Role overview

Kong is an API and AI gateway company serving enterprises that need to govern APIs, tokens, and autonomous agents. As an Account Development Representative in Chicago, you’ll be one of the first contacts prospects have regarding next-generation API and AI Agent management solutions, using AI-native tools and intelligence-driven workflows to identify and engage high-intent accounts.

Key responsibilities

Execute signal-based prospecting focused on specific intent categories including competitive displacement, infrastructure investment, and AI/agent initiatives rather than generic outreach.
Partner with Marketing and RevOps teams to develop and deploy AI-assisted, personalized outbound sequences across email, LinkedIn, and phone channels.
Research accounts and tailor messaging using AI-enabled prospecting and enrichment platforms, targeting CFO, CTO, and CISO personas.
Qualify and convert inbound leads using a modern qualification framework designed for fast-moving AI buying cycles.
Test and continuously optimize messaging, sequencing, and calling approaches by treating your pipeline as an ongoing experiment.
Develop subject matter expertise and build visibility in the API and AI infrastructure space to become a trusted resource for prospects.
Provide market and competitive intelligence feedback to GTM leadership to refine targeting and messaging strategies.

Requirements

One to two or more years of SDR or ADR experience in high-growth B2B SaaS, preferably selling technical or infrastructure products.
Demonstrated curiosity about AI with hands-on experience using modern AI-native prospecting tools beyond traditional sequencers.
Growth mindset that views skill development as something built through repetition, feedback, and experimentation.
Comfort with phone outreach and cold calling, with ability to track and improve your own conversion metrics.
Resilience and self-motivation to interpret rejection as actionable data rather than personal setback.
Coachability with a track record of actively seeking feedback and adapting quickly to new strategies and platforms.

What makes this role worth considering

Kong is positioned at the center of a major infrastructure shift from traditional API management to AI Gateway and token governance, offering the opportunity to work on category-defining products alongside enterprise customers. You’ll operate within a modern, signal-based sales process using tools like Nooks, Octave, and ZoomInfo rather than generic call lists, and you’ll benefit from a culture that values experimentation and thoughtful outreach over rigid scripts and volume metrics.