Sales Development Representative

The Sales Development Representative (SDR) role supports revenue growth by qualifying inbound Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), conducting outbound prospecting, and building an early-stage pipeline that transitions smoothly to Account Executives. This position is hybrid and based in Chicago.

Responsibilities

• Handle and qualify all Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) assigned by the marketing team in accordance with predetermined Service Levels Agreements.
• Conduct outbound calls and run campaigns targeting potential Morningstar prospects.
• Connect with leads through phone, email, and LinkedIn to understand customer needs and pain points.
• Research prospects and tailor outreach to align with business needs and challenges.
• Apply lead scoring criteria to prioritize opportunities based on readiness to buy.
• Support outbound sales-led campaigns when needed to engage prospects and generate new opportunities.
• Create and manage a pipeline of potential opportunities, nurturing leads through early funnel stages.
• Coordinate meetings, demos, and sales calls between qualified prospects and Account Executives or sales managers.
• Use the company’s CRM system (for example, Salesforce) to organize, track, and document lead interactions.
• Collaborate with marketing to share feedback on lead quality and help align strategies that improve MQL flow and conversion.
• Partner with the sales team to ensure a clear, context-rich handoff of leads for ongoing conversations.
• Report regularly on lead metrics including conversion rates, outreach performance, and pipeline growth.
• Provide insights and recommendations to strengthen lead qualification and improve conversion rates.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as number of calls, emails sent, meetings set, and opportunities generated.
• Stay current on industry trends, market conditions, and competitor offerings to refine messaging and outreach approach.
• Offer feedback to marketing on MQL quality and suggest improvements for lead generation campaigns.
• Actively pursue learning opportunities to enhance product knowledge, sales technique, and industry expertise.

Requirements

• Proven history of exceeding goals and a minimum of 6 months at Morningstar (internal candidates).
• Internal candidates must be in good standing and demonstrate professionalism, a positive attitude, and alignment with company values.
• Bachelor’s degree (preferred concentrations: Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field) for external candidates.
• Experience in customer-facing roles and sales or business development, preferably in a B2B or SaaS environment for external candidates.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on active listening and effective questioning.
• Ability to manage time and organize workload across multiple prospects and tasks.
• Familiarity with CRM tools (for example, Salesforce) and sales engagement platforms.
• Capacity to work in a fast-paced environment with a strong sense of urgency.
• Data-driven approach with the ability to analyze lead information and identify actionable insights.

Technologies

• Salesforce
• LinkedIn

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary and target incentive total cash compensation range: $55,725.00 to $85,458.33 per year, inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive.

• 100% 401(k) match up to 6% of salary
• Company-provided life insurance: 1x salary plus commission
• Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision), including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500 to $2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
• Additional medical wellness incentives: up to $300 to $600 annually
• Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
• 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 and formal mentorship opportunities
• Annual flex stipend: $1,000 annually for personal education and well-being expenses
• Tuition reimbursement
• Charitable matching gifts program
• Dollars for Doers volunteer program
• Paid volunteering days
• 15+ employee resource and affinity groups

Work Location

Location: Chicago, IL (hybrid). The hybrid work environment supports in-person collaboration each week as the company has found that team performance is stronger when working together regularly (in most locations, four days in-office each week).