Sales development representative job description: UK template

What is an SDR?

An SDR works at the start of the sales process. They research prospects, start conversations, ask qualifying questions and book meetings, then hand those meetings to the person who sells. They are measured on qualified meetings and pipeline, not on closed deals. For the full explanation of the role, see our guide on what an SDR is; for the difference from a business development representative, see SDR vs BDR.

Where an SDR sits in the sales team

In a larger company, SDRs sit between marketing and the account executives (AEs). Marketing brings in leads, SDRs qualify them and find new ones, and AEs close. An SDR manager, if there is one, sets targets and coaches. In a small UK business the SDR often reports to the owner and books meetings straight into the owner's diary. Your job description should say which of these is true, because it changes who applies.

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Job summary

Candidates decide in the first few lines. Replace "[type of business]" with something concrete, such as "independent dental practices in the North West" or "UK manufacturers with their own field sales team". Say whether the role is inbound, outbound or both. A precise summary attracts people who want that work and puts off people who do not.

Key responsibilities

Cut any line that is not part of the job. If you have no inbound leads, delete the inbound bullet and make the outbound bullets fuller. If the SDR will also run LinkedIn outreach, say so; our guide on LinkedIn outreach message templates shows the kind of messages they will send. Keep the TPS and CTPS line: the ICO's business-to-business marketing guidance says live marketing calls must not go to numbers registered with the TPS or CTPS without consent, and callers must identify themselves and display a number. This is general information, not legal advice.

Targets

Write the target as qualified meetings held, not calls made or meetings booked. Meetings that never happen cost the seller time and teach the SDR the wrong habit. If you are hiring your first SDR and do not know what a realistic number is, say that targets will be set together after the first few weeks, then base them on what the role actually produces.

Skills and requirements

Keep the essential list short. Most of what makes a good SDR is behaviour (persistence, listening, organisation), not qualifications. The National Careers Service sales representative job profile lists several routes into sales work, including a degree, an apprenticeship, working your way up and applying directly, so a degree requirement will narrow your pool without guaranteeing a better hire. Use the desirable list for sector knowledge and tools, which can be taught.

Pay and working hours

State the basic salary and the OTE as two separate figures, and say what the commission or bonus is paid on. Candidates compare adverts on both numbers, and a single "up to" figure without a basic reads as a warning sign. For hours, the National Careers Service profiles give typical hours of 37 to 45 a week for sales representatives and 37 to 40 a week for business development managers; state your own hours and your days exactly.

Next roles after SDR

The usual next step is account executive, where the person runs the sales conversations they used to book. Other routes include senior SDR, SDR team lead or manager, account management, and moves into marketing. Naming the next step in your job description helps you attract ambitious candidates.

Getting promoted

SDRs get promoted by hitting target consistently, writing handovers that AEs trust, and showing they can run a sales conversation. As an employer, say what "ready for promotion" looks like in your business and review it at fixed points, so good SDRs stay instead of leaving to get the step elsewhere.