Senior Business Development Officer (Full-Time)

City of Thunder Bay; Northwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matching

Health, vision & dental

Paid vacation & holidays

EFAP & wellness programs

Tuition reimbursement & leadership dev

Staff events & recognition

Job summary

City of Thunder Bay’s Community Economic Development Commission seeks a Senior Business Development Officer to drive investment, grow local business, and advance Thunder Bay Forward: Strategic Plan 2030. You’ll connect investors, governments, and partners to create opportunities across the region.

The role blends strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and project leadership to progress economic development initiatives and resilient growth for Thunder Bay.

Qualifications

• Degree in business administration, commerce, or a related discipline with a professional accounting designation.
• Minimum of eight years’ progressively responsible management experience in municipal finance or business management.
• Experience in a management capacity in a large, unionized government or private sector organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop and nurture strategic relationships with local and external business, industry, government representatives, and funding partners.
• Provide information and strategic advice to prospective entrepreneurs, agencies, and community on economic development opportunities.
• Initiate discussions and complex negotiations with foreign direct investors, foreign partners and government on Thunder Bay opportunities.
• Perform detailed analysis of economic development opportunities; prepare and implement related strategic and promotional plans.
• Identify and promote improvement and expansion of existing businesses or industries.
• Represent the CEDC in discussions and conferences with dignitaries, leaders, stakeholders and businesses.

Skills

Relationship building

Negotiation

Project management

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Business administration / commerce degree + CPA designation

Job description

Drive Investment. Support Business Growth. Advance Thunder Bay's Future.

At the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), our community's success is driven by people like you. Together, we are helping shape a strong, resilient, and diversified economy by supporting local business growth, attracting investment, and creating opportunities that strengthen Thunder Bay's future.

As a Senior Business Development Officer, you'll support the implementation of the CEDC's Thunder Bay Forward: Strategic Plan 2030, helping drive investment, business growth, and economic opportunity throughout the region.

Thunder Bay offers more than a fulfilling career. With its natural beauty, affordability, strategic location, and growing economy, it's a place where you can grow professionally while contributing to meaningful initiatives that support long-term prosperity and economic resilience.

Where Relationships Drive Growth

As the Senior Business Development Officer, you'll help connect businesses, investors, governments, and community partners with opportunities that support economic growth and development in Thunder Bay.

Working across a variety of projects and sectors, you'll identify opportunities, solve challenges, build partnerships, and help advance initiatives that support investment, business expansion, innovation, and long-term economic resilience. Whether you're supporting a local business with expansion plans, meeting with prospective investors, pursuing funding opportunities, conducting market research, or representing Thunder Bay at industry events, you'll play an important role in helping move projects and opportunities forward.

This role offers a unique combination of strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, project leadership, economic analysis, and business development, providing the opportunity to make a visible contribution to the community's economic future.

How You’ll Advance Business Growth and Investment

In this role, you’ll have the following accountabilities:

• Develop and nurture strategic relationships and partnerships with local and external business, industry, government representatives, and key funding partners; develop and strategically utilize networks of contacts to support ideas and initiatives.
• Provide information and strategic advice to prospective entrepreneurs, agencies, and the community on matters relating to economic development opportunities.
• Initiate, conduct discussions and complex negotiations with foreign direct investors, foreign partners and government, and Canadian private and public sectors regarding economic development opportunities in Thunder Bay and major and complex economic development projects.
• Perform detailed analysis of economic development opportunities; prepare and implement related strategic and promotional plans.
• Perform detailed analysis and work associated with the completion of research projects, funding applications and feasibility studies.
• Identify and promote improvement to and expansion of existing businesses or industries.
• Represent the CEDC in discussions, meetings and conferences with foreign and Canadian dignitaries, leaders, stakeholders and businesses

Senior Business Development Officer Job Description

What You Can Count On With Us

We're proud to offer a workplace where your well-being, growth, and sense of purpose come first. As the Senior Business Development Officer, you'll enjoy:

• A matching pension plan to help you build long-term financial security
• Comprehensive health, vision, and dental coverage, plus life insurance for peace of mind
• Generous paid vacation and holidays, with the option to purchase additional leave days when you need more time off
• Access to a confidential Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and wellness initiatives to support your overall health
• Leadership development and tuition reimbursement programs, so you can continue to grow your skills and career
• A culture of recognition and appreciation, with staff events and programs that celebrate your contributions

What You'll Bring to the Team

Here's what will help you succeed as the Senior Business Development Officer:

• Degree in business administration, commerce, or a related discipline, together with a professional accounting designation; and
• Minimum of eight years’ progressively responsible management experience in municipal finance or business management
• Experience in a management capacity in a large, unionized government or private sector organization
• Experience in business management, planning, budgets, and finance
• Experience in the various components of human resource management
• Knowledge of and ability to interpret applicable legislation and related regulations and municipal by-laws
• Superior ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with members of City Council, private and public officials, the business community, subordinates, co-workers, and the general public
• Excellent project/time management, analytical/critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills

General Information

As an equal opportunity employer, the City of Thunder Bay encourages applications from Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minority groups, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

ONTARIO HUMAN RIGHTS CODE

It is a contravention of the Human Rights Code of Ontario to discriminate on the basis of: race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, age, record of offences, gender identity or gender expression.Therefore, a resume submitted to the City must not include references to any of the above characteristics. Do not include:

• Photos
• Any certificates that have photo identification
• Driver’s licences
• Police records checks

Note: The above documentation will be requested by the Human Resources Division should you be the successful applicant. If a Criminal Record Check is required, it will be requested by Human Resources should you be the successful applicant. Please do not submit your Criminal Record Check with your application.

ACCOMMODATION: Reasonable accommodations are available upon request for all parts of the recruitment process.

PRIVACY: Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, c. 302, as amended, and will be used to determine eligibility for employment. Questions about this collection of personal information should be directed to the Human Resources Division, 125 Syndicate Ave Suite 42, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 6H8, Telephone: [phone]

City of Thunder Bayprovidesexceptional quality of life to those wholive, work, and play in Thunder Bay-a culturally vibrant, economically diverse community with a metro population of over 120,000. Located on the north shore of Lake Superior, under the protective watch of the Sleeping Giant, Thunder Bay isrich in people and resources, and connects Northwestern Ontario to the world. We value ourhigh quality of lifeand promote a clean, green, beautiful, and healthy community that provides economic opportunity, respects diversity, and provides affordable and safe neighbourhoods that are accessible to all.

The City of Thunder Bay is a place where art, culture and nature come together!

To learn more about the CEDC's vision for economic growth through 2030, visit the Thunder Bay Forward Strategic Plan: Thunder Bay Forward: Strategic Plan 2030