Sr. Manager - Business Development – Defence Systems

MDA Space; Halifax; On-site; CAD 135,000 - 186,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended healthcare

Dental and vision benefits

Disability income protection

Life insurance

Group retirement savings plans

Employee and family assistance program

Job summary

49North, an MDA Space Company, seeks a Senior Manager, Business Development - Defence Systems to drive multi-domain market expansion in Canada. You will shape capture strategies and pursue high-value contracts across naval platforms, USVs/UUVs, and autonomous C5ISR programs, coordinating with CAF and industry partners to win modernizations.

The role requires 5+ years in defence business development, a strong technical/operational grasp of naval systems and ITB/offsets, and the ability to travel

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (Engineering, Computer Science, or Business Administration) or equivalent experience
• 5+ years in capture management or technical business development in naval or aerospace defence
• Deep understanding of naval mission systems, autonomous vehicles, and joint C4ISR networks
• Strong familiarity with Canadian NSS, defence procurement life cycles, ITB/offset frameworks
• Ability to translate complex architectures into compelling military/civilian business cases

Responsibilities

• Lead market expansion focusing on naval combat systems, USVs/UUVs, autonomous aerial systems, and C5ISR frameworks
• Own full capture lifecycle from opportunity ID to bid strategy and contract award
• Build relationships with CAF DIA stakeholders across domains
• Partner with global defence primes, domestic suppliers, and autonomous tech innovators
• Translate requirements into winning solutions meeting ITB and Value Proposition rules

Skills

Capture management

Strategic market growth

Stakeholder engagement

Defence ecosystem collaboration

Industrial & technical alignment

Bilingual English/French

Security clearance

Naval defence domain

Military experience preferred

Travel up to 30%

Education

Bachelor's degree (Engineering, Computer Science, or Business Administration)

Job description

49North is a Canadian defence company delivering secure, multi-domain C4ISR capabilities that provide decision advantage in complex and contested environments. A wholly-owned subsidiary of MDA Space, building on more than five decades of trusted Canadian defence delivery, 49North operates as a sovereign Canadian provider of mission-critical C4ISR systems, bringing disciplined prime-contractor execution to defence and security programs.

Visit 49North | An MDA Space Company.

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Business Development - Defence Systems drives market expansion, shapes capture strategies and secures high-value contract awards across Canada's multi-domain defence sectors. This role focuses on aligning advanced technology portfolios with major federal procurement programs, including naval platforms, autonomous (UxV) systems, tactical and strategic joint C5ISR modernizations.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Domain Growth: Lead market expansion focused on naval combat systems, uncrewed surface/underwater vehicles (USVs/UUVs), autonomous aerial systems, and joint multi-domain C5ISR frameworks
• Capture Management: Own the full lifecycle from opportunity identification through bid strategy to contract award, specifically targeting multi-million-dollar modernizations and clean-sheet naval/autonomous/C5ISR acquisition programs
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted relationships with senior Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Defence Industrial Agency (DIA stakeholders across all domains
• Defence Ecosystem Collaboration: Partner with global defence primes, domestic suppliers and autonomous tech innovators to secure valuable tier-one and tier-two positioning
• Industrial & Technical Alignment: Work with engineering and program teams to translate complex operational requirements (such as AI-driven autonomy, sensor fusion, and secure communications) into winning solutions that satisfy Canada's Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) and Value Proposition rules

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree (Engineering, Computer Science, or Business Administration preferred) or equivalent combination of operational experience and education
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in capture management or technical business development within the naval or aerospace defence sector, with a proven track record in complex systems integration
• Domain Expertise: Deep technical and operational understanding of naval mission systems, autonomous vehicle deployment (air, surface, or sub-surface), and joint tactical C4ISR networks. Military experience strongly preferred
• Procurement Knowledge: Strong familiarity with the Canadian National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), defence procurement life cycles, and ITB/offset frameworks
• Skills: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex technical architectures into compelling business cases for military and civilian stakeholders
• Language: Bilingualism (English/French) is a strong asset
• Travel: Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (up to 30%)

We're a dream team of purpose-driven, collaborative and passionate people, and we are constantly looking for others to join 49North to ignite new and innovative approaches to problem-solving that push us forward.

Comments/Special Considerations

Successful candidates must obtain and hold security clearance at the secret level, and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP)/ITAR.

Benefits Statement

• Extended healthcare and flexible drug plans
• Dental and vision benefits
• Disability income protection
• Life insurance
• Group retirement savings plans
• Employee and family assistance program

Equal Opportunity Statement

49North is an equal opportunity employer prizing diversity and inclusion. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity. If you require assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please feel free to notify us.

Accommodations

49North is proud to provide accommodation(s) during the recruitment process. Should you require any accommodations, please indicate this on your application/cover letter and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.

The compensation range for this position is $135,200.00 - $185,900.00 annually. The specific compensation offered will be based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

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