC, and digital enablers
Preferred technical and professional experience
- Experience collaborating with strategic partners, including pre-sales and co-selling scenarios.
- Understanding of the technology sector.
- Practical knowledge of Design Thinking methodology.
- Familiarity with various go-to-market strategies.
ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT
IBM has a global presence, operating in more than 175 countries with a broad-based geographic distribution of revenue. The company's Global Markets organization is a strategic sales business unit that manages IBM's global footprint, working closely with dedicated country-based operating units to serve clients locally. These country teams have client relationship managers who lead integrated teams of consultants, solution specialists and delivery professionals to enable clients' growth and innovation. By complementing local expertise with global experience and digital capabilities, IBM builds deep and broad-based client relationships. This local management focus fosters speed in supporting clients, addressing new markets and making investments in emerging opportunities. Additionally, the Global Markets organization serves clients with expertise in their industry as well as through the products and services that IBM and partners supply. IBM is also expanding its reach to new and existing clients through digital marketplaces.
YOUR LIFE @ IBM
In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.
Being an IBMer means you'll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you'll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.
Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.
Are you ready to be an IBMer?
ABOUT IBM
IBM's greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.
Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we're also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.
At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it's time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.
IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.
OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS
Must have the ability to work in Canada without sponsorship.
This role will involve working with technology that is covered by Export Regulations sanctions. If you are a Foreign National from any of the following US sanctioned countries (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine) on a work permit, you are not eligible for employment in this position.
Perks and Benefits
Health and Wellness
Parental Benefits
Work Flexibility
Office Life and Perks
Vacation and Time Off
Financial and Retirement
Professional Development
Diversity and Inclusion
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