Business Development Representative

$65,000 - $85,000 a year

Business Development Representative

Location: Chicago, US (Hybrid - currently 4 days/week in office)
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: USD $65,000-$85,000 OTE, dependent on experience + equity
About the Role

We're looking for someone who is excited to start or accelerate a career in sales and wants to make a real impact in education. As a Growth Representative, you'll be on the front lines of our growth in the US market, helping schools discover a better way to find the educators and support staff their students need.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building relationships, and is motivated by learning and development. You'll work closely with sales, operations, and technology teams while developing core commercial skills that can accelerate your career.

As we continue to grow rapidly across North America, this role offers significant opportunities for progression, ownership, and impact.
About Zen Educate

Zen Educate is a technology company transforming how schools find teachers and support staff. Our mission is to change the world of education recruitment by reducing the billions spent annually on agency fees and ensuring more money stays where it belongs: supporting students and educators.

Schools across North America and the UK face significant staffing shortages, making it harder for students to access the education and support they deserve. Traditional staffing agencies often charge high markups that strain school budgets and reduce educator earnings.

By leveraging technology, we've built a platform that gives schools direct access to fully vetted educators while helping schools save money and educators earn more.

Since launching in 2017, we've saved schools over $30 million globally, allowing those funds to be reinvested directly into education. We recently raised a $37 million Series B round, the largest European EdTech funding round of its year, and we're continuing to expand rapidly across the UK and US.

This is your opportunity to join a mission-driven company at an exciting stage of growth, where your work will have a tangible impact on schools, educators, and students every day.
What You'll Be Doing

• Prospecting and calling school leaders across the United States to introduce Zen Educate's offering
• Owning the full funnel sales process, from cold outreach and pipeline building, to closing new school and district partners
• Supporting the onboarding of new schools onto the Zen platform
• Making 40+ outbound calls per day and consistently building pipeline
• Collaborating closely with Sales, Operations, and Technology teams to improve the customer experience
• Contributing ideas and feedback to improve sales processes and efficiency as we scale
• Representing Zen at conferences, events, and school meetings across the US when opportunities arise
• Developing your presentation and commercial skills, with opportunities to lead demos over time
• Embracing the dynamic nature of startup life, where adaptability, initiative, and problem-solving are essential

What We're Looking For
Essential

• A strong desire to build a career in sales within the education technology sector
• Excellent communication skills and confidence speaking with new people
• Enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to learn
• A growth mindset and commitment to continuous improvement
• A collaborative approach and ability to work effectively within a team
• Resilience and motivation to succeed in a target-driven environment

Nice to Have

• Experience working in education, either as an educator or within the K-12 sector
• Experience selling into schools or education organizations
• Previous customer-facing, sales, fundraising, or business development experience

Most importantly, we're looking for people who are passionate about our mission and excited to make a meaningful impact in education.
Growth & Development

This role is designed as a launchpad for a successful commercial career.

You'll receive structured training, coaching, and support from experienced sales leaders while gaining exposure to multiple areas of the business. As Zen continues to grow, you'll have opportunities to:

• Develop core sales and business development skills
• Take on greater ownership and responsibility
• Progress into more senior sales roles
• Lead product demonstrations and customer conversations
• Build expertise within education technology and the K-12 market
• Contribute to the development of processes and strategies as the company scales

Team & Culture

We're a collaborative, mission-driven team that cares deeply about improving education.

At Zen, you'll work alongside people from diverse professional backgrounds, including former teachers, engineers, marketers, fundraisers, lawyers, pilots, and entrepreneurs. We value curiosity, ownership, teamwork, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves to solve problems.

We're growing quickly, which means there is plenty of opportunity to make your mark, contribute ideas, and help shape how we operate.

Most importantly, you'll be working on a problem that matters-helping schools access the staff they need so students can thrive.
Benefits

• Competitive salary with uncapped earning potential
• Equity ownership in the company
• Health insurance
• 18 days PTO (15 flexible days + 3 days over the Christmas period)
• Regular team socials and events
• Opportunities for travel within the United States
• Comprehensive training and professional development
• A fun, supportive, and high-performing team environment
• The opportunity to work on a mission that genuinely makes a difference

Hiring Process

• Introductory call with Talent (15 minutes)
• Role Play Interview with 2 leadership members (1 hour)
• Final values and team-fit conversation (1 hour)

We aim to move quickly and keep candidates informed throughout the process.
Ready to Apply?

If you've read this far and you're excited about helping schools, building your sales career, and joining a fast-growing technology company, we'd love to hear from you.

We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives-just like the educators and schools we support every day. We believe in hiring the best people from the widest possible pool and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we are unable to provide individual feedback on initial submissions.

USGROW

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.