Business Development Representative - Universities

👋 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.