Focal→
Sales Development Representative at Focal in San Francisco, CA
Skills
Job Description
Focal makes outdoor electric heaters for restaurant groups and hospitality operators — so outdoor spaces stay welcoming, comfortable, and open for business year-round. We have a product that works, early customers across the Bay Area, and a clear path to scaling into larger accounts and new geographies. Now we're building the team to make that happen.
This is an SDR role with real ownership. You'll research and qualify target accounts, run first-touch outreach, and hand off warm, well-prepped leads to the sales team. Outreach is personalized and account-specific — you'll have real context on every conversation you start.
What You'll Work On
Account Research & List Building
Identify and prioritize restaurant groups, hotel operators, and hospitality venues that match our customer profile — starting in the Bay Area, expanding across California and beyond as we scale
Look beyond direct accounts too — general contractors, designers, and project managers who work across multiple restaurants and hospitality venues can be some of the most valuable relationships to build.
Find the right decision-makers at each account — VP Operations, Facilities Director, GM, or Owner — and build out verified contact information
Outbound Outreach
Run personalized first-touch outreach through the right channel for each account — this isn't a spray-and-pray role, every account gets a tailored approach
If you're Bay Area-based, we encourage in-person outreach where it makes sense — a well-timed walk-in to a restaurant is often more effective than a cold email
Book intro meetings and qualify prospects against our criteria before handing off to sales
Market Intelligence
Monitor signals for new restaurant construction and build activity — permit filings, architect announcements, group expansion news
Flag early-stage opportunities where Focal can get into conversations before a space is built out
Keep a current picture of who's opening what, where, and when across our target geographies
Pipeline & CRM
Log all activity and account status in CRM; keep records clean and attribution accurate
Prepare account briefs and context so every handoff to sales is warm and well-informed
Contribute to a consistent view of pipeline health and what's coming down the line
Who You Are
We're looking for someone who is
Comfortable initiating — you don't wait to be introduced, you find the right person and reach out
Meticulous about research — outreach is only as good as the intel behind it
A clear, concise writer — personalized messages that get responses
Organized and self-directed; you manage a full outreach cadence without being chased
Genuinely curious about the restaurant and hospitality scene in the Bay Area and beyond
Comfortable building process in a scrappy environment — this is an early role at an early company
Background
1–3 years in an SDR, BDR, outbound sales, or similar role — or strong evidence you can do the job
CRM experience helpful (Attio, or similar)
Familiarity with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, enrichment tools (Apollo, ZoomInfo, Clearbit), or construction tracking tools is a plus
Why Focal
A market built on real experiences.
Restaurant groups and hospitality operators are in the business of bringing people together. You'll get to work with operators who care about creating great experiences, at any scale.
You're in early.
Every meeting you book is a direct contribution to revenue. This isn't a number in a funnel report — you'll see your work turn into real customers.
Small team, direct feedback.
You'll work closely with the leadership team. No layers, no bureaucracy. Good work is visible immediately.
Compensation & Details
Commitment
Contract, and open to full-time as fit evolves
Compensation
Flat fee structure (not hourly) + variable comp tied to qualified pipeline and meetings booked
Location
Remote – Bay Area preferred. Our office is in San Francisco.
Start Date
Immediate — looking to move quickly
Benefits
Benefits available for full-time employees — possible future state
How to Apply
Send a short note and your resume to christina@focalheat.co. Tell us briefly why you’re excited about this role, what kind of research or outbound work you've done before, and name one Bay Area restaurant group or hotel you think would be a strong Focal account and why. We move fast — first conversations happen within a week of applying.