Business Development Manager

Ontario-Centre-of-Innovatio; Toronto; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Ontario Centre of Innovation seeks a Business Development Manager for the GTA to help identify and advance commercial solutions within Ontario's innovation economy. You will guide entrepreneurs, start-ups and high-growth firms, bridging industry and academia to translate bench research into scalable products and services.

The role emphasizes collaboration and outcome-driven engagement. You will build relationships through events, networks and partnerships, manage accounts and programs, and act

Qualifications

• Experience identifying technologies with strong commercialization potential.
• Ability to build and maintain ecosystem partnerships across industry and academia.
• Proven track record in managing relationships with startups, SMEs and researchers.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate across OCI to deliver corporate plans and program targets.
• Identify technologies with commercialization potential and develop opportunities (knowledge transfer, startups, licensing).
• Engage in extensive ecosystem networking to build partnerships and engage stakeholders.
• Expand OCI’s network by participating in events and relevant organizations.
• Identify funding sources and build relationships with funding staff.
• Provide clients with insight, mentoring and coaching.
• Act as a connector to share knowledge and link suppliers with customers.
• Manage accounts, projects, and programs with metrics and reporting.
• Lead planning and execution of priorities and events/workshops.
• Coordinate with marketing to communicate success stories and trends.
• Stay updated on OCI programs and sector developments.

Skills

ICT

Advanced Manufacturing

Auto Mobility

Health

Tools

MS Word

PowerPoint

Excel

CRM systems

AI-enabled tools

Job description

Salary Range: $95,000.00 To $105,000.00 Annually

Business Development Manager - (GTA)

The Opportunity:

This is a chance to use your extensive business, technology and sector expertise to help build Ontario’s innovation economy and be a part of discovering and advancing commercial solutions to industry challenges and urgent global issues. Whether you are a seasoned professional or at an early stage in your career with strong relevant experience and/or academic qualifications, by working for a dynamic organization that is continuously evolving to help increase Ontario’s economic competitiveness and meet the needs of Ontario’s innovators, you will constantly encounter new challenges and opportunities to make a difference.

As the Business Development Manager forGTA you will support companies that are driving Ontario’s economy toward greater prosperity, health, and sustainability. In this pivotal role, you will guide and support entrepreneurs, start-ups, and high-growth companies. This includes identifying exciting new technologies with strong commercialization potential; supporting collaborations between industry and academia; and encouraging entrepreneurs and company leaders to aspire to creating globally scalable products and services. Intrinsic to OCI’s mandate and success, BD Managers manage their own projects and clients, working within a highly collaborative environment where all are ultimately focused on moving innovation opportunities from the bench to significant commercial success.

Our team’s culture matters highly to us, and we value team players who work well with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Your Contribution:

At OCI, your work will be varied every day, and you could contribute in several different ways:

• Work collaboratively across the organization to deliver OCI’s corporate plan, program portfolio and the achievement of program targets.
• Identify technology with strong commercial potential and develop commercialization opportunities, e.g., knowledge transfer, start-ups, spin-offs, licensing.
• Engage in extensive ecosystem networking to identify and engage potential industry and academic partners, entrepreneurs and other relevant associations and agencies to foster collaborations and link to appropriate programs offered by OCI and others.
• Expand OCI’s network by participating in events, business associations, technical committees and professional organizations.
• Identify sources of public funding and private investment and build relationships with appropriate staff.
• Provide clients with insight, mentoring and coaching.
• Be a connector, facilitating the introduction of people and companies to share business, technical knowledge and experience. Connect potential Ontario-based suppliers with customers and vice versa. Leverage your own expanding personal network, OCI’s network, and the network of ecosystem partners to drive impact.
• Fulfill specifically assigned account responsibilities including establishing and executing engagement plans; capturing key personal and project information related to contacts, grants and private-sector investments; engagement with Regional Innovation Centres (RICs), etc.; providing expert advice internally; and tracking metrics and outcomes for internal strategy development and reporting.
• Act as an ambassador of OCI through speaking and other public engagements.
• Manage key accounts, initiatives, projects, portfolios, and programs, while providing reviews, metrics and outcome assessments.
• Take a leadership role in the planning and execution of identified priorities and the organizing of events and workshops, etc.
• Working in conjunction with OCI’s marketing and communications group to identify and communicate success stories, trends and new developments.
• Maintain knowledge of OCI programs and keep abreast of sector and industry news, regional issues, regulatory issues and key contacts.
• Undertake continuous professional development and be willing to stretch into new areas, sometimes difficult ones, and sometimes at short notice. The goal is to be agile, flexible and always striving to be the best you can be.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Preferred Attributes:

• Domain expertise and/or experience in any of the following would be considered an asset: ICT, Advanced Manufacturing, Auto Mobility and Health.
• First-hand experience founding a start-up; building a scale-up; developing business strategies/models; leveraging relevant public programs and resources.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to understand complex technology/science and convey in simple terms; ability to build meaningful relationships with all aspects of Ontario’s innovation ecosystem, including academic researchers, regional innovation centres, industry clusters, angel networks and other commercialization support networks
• Conversant in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, CRM systems, and AI-enabled tools, with strong digital and AI literacy and the ability to quickly learn new software applications.

Your Strengths:

In keeping with OCI’s values of collaboration, innovation, adaptability, integrity and inclusion & diversity, we seek candidates who are:

• Active listeners who can offer clients relevant advice, coaching and mentoring.
• Self-aware with the ability to identify personal strengths and areas for improvement;
• Respectful of the knowledge and expertise of clients and colleagues;
• Able to win the confidence of/work with diverse stakeholders;
• Able to assume the role of both team player and team leader;
• Consummate professional, able to represent the organization in all circumstances;
• Relationship builders who open doors, build rapport with decision makers and position OCI for opportunities;
• Passionate about helping innovators and entrepreneurs reach their goals;
• Intellectually curious about developments and trends in a sector;
• Able to demonstrate integrity and ethics in decision-making and in their relationships with colleagues and clients;
• Able to reflect and promote OCI’s values through work with colleagues, clients and stakeholders.

This role is being recruited for a current opening.

OCI is committed to creating a diverse and equitable environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. OCI welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.