Director of Global Sales Development & Technology

Job Description

About us- Cognex is the largest, most successful and recognized global player in industrial machine vision! We are a financially strong, international company with no debt and have been in business for over 40 years. Using advanced optics, image sensors and artificial intelligence software Cognex vision and ID systems capture an image then analyze it to make sense of what’s being seen. We are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment, guided by our "Work Hard, Play Hard, Move Fast" culture, which celebrates employee innovation, determination, and dedication in a dynamic, fun, and distinctive atmosphere.

We are working on a hybrid schedule, 3 days in the office, 2 at home.

As we enter our next phase of growth, we are looking for a Director of Global Sales Development & Technology who is more than a process manager—you are a visionary leader, technologist, and change agent. Based at our corporate headquarters in Natick, MA, you will report directly to the Head of Marketing to transform our global sales development team into a best-in-class outbound and ABM execution engine.

The Mission

Your primary responsibility is to lead, scale, and transform our global team of Sales Development Engineers (SDEs) into a high-performing outbound and Account-Based Marketing (ABM) powerhouse. Success requires building deep, tight alignment with Sales leadership and the Head of Global Demand Generation and owning the SDE technology stack and its AI evolution, leveraging automation and AI to optimize outbound processes and supercharge team productivity.

Key Responsibilities

Transform Global Outbound & ABM Execution

• Lead a Global SDE Team: Manage, mentor, and scale our global team of 18 sales development professionals, instilling modern outbound methodologies and account-centric hunting excellence.

• Drive Sales & Demand Gen Alignment: Partner closely with Sales leadership and the Head of Global Demand Generation to coordinate outbound plays, define target accounts, and ensure zero gap between marketing intent and SDE outreach.

• Orchestrate ABM Campaigns: Align outbound SDE sequences with active marketing campaigns, ensuring a seamless, high-touch experience for target accounts.

• Redefine Account-Centric Frameworks: Shift the global team from traditional inbound response models into a sophisticated, unified account-centric framework (e.g., buying group identification and account penetration).

Own SDE Tech Stack Evolution & AI Automation

• Own the SDE Tech Stack: Serve as the owner of the specialized SDE toolset, (e.g. Outreach, Salesloft, 6sense, Gong, etc.) and defining efficient processes and SLAs with core platforms like Salesforce CRM and Account Engagement.

• Drive AI & Automation Strategy: Architect and embed artificial intelligence into the outbound workflow to optimize email personalization, predictive sequencing, and automated multi-channel nurturing, while automating the inbound workflow.

• Operationalize Predictive Intent Data: Connect AI-driven intent architectures with core SDE platforms to automatically trigger high-priority outbound plays the moment target accounts display active buying signals.

Governance, Strategy & Analytics

• Govern Unified Account Scoring: Collaborate with the Demand Gen and Marketing Operations to establish shared account-scoring models that combine fit, engagement, and third-party intent data.

• Build the ABM Performance Engine: Create unified cross-functional dashboards that measure account-tier penetration, pipeline contribution, global SDE productivity, and overall campaign ROI.

Critical KPIs (The "North Stars")

• Target Account Engagement Rate: % of ABM accounts showing active intent signals across channels.

• Pipeline Velocity: The speed at which an account moves from "Intent" to Closed-Won.

• BDR Pipeline ROI: Total Pipeline Dollar Value Generated from Target Accounts divided by the Total Cost of the BDR Org (Salaries + Tech Stack + Overhead).

• Tech Stack Utilization: Active adoption rate of ABM and AI tools, and data validated of improved efficiency / impact.

Who You Are

• A Technologist First: You don't just use tools; you understand how they work. You have a deep understanding of Salesforce’s AI and Data Cloud capabilities and can architect complex, automated workflows.

• A Change Agent: You have a proven track record of leading organizations through significant technical shifts, specifically moving from human-heavy processes to automated, AI-driven models.

• High-Impact Leader: You are comfortable leading global teams and have the executive presence to present complex data and technical trade-offs to the leadership team and the board.

Role Requirements

• Experience: 12+ years in Marketing/Revenue Operations or Inside Sales, with a significant portion in leadership roles within $1B+ B2B tech companies, driving ABM strategies.

• Global Team Management: Proven experience managing and scaling global SDE/SDR teams across multiple regions, with a baseline of handling teams of 15+ reps.

• SDR/SDE Tech Expertise: Deep hands-on experience owning and evolving sales development stacks (e.g., Outreach, Salesloft, ZoomInfo, 6sense, Clay, Gong, etc.) with a track record of deploying AI/automation to lift rep efficiency.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Demonstrated success building tight, metrics-driven partnerships with Sales leaders and Demand Generation heads.

• Analytical Skills: Expert-level capability in Power BI or similar BI tools, with the ability to turn complex datasets into actionable business narratives.

• Location: This is a hybrid role based out of our Natick, MA headquarters.

A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 160,000 USD - 210,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance or a sales incentive plan.

This position is also eligible for equity under the Cognex Equity Program.

This position provides a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) retirement plan with company matching; employer-paid disability, family leave, life insurance, paid time off (including holidays), optional voluntary benefits, and recognition and wellness programs.

Additional Job Description

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cognex is an equal opportunity employer. Cognex evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, disability/handicap status or any other legally protected characteristic.