Economic Development jobs in Canada

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

Role Overview

• Job title: Director, Business Development
• Hours/Week: 40
• Posting Date: Thursday, July 31, 2025
• Closing Date: Thursday, August 14 at 11:59 PM EST
• Vacancy Type: Full-time

About NorthGuide

NorthGuide is a global consulting firm that helps purpose-driven organizations build strategy, tackle hard problems, engineer influence, and supersize their impact.

NorthGuide’s team brings decades of top-level experience in public policy, ecosystem innovation,

stakeholder engagement and strategy development. We are specialists in identifying – and overcoming – acute problems. At NorthGuide, our method is the magic. Where other firms might focus on business,

government or the nonprofit sector, we embrace all three to cross-pollinate knowledge and opportunity. At every step, we work alongside clients in a process we like to call “strategic doing”. We work together to co-design approaches for strategy, leveraging our diverse experience. We have a strong bias towards action that helps clients move from idea to execution quickly. We foster collaboration and leverage

coalitions to wield greater influence and increase impact.

Our work is nimble, forthright, and action-oriented. So are we. NorthGuide embraces complexity, builds coalitions, and focuses on the specific points where strategic action can have the most impact. At NorthGuide we take our work seriously but don’t take ourselves too seriously. We make sure our clients and team enjoy their journey and have fun along the way.

The Role - Director, Business Development

The Director, Business Development will be an integral part of our team, responsible for driving revenue growth and market expansion for NorthGuide's innovation ecosystem consulting services. This role will lead all aspects of business development including sales strategy, lead generation, relationship management, and client acquisition across government, private sector, and non-profit organizations.

What you will be doing:

Strategic Planning & Business Development

• Develop and execute comprehensive business development strategies to drive revenue growth and market expansion across NorthGuide's core service areas including innovation ecosystem building, economic development, and stakeholder engagement
• Collaborate with the CEO and leadership team to refine service offerings and positioning based on market feedback and client needs
• Develop, negotiate, and manage strategic partnerships and alliances to expand market reach and service capabilities
• Build and manage the complete sales funnel from lead generation through to deal closure, including prospecting, qualification, proposal development, and contract negotiation
• Spearhead sales growth by building client relationships and delivering / following through withproposals, working closely with both our consulting team to craft compelling, client-focused solutions, and with our sales operations team to ensure process efficiency
• Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of opportunities, utilizing CRM systems and sales tracking tools to monitor progress and forecast revenue

Relationship Management & Client Services

• Identify and cultivate relationships with key decision-makers in government departments, innovation organizations, economic development agencies, municipalities, and corporate partners
• Serve as primary relationship manager for key accounts, working with project leads to identify expansion opportunities
• Implement systematic account management processes to maximize client retention, satisfaction, and lifetime value while identifying opportunities for service expansion

Marketing & Business Presence

• Represent NorthGuide at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to build brand awareness and generate new business leads
• Develop and execute strategic networking plans to build industry presence and thought leadership

Other duties as assigned. All duties subject to change.

Why you’ll love working here

• The opportunity to learn from and be mentored by team members who have worked at the highest levels of business, government and non-profits
• Work with a diverse client base spanning government agencies, innovation superclusters, municipalities, and international development organizations on high-impact projects that drive economic growth and community development
• Be part of a rapidly growing firm where your contributions directly impact company success and where you'll have significant autonomy to shape the business development function
• Engage with senior leaders across multiple sectors and jurisdictions, building a valuable network while advancing meaningful work in innovation and economic development

What you will bring to the role

• Proven track record in business development or sales, preferably within consulting, professional services, or related fields serving government and institutional clients
• Strong network within government, economic development, or innovation sectors, or demonstrated ability to build such networks quickly
• Strong sense of initiative for client prospecting
• Professional demeanor with strong customer service orientation
• Strong organization and project management skills to assist in keeping ongoing business development activities on track
• Open-ended problem-solving skills, and able to apply innovative and strategic thinking to overcome challenges and achieve positive outcomes
• Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills and the ability to actively engage with team members responsible for client service delivery
• Up-to-date knowledge and understanding of relevant industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies or methodologies in economic development, innovation ecosystems, and government relations
• Excellent verbal communication skills, confidence and the ability to actively lead client meetings and effectively articulate ideas when interacting with both clients and the NorthGuide team
• Experience with sales process management tools
• Willingness to travel for client meetings and industry events

How to apply to the role

• Please send a copy of your resume to accounts@northguide.ca no later than Thursday, August 14, 11:59 PM EST
• Subject line must include: Director, Business Development Application
• Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

NorthGuide is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Accessibility

If you require accommodation during the application process, please contact accounts@northguide,ca to discuss your accommodations.

• Seniority level
  Director

• Employment type
  Full-time

• Job function
  Business Development and Sales
• Industries
  Business Consulting and Services

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at NorthGuide by 2x

Get notified about new Director of Business Development jobs in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.