Head of Sales Development

Exa is building a search engine for the AI era. Our Search API powers Agents, Fortune 500s, and AI labs as we transform an industry that hasn't been disrupted since the 90s. We're a largely SF-based team of ~100 from Harvard, MIT, Meta, Google Research, ex-founders, and dropouts alike. We recently raised an $85M Series B from Benchmark, and we're rapidly building the most intelligent search engine in history. We're high agency, low-ego, and united by the feeling that this is one of the last problems worth getting right. ABOUT THE ROLE The Head of Sales Development will build, lead, and continuously evolve Exa's SDR organization to support rapid growth. You'll own pipeline generation strategy across inbound and outbound motions, develop high-impact teams and leaders, and ensure operational excellence across the SDR function. This role partners deeply with Sales, Marketing, and RevOps to align on pipeline quality, coverage, and execution, scaling a best-in-class sales development engine. This is hands-on, high-ownership work. You'll build from zero and scale fast. YOU'LL OWN - Exa's global Sales Development strategy and operating model, including outbound and inbound motions, capacity planning, segmentation, and coverage to support company revenue goals. - Building, scaling, and leading a high-performing SDR organization. Setting the bar for talent, leadership expectations, and long-term succession planning. - Establishing a data-driven growth engine. Using performance analytics and continuous optimization to improve pipeline quality, conversion rates, and efficiency. - Creating and sustaining a culture of excellence, accountability, and operational rigor. Aligning performance management, coaching frameworks, and standards across the team. - Designing compensation, incentive, and recognition programs that drive consistent over-performance while aligning SDR behavior to revenue and pipeline priorities. - Developing future revenue leaders. Implementing career paths, readiness frameworks, and promotion criteria. - SDR performance reporting and forecasting. Defining KPIs, SLAs, and dashboards that give executive leadership clear visibility and inform strategic decisions. - Cross-functional partnership with Marketing, RevOps, and Sales Leadership to align demand generation, territory strategy, tooling, and process improvements. A BUILDER, NOT A MANAGER. YOU'VE SET UP OR REBUILT AN IT AND OPS FUNCTION FROM SCRATCH. YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAINTAINING A SYSTEM AND ARCHITECTING ONE THAT SCALES. - Hands-on by default. You've personally managed MDM, configured SSO, run cables, and set up conference rooms. You don't outsource the details. - Security-minded. You think about access controls, compliance, and risk without being asked. SOC2 and IAM aren't acronyms you have to look up. - Operationally obsessed. You notice when something is broken before anyone else does and you fix it without making it a big deal. - A great onboarding partner. New hires have a smooth first day because of you. You've built onboarding and offboarding processes that actually work at scale. - Comfortable with ambiguity and building from zero. High grit, high ownership. - Excited to advocate for Exa. You care deeply about building the infrastructure that lets us build perfect search. QUALIFICATIONS - 7+ years of sales / SDR leadership experience in a high-growth technology company. - Located in the San Francisco Bay Area and willing to commute to the office a minimum of 2x per week. - Deep understanding of modern SDR processes and tools such as Outreach, Gong, LinkedIn Sales Nav, 6sense, and Zoominfo. - Experience executing an outbound multichannel strategy. - Consistent track record of exceeding quota while both leading a team and as an individual contributor. - Strong analytical experience with managing pipeline goals and forecasting. This is an in-person opportunity in the San Francisco Bay Area or New York City Metro. We're big believers in in-person cult