Business Development Representative – Universities
Story Terrace Inc., Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
Why Join Housr?
We are a hyper-growth tech startup on a mission to revolutionise student rental.
And when we say hyper-growth, we mean we have gone from $0 to $10M ARR in just the past 18 months.
We just recently raised a $10M Series A and we are putting this investment to work to fuel our growth in the US + Canada college markets.
As a
Business Development Representative – Universities , you’ll sit at the very front of Housr’s growth engine — introducing universities to a new way of thinking about off-campus housing, student experience, and technology.
This is a high-impact, early-career role based in our
Chicago office , perfect for someone who’s curious, coachable, and excited to learn how modern GTM teams operate at a fast-growing startup.
This role has it all
You’ll help fuel Housr’s expansion across
US and Canadian universities .
You’ll be one of the first people university leaders talk to about Housr.
You’ll have clear paths for growth into
Account Executive or Partnerships roles
as Housr scales.
You’ll learn how to prospect, qualify, and educate in a complex, relationship-driven market.
You’ll work with modern tools like
HubSpot, AI-powered outreach, and ChatGPT .
You’ll build foundational skills in sales, higher ed partnerships, and startup execution.
What you'll do
Be the First Touchpoint for Universities
- Engage university leaders, housing teams, and student services professionals to introduce them to Housr and spark interest. This will take place over email, online, and in-person at conferences and industry events.
Prospect & Qualify Thoughtfully
- Research universities, identify the right stakeholders, and run outreach over email, phone, LinkedIn, and video to get stakeholders to hold an initial discovery meeting with Housr.
Educate, Don’t Just Pitch
- Help prospects understand how Housr is different from traditional off-campus housing tools and why innovation matters in this space.
Book High-Quality Meetings
- Set up well-qualified meetings for Account Executives and Partnerships leaders, ensuring strong context and clear next steps.
Use Modern GTM Tools
- Leverage HubSpot, AI-powered research with Starbridge, and other AI tools to personalize outreach and improve efficiency.
Learn the Higher Ed Landscape
- Develop a strong understanding of university procurement cycles, housing challenges, and student experience trends in the US and Canada.
Collaborate & Improve
- Work closely with sales, marketing, and partnerships teams to refine messaging, share feedback from the field, and improve conversion rates.
What we're looking for
1–2 years of experience in a BDR, SDR, sales, customer-facing, or similar role.
Exposure to
HubSpot
or other CRMs (bonus points if you’ve used it daily).
Comfort experimenting with
AI tools
like ChatGPT, Starbridge, or similar platforms.
Natural curiosity — you ask thoughtful questions and genuinely want to understand how things work.
Strong communication skills, especially in writing and conversation.
An eagerness to help, educate, and bring value — not just “book meetings,” (though booking meetings is very important).
A positive, resilient mindset and excitement about learning in a fast-paced environment.
Why you might hate this role
You’re uncomfortable reaching out to new people or starting conversations.
You want a highly scripted role with no room to ask questions or think creatively.
You’re not interested in learning how higher ed, startups, or modern sales teams work.
You prefer working alone rather than collaborating with a team in-office.
⛳️ What we offer
Competitive base salary + performance-based incentives -
You'll be rewarded for impact and growth.
Front-row seat to hyper-growth -
Join a company that has gone from $0 to $10M ARR and is just getting started.
Clear career progression -
This role is designed to grow into AE, Partnerships, or GTM roles over time.
Hands-on learning & mentorship -
Work closely with experienced sales and partnerships leaders who want to help you grow.
In-office culture in Chicago -
Be part of a collaborative, energetic team environment.
Work with cutting-edge tools -
Use modern sales tech and AI tools every day.
Build something category-defining -
Help reimagine the off-campus student experience from the ground up.
️ Interview process We aim to move quickly and keep things straightforward.
Intro Call (30 minutes) -
A conversation to get to know you, understand your interests, and walk through the role.
BDR Deep Dive (45 minutes) -
A discussion focused on curiosity, communication style, and how you approach learning and outreach.
Practical Task / Role Play (30–45 minutes) -
A short exercise to see how you’d research a university and engage a prospect.
