Business Development Representative

About the role

Join OpenClassrooms as a Business Development Representative (BDR) to help identify, qualify, and convert employer hiring needs into qualified apprenticeship opportunities. As the top-of-funnel expert, you will play a central role in building a predictable, disciplined top-of-funnel motion for the U.S. apprenticeship business.

Responsibilities

• Prospecting and Lead Qualification
• Identify employer hiring needs that may align with OpenClassrooms’ Registered Apprenticeship Programs, including SMB, mid-market, and enterprise employers.
• Call prospective employers to qualify their hiring need, understand the role context, assess timing and urgency, and confirm whether the need aligns with OpenClassrooms pathways.
• Evaluate lead maturity using ICP fit, hiring need, role alignment, employer readiness, urgency, and likelihood to move forward.
• Create and transfer fully qualified opportunities to Account Executives with clear notes, qualification rationale, and recommended next steps.
• Pipeline Management
• Log 100% of employer interactions, call outcomes, qualification notes, and next steps in Salesforce.
• Maintain accurate CRM hygiene across lead status, opportunity creation, owner assignment, activity history, and follow-up dates.
• Provide reliable reporting on volume contacted, connect rate, qualification rate, qualified opportunities created, disqualification reasons, and market insights.
• Use internal tools and workflows, including Salesforce and approved prospecting/enrichment tools, to manage activity and support conversion.
• Account Mapping & Market Insights
• Understand the structure of targeted accounts and identify relevant stakeholders, decision paths, and recurring hiring needs.
• Map accounts where multiple contacts or departments may influence apprenticeship adoption.
• Capture employer objections, market signals, hiring trends, role-fit patterns, and feedback on apprenticeship positioning.
• Share account maps and insights with Account Executives and Sales Operations to strengthen prioritization and conversion.
• Collaboration with Account Executives & Sales Operations
• Ensure smooth handoff of qualified opportunities to Account Executives, including business context, confirmed need, timing, stakeholder details, objections, and recommended next action.
• Collaborate with Account Executives to refine qualification criteria, handoff expectations, messaging, and opportunity quality.
• Contribute to improvements in call scripts, outreach sequences, qualification workflows, Salesforce processes, and internal sales tools.
• Continuous Improvement
• Challenge and improve call scripts, email sequences, objection-handling approaches, and qualification frameworks.
• Recommend process and data improvements based on actual employer conversations and pipeline outcomes.
• Share insights on U.S. employer demand, apprenticeship adoption, tech and digital hiring needs, and workforce trends.
• Participate in a test-and-learn sales culture where feedback, experimentation, and disciplined execution are expected.

Requirements

• Initial experience in high-volume outbound sales, prospecting, or outreach (SDR/BDR, inside sales, recruiting, employer engagement).
• Strong communication and phone presence, comfortable engaging senior stakeholders (Executives, HR, Talent Acquisition, L&D, Hiring Managers).
• Ability to quickly build rapport, run discovery conversations, and identify business needs.
• Strong organizational skills: manage high call volumes, prioritize effectively, and maintain reliable follow-up and CRM discipline.
• Comfortable handling objections (budget, timing, candidate readiness, apprenticeship structure, hiring constraints).
• Adaptable in fast-changing environments with evolving processes, scripts, and priorities.
• Able to manage workload fluctuations and seasonal peaks in outreach and pipeline activity.
• Resilient and consistent, able to handle rejection and maintain performance over time.
• Solution-oriented mindset, curious and proactive in understanding employer needs and improving outcomes.
• Startup mindset: hands-on, resourceful, and comfortable taking initiative.
• Motivation to grow in a sales career, ideally toward an Account Executive role.

Qualifications

• Nice to have:
• Familiarity with tech, digital, data, cybersecurity, marketing, HR, or business roles;
• Experience with Salesforce, Apollo, or other sales engagement/prospecting tools;
• Experience selling or engaging with HR, talent, workforce development, or education stakeholders.

Benefits

• Remote-first work environment
• Stock option plan for all employees
• 401(k) with a 5% match
• Health Insurance with United Health Care (100% covered for you and 75% covered for your family)
• Dental & Vision Insurance with Guardian (100% covered for you and 75% covered for your family)
• Company-provided MacBook
• Access to OpenClassrooms' training catalog
• 25 days of Paid Time Off per year
• 5 "Caretaker Days" per year are provided, allowing you to take care of your loved ones.
• Complimentary access to the moka.care app (mental health solution)

Pay

$76,000 OTE (On-Target Earnings), including base salary and variable compensation, with performance measured against pipeline creation, qualified opportunities, and activity quality.

Schedule

Full-time, US time zone

Growth & Development

This role is a strong stepping stone toward an Account Executive position. In this role, you will develop:

• advanced sales techniques;
• pipeline management and forecasting discipline;
• negotiation and objection-handling skills;
• strategic business understanding of workforce, education, and apprenticeship models;
• stronger understanding of employer hiring needs across tech, digital, and business functions.

Our Perks

• Remote-first work environment
• Stock option plan for all employees
• 401(k) with a 5% match
• Health Insurance with United Health Care (100% covered for you and 75% covered for your family)
• Dental & Vision Insurance with Guardian (100% covered for you and 75% covered for your family)
• Company-provided MacBook
• Access to OpenClassrooms' training catalog
• 25 days of Paid Time Off per year
• 5 "Caretaker Days" per year are provided, allowing you to take care of your loved ones.
• Complimentary access to the moka.care app (mental health solution)

Hiring Process

• HR Interview (30 mins): A first video call with our Talent team to discuss the role, your background, and key expectations.
• Manager Interview (45 mins): A conversation with your future manager to evaluate team fit, mindset, and your potential for success in the role.
• Case Study
• Final interview with the Senior Director Sales & Operations
• Reference Checks: At the final stage, we’ll ask for a few professional references.

Join our Team!

Intrigued? Let's get to know each other! Apply today — we're looking forward to receiving your application!