Opportunity

APAC SDR at Cresta - AI SaaS Sales Career Growth in Columbus

Location Columbus
Company Cresta
Source jobicy
Posted 2026-10-29 18:48:59

Career & Market Insight

This is an entry-to-mid level SDR role at a well-funded, high-growth AI startup (Series C+, $270M raised, backed by a16z, Greylock, and Sequoia). For early-career sales professionals, it's a strong resume builder given Cresta's brand recognition and blue-chip customer roster (United Airlines, Marriott).

Compensation signals: No salary range is disclosed, which is increasingly a yellow flag in today's transparent market. The role is "variable target compensation eligible" — meaning OTE matters more than base. For SDR roles in Melbourne, typical base salaries range AUD $65,000–$85,000, with OTE of AUD $90,000–$120,000. Equity is included, which is uncommon for SDR roles and is a meaningful upside at a pre-IPO company.

Skills developed:

  • APAC enterprise sales prospecting and pipeline generation
  • Executive-level communication and objection handling
  • AI/SaaS product positioning — a highly transferable, in-demand skill set
  • CRM and sales tech stack proficiency

Green flags: Stanford AI Lab pedigree, real equity for SDRs, and a fast-scaling APAC team means promotion to AE is plausible within 12–18 months for strong performers. The AI contact center space is one of the fastest-growing segments in enterprise SaaS.

Watch for: SDR quotas at high-growth startups can be demanding; the "highly competitive personality" requirement signals a pressure-heavy culture. Evaluate team tenure and promotion rates in interviews.

Cresta unlocks the true potential of the customer experience, turning every conversation into a competitive advantage. Cresta's unified AI platform combines conversational AI agents, real-time human agent augmentation, and comprehensive conversation intelligence to drive revenue and efficiency gains across every channel. The world's leading companies, including United Airlines, Cox Communications, and Marriott, use Cresta to power world-class customer experiences every day.

Born from the Stanford AI Lab, Cresta has raised more than $270 million from the world's leading investors, including a16z, Greylock, and Sequoia. Cresta's leadership includes some of the leading minds in AI today. Our CEO, Ping Wu, founded and led Google's Contact Center AI and Vertex AI platforms before joining Cresta to build the future of AI-driven customer experiences.

Over the next few years, AI is going to redefine how people all over the world interact with businesses every day. Come build that future at Cresta.

About the Role:

As a Sales Development Representative in APAC, you will be responsible for building the sales pipeline through outbound prospecting and inbound qualification across a diverse set of APAC markets. You will help generate qualified leads that result in new business, supporting our scaling efforts and contributing to the success of our team.

This role requires someone who can communicate effectively across APAC markets. We are looking for driven professionals with sound business acumen, strong technical aptitude, and natural sales instincts to join our fast-growing sales organization.

This role is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Responsibilities:

  • Grow Cresta's customer list through personalized emails, calls, and creative social media outreach across APAC markets
  • Write effective and compelling messaging to engage targeted accounts
  • Work closely with Sales and Marketing to plan, strategize, and execute outreach campaigns that help drive revenue growth
  • Analyze market research data and develop strategic approaches to raise awareness and generate interest for Cresta
  • Partner with account executives to help generate meetings and sales pipeline
  • Create and prioritize target account and contact lists
  • Conduct high-level conversations with executives in prospect accounts
  • Achieve monthly quotas of meetings, qualified opportunities, and pipeline generated
  • Assist with drafting sales pitches, presentations, reference material, and other documents as required

Qualifications We Value:

  • 6+ months prior sales experience (within a Software/High Tech company preferred)
  • Based in Melbourne, Australia, with full working rights in Australia
  • Experience working with or selling into APAC markets preferred
  • Ability to work in a time-sensitive and high-volume environment
  • Highly competitive personality
  • A positive attitude: you're a team player, resilient in the face of challenges, and not afraid to hear "no thank you!"
  • Self-starter always looking for ways to do your job better — when you see an opportunity, you jump on it
  • Strong organizational skills with ability to effectively prioritize
  • Articulate with strong business acumen
  • Clear, concise, and compelling storyteller across written, verbal, and visual formats
  • Prior customer-facing experience in sales, hospitality, retail, contact center, or high-performance environments is a plus

Perks & Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive and people-first benefits package to support you at work and in life:

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with plans to fit you and your family
  • Paid parental leave for all new parents welcoming a new child
  • Remote work setup budget to help you create a productive home office
  • Monthly wellness and communication stipend to keep you connected and balanced
  • 20 days of vacation time to promote a healthy work-life blend

Compensation at Cresta

Cresta's approach to compensation is simple: recognize impact, reward excellence, and invest in our people. We offer competitive, location-based pay that reflects the market and what each individual brings to the table.

Final offers are shaped by factors like experience, skills, education, and geography. In addition to base pay, total compensation includes equity and a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family.

This role is variable target compensation eligible. There is potential to exceed target earnings when goals are surpassed.

Our use of AI in recruiting: We may use AI tools in our recruiting process, which require human review and oversight. If you have questions about our use of AI or wish to opt out, please contact [email protected] (if you are opting out, please use the subject 'Opt-Out' in your email).

Recording & AI transcription: We do not authorize candidates to record or use AI transcription of any interview by phone, notetaker app, AI glasses, or other device. Candidates may request an exception or accommodation for review during the interview process as needed.

Recruiting impersonation scams: We have noticed a rise in recruiting impersonations across the industry, where scammers attempt to access candidates' personal and financial information through fake interviews and offers. All Cresta recruiting email communications will always come from the @cresta.ai domain. Any outreach claiming to be from Cresta via other sources should be ignored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this SDR role fully remote or office-based?
The role is based in Melbourne, Australia, and requires you to live there with full working rights. Cresta does offer a remote work setup budget, suggesting some work-from-home flexibility, but it is not a fully remote or location-independent position.
What is the salary range for this SDR position at Cresta?
Cresta has not disclosed a specific salary range for this role. Compensation is described as competitive and location-based, includes equity, and the role is variable target compensation eligible — meaning there is an on-target earnings component beyond base salary.
Do I need APAC sales experience to apply?
APAC market experience is preferred but not strictly required. The minimum requirement is 6+ months of prior sales experience, ideally within a software or high-tech company.
Does Cresta offer equity to SDRs?
Yes, Cresta's total compensation package includes equity in addition to base pay and benefits, which is notable for an SDR-level role at a pre-IPO startup.
What career progression can I expect from this SDR role?
While not explicitly stated, SDR roles at fast-growing SaaS startups like Cresta typically offer a path to Account Executive within 12–24 months for strong performers. The APAC market focus and AI sector expertise gained here are highly transferable.
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