Final Conversation (30 minutes) -
A conversation focused on growth, culture, and long-term fit at Housr.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
And when we say hyper-growth, we mean we have gone from $0 to $10M ARR in just the past 18 months.
We just recently raised a $10M Series A and we are putting this investment to work to fuel our growth in the US + Canada college markets.
As a
Business Development Representative – Universities , you’ll sit at the very front of Housr’s growth engine — introducing universities to a new way of thinking about off-campus housing, student experience, and technology.
This is a high-impact, early-career role based in our
Chicago office , perfect for someone who’s curious, coachable, and excited to learn how modern GTM teams operate at a fast-growing startup.
This role has it all
You’ll help fuel Housr’s expansion across
US and Canadian universities .
You’ll be one of the first people university leaders talk to about Housr.
You’ll have clear paths for growth into
Account Executive or Partnerships roles
as Housr scales.
You’ll learn how to prospect, qualify, and educate in a complex, relationship-driven market.
You’ll work with modern tools like
HubSpot, AI-powered outreach, and ChatGPT .
You’ll build foundational skills in sales, higher ed partnerships, and startup execution.
What you'll do
Be the First Touchpoint for Universities
- Engage university leaders, housing teams, and student services professionals to introduce them to Housr and spark interest. This will take place over email, online, and in-person at conferences and industry events.
Prospect & Qualify Thoughtfully
- Research universities, identify the right stakeholders, and run outreach over email, phone, LinkedIn, and video to get stakeholders to hold an initial discovery meeting with Housr.
Educate, Don’t Just Pitch
- Help prospects understand how Housr is different from traditional off-campus housing tools and why innovation matters in this space.
Book High-Quality Meetings
- Set up well-qualified meetings for Account Executives and Partnerships leaders, ensuring strong context and clear next steps.
Use Modern GTM Tools
- Leverage HubSpot, AI-powered research with Starbridge, and other AI tools to personalize outreach and improve efficiency.
Learn the Higher Ed Landscape
- Develop a strong understanding of university procurement cycles, housing challenges, and student experience trends in the US and Canada.
Collaborate & Improve
- Work closely with sales, marketing, and partnerships teams to refine messaging, share feedback from the field, and improve conversion rates.
What we're looking for
1–2 years of experience in a BDR, SDR, sales, customer-facing, or similar role.
Exposure to
HubSpot
or other CRMs (bonus points if you’ve used it daily).
Comfort experimenting with
AI tools
like ChatGPT, Starbridge, or similar platforms.
Natural curiosity — you ask thoughtful questions and genuinely want to understand how things work.
Strong communication skills, especially in writing and conversation.
An eagerness to help, educate, and bring value — not just “book meetings,” (though booking meetings is very important).
A positive, resilient mindset and excitement about learning in a fast-paced environment.
Why you might hate this role
You’re uncomfortable reaching out to new people or starting conversations.
You want a highly scripted role with no room to ask questions or think creatively.
You’re not interested in learning how higher ed, startups, or modern sales teams work.
You prefer working alone rather than collaborating with a team in-office.
⛳️ What we offer
Competitive base salary + performance-based incentives -
You'll be rewarded for impact and growth.
Front-row seat to hyper-growth -
Join a company that has gone from $0 to $10M ARR and is just getting started.
Clear career progression -
This role is designed to grow into AE, Partnerships, or GTM roles over time.
Hands-on learning & mentorship -
Work closely with experienced sales and partnerships leaders who want to help you grow.
In-office culture in Chicago -
Be part of a collaborative, energetic team environment.
Work with cutting-edge tools -
Use modern sales tech and AI tools every day.
Build something category-defining -
Help reimagine the off-campus student experience from the ground up.
️ Interview process We aim to move quickly and keep things straightforward.
Intro Call (30 minutes) -
A conversation to get to know you, understand your interests, and walk through the role.
BDR Deep Dive (45 minutes) -
A discussion focused on curiosity, communication style, and how you approach learning and outreach.
Practical Task / Role Play (30–45 minutes) -
A short exercise to see how you’d research a university and engage a prospect.
Final Conversation (30 minutes) -
A conversation focused on growth, culture, and long-term fit at Housr.
#J-18808-Ljbffr