Lead Qualification (Inside Sales Support) Manager

Full-time - Mid Level

Chicago, IL

About the position

Grant Thornton is seeking a Lead Qualification (Inside Sales Support) Manager to join the team. Approved office locations can be found below. As a Lead Qualification (Inside Sales support) Manager in our Connected Sales & Marketing function, you will get the opportunity to lead a specialized team responsible for bridging the crucial gap between lead generation and lead conversion. Leading a team of offshore Lead Qualification Specialists, you'll lead by example while developing the approach and playbook for prospect / lead qualification and lead routing for both inbound Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) and outbound account targeting. From day one, you'll be empowered by our firm's robust technology infrastructure and collaborative culture to drive excellence in lead qualification while creating an environment where your offshore team can thrive.

Responsibilities

• Leading as a player / coach a team of Lead Qualification Specialists, providing clear direction, performance coaching, and career development support
• Qualifying and routing inbound MQLs
• Enriching inbound opportunities with a standard set of artifacts and information (e.g. Databook, other research) to support leaders in qualifying opportunities
• Monitoring lead queues, analyzing patterns, and routing lead feedback and learnings
• Standardizing the lead qualification approach and playbook aligned with sales objectives and marketing campaigns; define SLAs
• Monitoring team performance against key metrics including lead response time, qualification rate, and conversion velocity
• Establishing effective communication protocols between offshore specialists and onshore sales teams to ensure seamless handoffs
• Collaborating with Marketing leadership to continuously improve lead scoring methodologies and MQL quality
• Analyzing pipeline data to identify trends, remove bottlenecks, and optimize lead routing processes
• Facilitating cross-functional coordination between Lead Qualification, Lead Identification & Research, and Lead Conversion teams
• Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders across industry and service lines to stay aligned with business priorities
• Managing resource allocation and workload distribution to maximize team efficiency and lead coverage
• Providing regular reporting and insights to leadership on lead qualification performance and recommendations for improvement
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• 5-7 years of experience in B2B inside sales, business development, or lead qualification, with at least 2 years in a management role
• Demonstrated expertise in leading remote or offshore teams with excellent cross-cultural communication skills
• Advanced proficiency with CRM platforms (preferably Salesforce) and sales engagement technologies
• Strong understanding of professional services sales cycles and industry-specific buying behaviors
• Experience with data analysis and performance metrics to drive continuous process improvement
• Proven track record of implementing lead qualification strategies that consistently deliver quality opportunities to sales teams
• Familiarity with multiple industry verticals including financial services, professional services, construction, leisure/hospitality/tourism, and private equity
• Excellent presentation and stakeholder management skills with ability to influence across organizational levels
• Can travel as needed