Manager, Sales Development (Startups & Commercial)

About Anthropic Anthropic’s mission is to create reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. We want AI to be safe and beneficial for our users and for society as a whole. Our team is a quickly growing group of committed researchers, engineers, policy experts, and business leaders working together to build beneficial AI systems. Role Overview: As a Sales Development Manager for Startups and Commercial at Anthropic, you will lead a high-velocity BDR team focused on driving pipeline generation for our fastest-moving market segments. You will build and manage a team of 8-12 BDRs who specialize in rapid lead qualification and high-volume outbound prospecting in startup and commercial accounts. This role requires a leader who thrives in fast-paced environments and can build repeatable, scalable processes for velocity-driven pipeline development. Key Responsibilities: Build, lead, and scale a team of 8-12 BDRs focused on Startup and Commercial segments Drive high-velocity pipeline generation through optimized inbound lead management and targeted outbound campaigns Establish and track KPIs focused on speed-to-lead, conversion rates, and volume metrics Partner with Startup and Commercial AEs to ensure tight alignment on ICP, qualification criteria, and handoff processes Create streamlined training programs focused on rapid qualification and high-volume prospecting techniques Implement and optimize sales technology stack to maximize team efficiency and throughput Own Pipeline Reviews with sales leadership covering top-of-funnel health, conversion velocity, and campaign effectiveness Build a culture of urgency, experimentation, and continuous improvement Coach and develop BDRs on velocity prospecting, quick qualification, and career progression Qualifications: 5+ years of experience managing BDR/SDR teams, preferably in high-growth SaaS or technology companies Proven track record of building and scaling velocity-focused sales development teams Experience managing teams prospecting into Startup or Commercial/SMB market segments Strong analytical skills with experience using data to optimize team performance and conversion rates Experience with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach/Salesloft, and sales analytics tools Demonstrated ability to build efficient, repeatable processes that scale with volume Excellent communication and leadership skills with ability to motivate and develop talent Experience in API-first, consumption-based, or usage-based business models preferred Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience Preferred Experience: Experience at companies with PLG (product-led growth) or developer-focused go-to-market motions Experience selling an API product Background managing teams that handle high amount of leads per day per rep Track record of BDRs successfully transitioning to AE roles under your leadership Experience building BDR functions in early-stage or Series B-D companies Familiarity with AI/ML industry and technical product positioning The annual compensation range for this role is listed below. For sales roles, the range provided is the role’s On Target Earnings ("OTE") range, meaning that the range includes both the sales commissions/sales bonuses target and annual base salary for the role. Annual Salary: $165,000 — $285,000 USD Logistics Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience Required field of study: A field relevant to the role as demonstrated through coursework, training, or professional experience Minimum years of experience: Years of experience required will correlate with the internal job level requirements for the position Location-based hybrid policy: Currently, we expect all staff to be in one of our offices at least 25% of the time. However, some roles may require more time in our offices. Visa sponsorship: We do sponsor visas! However, we aren't able to successfully sponsor visas for every role and every candidate. But if we make you a