Sales Development Representative

SKF•Waukegan, IL

14d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sales Development Representative (SDR) plays a key role in driving pipeline growth and new customer acquisition by identifying, engaging, and qualifying current and potential customers. This role is designed to build a strong internal talent pipeline and develop future sales and business leaders. The SDR is responsible for generating and qualifying leads and creating new opportunities that support the sales pipeline. Customer Engagement involves engaging current and potential customers through phone, email, LinkedIn, events, and coordinated field activity to identify needs, qualify opportunities, and create a positive first impression of SKF. Conducting structured discovery conversations to understand customer applications, business drivers, reliability challenges, and timing for potential opportunities is key. The role supports account development by scheduling qualified meetings, preparing clear handoff notes, and ensuring the appropriate Account Manager, or Application Engineering resource is engaged at the right time. Maintaining disciplined follow-up with customers, including timely responses, meeting recaps, action items, and next steps documented in CRM is essential. Escalating customer needs, technical questions, pricing requests, service issues, or high-potential opportunities to the appropriate internal owner while maintaining visibility until resolution is also part of the role. Cross-Functional Collaboration involves partnering closely with OEM Sales, Sales Operations and Enablement, Marketing, Application Engineering, Customer Service, Product Line, and Distribution/Aftermarket teams to support pipeline growth and customer development. Coordinating with Account Managers and Application Engineers to align outreach activity, account context, customer messaging, and opportunity handoff expectations is crucial. Working with Marketing and Sales Enablement to execute targeted campaigns, support trade show follow-up, and convert market intelligence into actionable prospecting activity is expected. Collaborating with Application Engineering and Product Line teams to build technical understanding and connect customers with the right SKF expertise when application-specific support is needed is important. Contributing to a consistent internal operating rhythm by sharing customer insights, lead status, activity updates, and CRM data that help improve forecasting, prioritization, and sales execution is also a responsibility. Operational Excellence is measured by qualified opportunities generated (SQLs), pipeline value created, lead-to-opportunity conversion rates, activity levels (calls, emails, meetings), and CRM accuracy and data quality. SDRs are typically measured on pipeline creation, conversion rates, and activity performance. Strategic Communication involves communicating clearly and professionally with customers, prospects, and internal stakeholders, tailoring messages to the audience and business context. Preparing concise customer outreach, meeting agendas, follow-up notes, and opportunity summaries that support effective handoffs and next-step alignment is required. Providing regular updates on prospecting activity, lead status, customer feedback, and pipeline progress through CRM, weekly updates, and manager check-ins is expected. Translating customer insights, objections, and market signals into actionable feedback for Sales, Marketing, Sales Enablement, and Product Line teams is important. Supporting leadership visibility by maintaining accurate reporting on activity levels, qualified opportunities, conversion progress, and emerging customer or market trends is also a key aspect of the role.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field (preferred)
0–3 years of experience in sales, customer-facing, or technical roles
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to learn technical products and industrial applications
Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and highly coachable
Experience with CRM tools (Salesforce or similar) is a plus
Curiosity and willingness to learn
Resilience and persistence in a high-activity role
Strong organizational and time management skills
Team-oriented mindset with ability to collaborate cross-functionally

Nice To Haves

Experience with CRM tools (Salesforce or similar) is a plus

Responsibilities

Identify and prospect target customers aligned with SKF’s strategic segments
Execute outbound outreach campaigns (phone, email, LinkedIn, events)
Qualify inbound and outbound leads to generate sales-ready opportunities
Conduct discovery conversations to understand customer needs and applications
Schedule qualified meetings and hand off opportunities to Account Managers or Sales Engineers
Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Application Engineering to support growth initiatives
Maintain accurate activity, pipeline, and customer data in CRM systems
Build knowledge of SKF products, applications, and industry markets
Engage current and potential customers through phone, email, LinkedIn, events, and coordinated field activity to identify needs, qualify opportunities, and create a positive first impression of SKF.
Conduct structured discovery conversations to understand customer applications, business drivers, reliability challenges, and timing for potential opportunities.
Support account development by scheduling qualified meetings, preparing clear handoff notes, and ensuring the appropriate Account Manager, or Application Engineering resource is engaged at the right time.
Maintain disciplined follow-up with customers, including timely responses, meeting recaps, action items, and next steps documented in CRM.
Escalate customer needs, technical questions, pricing requests, service issues, or high-potential opportunities to the appropriate internal owner while maintaining visibility until resolution.
Partner closely with OEM Sales, Sales Operations and Enablement, Marketing, Application Engineering, Customer Service, Product Line, and Distribution/Aftermarket teams to support pipeline growth and customer development.
Coordinate with Account Managers and Application Engineers to align outreach activity, account context, customer messaging, and opportunity handoff expectations.
Work with Marketing and Sales Enablement to execute targeted campaigns, support trade show follow-up, and convert market intelligence into actionable prospecting activity.
Collaborate with Application Engineering and Product Line teams to build technical understanding and connect customers with the right SKF expertise when application-specific support is needed.
Contribute to a consistent internal operating rhythm by sharing customer insights, lead status, activity updates, and CRM data that help improve forecasting, prioritization, and sales execution.
Communicate clearly and professionally with customers, prospects, and internal stakeholders, tailoring messages to the audience and business context.
Prepare concise customer outreach, meeting agendas, follow-up notes, and opportunity summaries that support effective handoffs and next-step alignment.
Provide regular updates on prospecting activity, lead status, customer feedback, and pipeline progress through CRM, weekly updates, and manager check-ins.
Translate customer insights, objections, and market signals into actionable feedback for Sales, Marketing, Sales Enablement, and Product Line teams.
Support leadership visibility by maintaining accurate reporting on activity levels, qualified opportunities, conversion progress, and emerging customer or market trends.

Benefits

Generous PTO policy
13 paid holidays
Comprehensive healthcare options
Company paid life insurance
STD
LTD
Critical illness coverage
Tuition reimbursement
Employee discount programs
STVS (Short Term Variable Salary) or Sales Incentive based on company performance and at the discretion of management
401K program with 10% employer contribution: 100% match up to 5% of your elected contribution (100% Vested) plus an additional 5% company contribution