Head of Deal Desk

About the Role Apollo.io is the leading go-to-market solution for revenue teams, trusted by over 500,000 companies and millions of users globally, from rapidly growing startups to some of the world's largest enterprises. Founded in 2015, the company is one of the fastest growing companies in SaaS, raising approximately $250 million to date and valued at $1.6 billion. Apollo.io provides sales and marketing teams with easy access to verified contact data for over 210 million B2B contacts and 35 million companies worldwide, along with tools to engage and convert these contacts in one unified platform. By helping revenue professionals find the most accurate contact information and automating the outreach process, Apollo.io turns prospects into customers.Apollo raised a series D in 2023 and is backed by top-tier investors, including Sequoia Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, and more, and counts the former President and COO of Hubspot, JD Sherman, among its board members. About the Role We are looking for our first Head of Deal Desk to build and scale the function from the ground up. Today, we are early in our journey: systems are immature, processes are inconsistent, and our deal motions need structure. This role will be both highly strategic and highly hands-on: setting the vision for how we structure, approve, and accelerate deals, while rolling up your sleeves to design, test, and implement the foundations. You’ll partner closely with Sales, RevOps, Finance, and Legal to design deal processes that balance speed, control, and profitability. As we scale, you’ll transition from building the playbook to operationalizing it automating approvals, embedding best practices, and driving efficiency across every deal. Responsibilities Define and socialize the Deal Desk charter (what qualifies for support and why). Design and document standardized approval workflows (discounting, custom terms, multi-year). Publish the initial playbook (approval matrices, pricing guardrails, escalation paths). Align deal structures with Sales & Finance to balance growth and margin. Establish and track KPIs (approval cycle time, discount levels, deal velocity, margin impact). Provide pricing/exception insights to GTM & Finance; strengthen governance and close revenue leakage. Train and enable reps and managers to reduce friction and increase self-serve. Act as the primary POC for deal structuring; partner with Finance, Legal, RevOps, and Product on complex scenarios. Build and lead a small team as the function scales. Deliver measurable outcomes: margin protection (≥2–3 pts), higher forecast accuracy (variance ↓ vs plan), AE productivity +10–20% via faster approvals, and ≥50% fewer compliance exceptions in year one. Qualifications 8+ years of experience in Revenue Operations, Deal Desk, or related commercial operations roles, ideally in SaaS. Experience building 0→1 processes in high-growth environments. Strong Salesforce/CPQ background and comfort implementing or optimizing deal desk systems. Proven ability to balance speed and compliance—enabling Sales to close quickly while protecting the business. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills; able to influence senior leadership. Analytical mindset with a bias for simplification and automation. Success in this Role Looks Like Within 3–6 months: a functioning deal desk charter, approval workflow, and playbook in place. Within 6–12 months: measurable improvement in deal velocity, lower approval cycle times, and scalable processes embedded in systems. Longer term: a fully operationalized deal desk team and system, delivering insights to leadership and enabling Sales to close faster and smarter. Benefits Apollo Stock Options Remote Work Dental & Vision Maternity Benefits Life/Disability 401K Plan Mental Health and EAP Assistance Office Equipment Allowance Travel Insurance The listed Pay Range reflects base salary range, except for sales roles, the range provided is the role’s On Target Earnings ("OTE") range, meaning that the range includes both the sales commission/sales bonus targets and annual base salary for the role. This pay range may be inclusive of several career levels at Apollo and will be narrowed during the interview process based on a number of factors, including the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and location. Applicants interested in this role and who are not located in the US may request the annual salary range for their location during the interview process. Additional benefits for this role may include equity; company bonus or sales commissions/bonuses; 401(k) plan; at least 10 paid holidays per year, flex PTO, and parental leave; employee assistance program and wellbeing benefits; global travel coverage; life/AD&D/STD/LTD insurance; FSA/HSA and medical, dental, and vision benefits. Annual Pay Range $152,000 — $228,000 USD We are AI Native Apollo.io is an AI-native company built on a culture of continuous improvement. We’re on the front lines of driving productivity for our customers—and we expect the same mindset from our team. If you're energized by finding smarter, faster ways to get things done using AI and automation, you'll thrive here. Why You’ll Love Working at Apollo At Apollo, we’re driven by a shared mission: to help our customers unlock their full revenue potential. That’s why we take extreme ownership of our work, move with focus and urgency , and learn voraciously to stay ahead. We invest deeply in your growth, ensuring you have the resources, support, and autonomy toown your role and make a real impact . Collaboration is at our core—we’re all for one , meaning you’ll have a team across departments ready to help you succeed. We encourage bold ideas and courageous action , giving you the freedom to experiment, take smart risks, and drive big wins. If you’re looking for a place where your work matters, where you can push boundaries, and where your career can thrive—Apollo is the place for you. Learn more here #J-18808-Ljbffr