Business Development Manager

Cisco Systems; Toronto; On-site; CAD 182,000 - 234,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems Canada is seeking a seasoned Business Development Manager to lead offset, industrial participation, and localization initiatives across Canada. You will partner with Sales, Government Affairs, Legal, and Finance to craft competitive value propositions and ensure compliance with government policy objectives.

In this role, you will collaborate with government authorities, local industry, SMEs, academia, and innovation hubs to grow a sustainable, locally integrated Cisco supply chain.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading strategic BD and government engagement initiatives.
• Demonstrated expertise in negotiation within government and industrial contexts.
• Strong knowledge of global offset/localization policies and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead offset, IP, IC, localization, and local content strategies from identification to execution.
• Co-create compliant Industrial Participation plans with Sales, Government Affairs, Legal, and Finance.
• Partner with government offset authorities to navigate project eligibility and milestones.
• Coordinate end-to-end offset lifecycle with stakeholders for qualification, credit banking, audit, and reporting.
• Foster Canadian technology SMEs, Indigenous businesses, and universities into Cisco supply chain.
• Monitor policy changes to assess impact on programs.
• Drive governance and reporting tools to provide leadership visibility into KPIs.

Skills

Strategic BD

Negotiation

Govt engagement

Program mgmt

Cross-functional lead

Stakeholder mgmt

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/11/2026

Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Most Preferred

Additional: Toronto, Canada

Business Development Manager – Offsets, Industrial Participation, Industrial Cooperation, and Local Content

Who We Are

Cisco Canada is committed to aligning commercial growth opportunities with government policy requirements and national industrial objectives. We engage with government authorities, local industry, SMEs, academia, and strategic partners to drive sustainable industrial growth and support contract competitiveness. Our team leads strategic initiatives that integrate technology, workforce development, and localization programs to foster innovation and economic impact.

What You'll Do

• Lead the identification, development, negotiation, and execution of offset, industrial participation (IP), industrial cooperation (IC), localization, and local content strategies supporting business growth and contract competitiveness.
• Co-create compliant and competitive Industrial Participation and ITB Value Proposition plans by teaming up with Sales, Government Affairs, Legal, and Finance to ensure all goals are met.
• Partner with government offset authorities (ISED, PSPC, DND) to navigate project eligibility, credit multiplier agreements, and annual fulfillment milestones together.
• Coordinate the end-to-end offset lifecycle, bringing together stakeholders for project identification, investment qualification, credit banking, audit validation, and statutory reporting.
• Facilitate the integration of Canadian technology SMEs, Indigenous businesses, and university research hubs into a shared Cisco supply chain and delivery ecosystem.
• Participate in Cisco Canada’s Country Digitization Acceleration steerco investments and NetAcad workforce training programs with cross-functional partners to collectively generate verified offset credits.
• Establish and maintain auditable standards for industrial transactions, ensuring all teams remain aligned on compliance and revenue recognition best practices.
• Champion the development and execution of offset, industrial participation, and local content obligations, working alongside business units to ensure commitments are measurable and transparent.
• Jointly monitor policy changes to collectively assess and mitigate impacts on ongoing and future programs.
• Foster collaborative partnerships with local industry, SMEs, academia, innovation hubs, training organizations, and strategic investors to grow capability through shared technology transfer, skills development, and joint ventures.
• Co-create pathways for sustainable in-country industrial growth by aligning Cisco’s resources with local partner objectives.
• Cultivate a collaborative environment and provide mentorship to cross-functional teams involved in offset and industrial participation initiatives.
• Drive process improvements, governance frameworks, and operational efficiencies to streamline how we work together.
• Design, Co-design and influence tools, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to ensure leadership has shared visibility into our collective progress and KPIs.
• Partner across the business to deliver training and awareness initiatives regarding offset and localization requirements.

Who You Are

• A strategic business development leader with strong government and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experienced negotiator with deep knowledge of global offset and localization policies.
• Financially and commercially savvy, with strong program and project management capabilities.
• Skilled in cross-functional leadership, risk management, and governance.
• An effective communicator and presenter, comfortable operating in complex international environments.
• Passionate about building sustainable local industrial ecosystems and fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
• Able to lead teams through change, driving operational rigor and accountability.

Minimum Qualifications

• Proven experience leading strategic business development and government engagement initiatives.
• Demonstrated expertise in negotiation and influencing within government and industrial participation contexts.
• Strong knowledge of global offset and localization policies and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing financial governance, audit processes, and offset lifecycle management.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver measurable business and compliance outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace & defense, security & cybersecurity, ICT & telecommunications, energy & infrastructure, transportation & rail, advanced manufacturing, or government procurement sectors.
• Track record of successful partnership development with local industry, SMEs, academia, and innovation hubs.
• Familiarity with Country Digitization Acceleration and workforce training programs such as NetAcad.
• Proven ability to develop operational tools, dashboards, and KPIs for leadership visibility and governance.
• Experience driving sustainable industrial growth initiatives aligned with national economic development priorities.

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $181,700.00 to $233,900.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits.

Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications