SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR, AI

Business Development Bank of Canada; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is seeking an AI Business Advisor to guide Canadian entrepreneurs in turning AI curiosity into practical, value-driven adoption. You will assess readiness, define high-impact use cases, and oversee the delivery of AI advisory mandates across SMEs, emphasizing governance and business outcomes over hands-on development.

You will work at the intersection of strategy, operations, and emerging technology, communicating complex ideas to executives and aligning

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in management consulting, technology advisory, digital transformation, or related strategic advisory roles.
• Proven experience advising senior executives on business strategy, operations, or technology-enabled transformation.
• Demonstrated experience applying artificial intelligence in a business context (strategy, use-case design, adoption, or governance).
• Strong understanding of AI concepts (e.g., ML, NLP, generative AI) at a business level (not hands-on model development).
• Excellent communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence and guide decision-makers.
• Proven ability to lead complex advisory mandates and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working with SMEs across diverse industries.
• Bilingualism in French and English, spoken and written, in a professional context.

Responsibilities

• Act as a senior advisor to entrepreneurs and management teams on AI strategy, readiness, and adoption, translating complex AI concepts into clear business decisions and priorities.
• Lead diagnostic engagements assessing data maturity, operational processes, and organizational readiness for AI adoption.
• Identify, prioritize, and validate AI use cases that deliver measurable business value (e.g., productivity, revenue growth, cost optimization, customer experience).
• Provide executive-level guidance on AI risk, ethics, governance, and responsible use in alignment with organizational values and regulatory expectations.
• Lead and oversee the delivery of standard and customized AI advisory mandates, ensuring quality, impact, and alignment with advisory methodologies.
• Coordinate with internal specialists, delivery consultants, and external partners as required to execute AI-enabled solutions.
• Ensure strong client adoption through change management, capability transfer, and executive alignment.
• Maintain accountability for mandate outcomes, timelines, scope, and client satisfaction.

Skills

Bilingual FR/EN

Executive presence

Client advisory

Change management

Stakeholder management

Job description

We are banking at another level. Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs. Choosing BDC as your employer also means: Flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1 A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more... Explore the BDC Way in our Culture Book.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The AI Business Advisor serves as a trusted strategic advisor to Canadian entrepreneurs seeking to leverage artificial intelligence to improve performance, productivity, and long‑term competitiveness. Operating at the intersection of business strategy, operations, and emerging technology, this role helps clients move from AI curiosity to practical, value‑driven adoption. The Advisor works with SMEs across industries to assess AI readiness, identify high‑impact use cases, define responsible AI strategies, and oversee the delivery of AI‑enabled advisory mandates. The role emphasizes business outcomes, governance, and adoption rather than technical model development, ensuring AI initiatives are aligned with client strategy, data maturity, and operational realities.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

Client Advisory & Engagement Leadership

• Act as a senior advisor to entrepreneurs and management teams on AI strategy, readiness, and adoption, translating complex AI concepts into clear business decisions and priorities.
• Lead diagnostic engagements assessing data maturity, operational processes, and organizational readiness for AI adoption.
• Identify, prioritize, and validate AI use cases that deliver measurable business value (e.g., productivity, revenue growth, cost optimization, customer experience).
• Provide executive‑level guidance on AI risk, ethics, governance, and responsible use in alignment with organizational values and regulatory expectations.

Mandate Delivery & Oversight

• Lead and oversee the delivery of standard and customized AI advisory mandates, ensuring quality, impact, and alignment with advisory methodologies.
• Coordinate with internal specialists, delivery consultants, and external partners as required to execute AI‑enabled solutions.
• Ensure strong client adoption through change management, capability transfer, and executive alignment.
• Maintain accountability for mandate outcomes, timelines, scope, and client satisfaction.

AI Strategy, Governance & Thought Leadership

• Support the development and evolution of AI advisory offerings, frameworks, and tools, incorporating best practices in responsible and ethical AI use.
• Contribute to internal thought leadership, training materials, and workshops to build AI literacy among advisors and clients.
• Represent the AI advisory practice in business development activities, client presentations, and selected external events.
• Stay current on AI trends, platforms, and the Canadian AI ecosystem to inform client advice and solution design.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Qualifications & Experience Required

• 8+ years of experience in management consulting, technology advisory, digital transformation, or related strategic advisory roles.
• Proven experience advising senior executives on business strategy, operations, or technology‑enabled transformation.
• Demonstrated experience applying artificial intelligence in a business context (strategy, use‑case design, adoption, or governance).
• Strong understanding of AI concepts (e.g., machine learning, NLP, generative AI) at a conceptual and applied business level (not hands‑on model development).
• Excellent communication and executive presence, with the ability to influence and guide decision‑makers.
• Proven ability to lead complex advisory mandates and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working with SMEs across diverse industries.
• Bilingualism in French and English, spoken and written, in a professional context.
• Preferred Exposure to data strategy, analytics, automation, or enterprise systems.
• Preferred Familiarity with AI governance, ethics, and risk management frameworks.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking and business acumen
• AI and emerging technology fluency
• Client advisory and executive facilitation
• Change management and adoption leadership
• Project and mandate delivery excellence
• Collaboration and influence across internal and external stakeholders

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work.

BDC is a bank unlike any other. We are the only bank dedicated exclusively to the development of Canadian businesses. The only institution whose purpose is to promote the growth of the Canadian economy by focusing on the success of small and medium-sized businesses, with a human touch and a genuine presence. At BDC, we’re changing people’s and businesses’ lives for the better. That’s what makes us unique as a bank. That’s why we are banking at another level.