Sales Development Representative (SDR) Manager

Morningstar · Chicago · $115,925–$177,758 (stated in the posting)

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About the Role

Morningstar's mission is to empower investor success. Our Sales organization plays a critical role in connecting prospective clients with the insights, technology, and solutions that help them make better investment decisions. The Sales Development team is a key driver of growth, serving as the first point of engagement for potential clients and creating qualified opportunities that fuel our commercial success.

We are seeking an SDR Manager to lead, develop, and scale a high-performing team of Sales Development Representatives. This individual will be responsible for driving outbound lead generation efforts, coaching and developing talent, optimizing sales development processes, and ensuring the team consistently delivers qualified pipeline opportunities for our sales

organization.

Reporting to the Global Head of SDR and Inside Sales, this role will partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Revenue Operations, and other commercial stakeholders to execute lead generation strategies, improve team performance, and contribute to Morningstar's growth objectives. The ideal candidate is a strong people leader with a passion for coaching, data-driven decision-making, and building scalable sales development programs.

Responsibilities

• Hire, onboard, train, and develo Sales Development Representatives, building a high-performing and engaged team focused on achieving pipeline generation goals.
• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and performance management to help team members maximize productivity, develop professionally, and advance their careers.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and positive team culture that encourages continuous improvement and strong results.
• Design and execute outbound prospecting and lead generation strategies that drive qualified opportunities for the sales organization.
• Partner closely with Marketing and Sales teams to align lead generation activities, campaign execution, and target account strategies.
• Develop, refine, and maintain outreach best practices, including call scripts, email messaging, prospecting cadences, and sales engagement resources.
• Track, analyze, and communicate key performance metrics such as outreach activity, response rates, meetings scheduled, opportunity creation, and pipeline contribution.
• Establish individual and team goals that align with broader organizational objectives and ensure accountability through ongoing performance tracking.
• Identify performance gaps and implement structured coaching and improvement plans to drive measurable results.
• Leverage CRM and sales engagement technologies to improve workflow efficiency, reporting accuracy, and team productivity.
• Continuously evaluate processes, tools, and data to identify opportunities for operational improvements and enhanced lead conversion outcomes.
• Collaborate with Revenue Operations and commercial stakeholders to improve reporting, forecasting, territory execution, and process scalability.
• Provide regular updates to leadership regarding team performance, pipeline generation, and key business insights.
• Share market feedback, prospect trends, and customer insights gathered through outreach efforts to help inform commercial and marketing strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 2-3+ years of leadership experience in sales development, inside sales, business development, or a related commercial function. For internal Morningstar candidates, 2+ years of sales and/or relevant SDR experience is required.
• Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing high-performing sales or SDR teams.
• Strong understanding of outbound prospecting, lead generation, qualification methodologies, and pipeline development strategies.
• Experience partnering cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams to achieve shared business objectives.
• Proven ability to analyze performance metrics, identify trends, and use data to drive decision-making and process improvements.
• Experience using CRM and sales engagement platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, Salesloft, or similar technologies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and motivate teams.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Results-oriented mindset with a passion for coaching, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and develop individuals while holding teams accountable to ambitious performance goals.
• Self-starter with strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a commitment to achieving business outcomes.

Compensation and Benefits

At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide:

• Financial Health

  • 100% 401k match up to 6% of salary

  • Stock Ownership Potential

  • Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission

• Physical Health 

  • Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages

  • Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual

  • Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance

• Emotional Health 

  • Trust-Based Time Off

  • 6-week Paid Sabbatical Program

  • 6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave

  • Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave

  • Adoption Assistance

  • Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities

  • Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses

  • Tuition Reimbursement

• Social Health 

  • Charitable Matching Gifts program

  • Dollars for Doers volunteer program

  • Paid volunteering days

  • 15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups

Total Cash Compensation Range

Inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive

Morningstar's hybrid work environment gives you the opportunity to collaborate in-person each week as we've found that we're at our best when we're purposely together on a regular basis. In most of our locations, our hybrid work model is four days in-office each week. A range of other benefits are also available to enhance flexibility as needs change. No matter where you are, you'll have tools and resources to engage meaningfully with your global colleagues.

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