The Business Development & Industry Strategist (BDIS) generates leads and supports initial qualification to provide Regional Business Developers with viable prospects for conversion into paid, creditable co-op jobs. The BDIS places priority on growing opportunities at scale for strategically prioritized segments, and where applicable, focused on areas of need identified by faculty such as: focus programs, new programs, or new faculty-driven initiatives.  The BDIS will develop strategic collaborations with provincial and national organizations to mobilize co-op opportunities, share knowledge as well as create integrated program-based job development to assist employers and students with the employment process.

The BDIS is focused on actively bringing in new, quality employer leads and will contribute to business development initiatives; including targeted business development campaigns in a particular region or industry, for a particular faculty or program, as well as supporting the creation of business development presentations, resources and tools.

The BDIS will identify industry priorities based on economic forecasting, employment data, industry trends, in conjunction with faculty and program priorities that face the greatest need; ultimately creating and executing a targeted strategic plan which will lend itself to meet our employment targets.

Business Development Strategy

• Develop and implement an ongoing strategy for the identification and nurturing of influencer groups, industry partners at the national and provincial level to generate more co-op opportunities
• Develop strong lead funnel to support focus and at-risk programs and priority industry
• Introduce and use a keen understanding of effective sales and conversion tools and techniques to assess the prospective employer’s needs and discuss how hiring a student could bring value to the employer
• Create and deploy internal tools & resources to assist staff in providing industry specific job development to active employers and prospective employers
• Collaborate with Regional Business Developers to develop strategies and campaigns at the regional level with influencer groups (i.e. Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Corporations) creating lead development funnels
• Consult Communications, Engagement and Digital Experience team on development of social media and marketing campaigns to promote the University, Work Learn Institute & Co-operative Education (key message platforms personas)
• Research, adopt and implement technologies that can enable more efficiency and productivity for business development and training the BD staff on effective use
• Actively participate in industry events and developing materials that will have highest impact for the industry
• Become an expert in our co-operative education model, understanding our programs, students, and process to effectively orient with a focus on new employer development and success
• Process improvement to improve new employer experience
• Create meaningful presentations to speak to audience-based presentations backed by the Work Learn Institute research, and co-op data
• Lead strategy for industry events, conferences and tradeshows
• Present at events, webinars and participate in expert panels on behalf of Co-op and the University

Collaboration Development

• Develop and implement an ongoing strategy for outreach and collaboration with industry organizations to strengthen ties with the Waterloo community, faculty and students.
• Work closely with Employment Relations and the Work Learn Institute to build awareness of Co-operative & Experiential Education (CEE)’s and co-op students' impact in targeted industries, spark use and interest, support partner involvement, and build user engagement
• Engage with industry human resources and recruiting staff to understand talent development needs of companies
• Develop and manage sponsorship opportunities with industry partners
• Engage with industry associations, national & provincial HR organizations to influence scope of Waterloo’s presence across industries that have greatest employment impact
• Identify areas of synergy and mutual benefit and opportunities for collaboration among industry, faculty and CEE and actively facilitate the development of new collaborations
• Coordinate and deliver presentations to partners, influencers, government, and industry
• Work closely with partner organizations to support companies and provide effective referral to other partner organizations as appropriate
• Advancing the goals of Co-operative & Experiential Education (CEE)

Project Development and Management

• Develop strategic plans at the provincial and national levels, incorporating labour market research, communications, employment data and industry/faculty collaborations
• Work closely with the Employment Relations, Student and Faculty Relations, Engagement teams and the Work Learn Institute to understand and shape promotion of work-integrated learning expertise/research across industry partners, employers, and internal campus partners
• Identify and support the development of specific opportunities for collaborative projects with industry partners and academic partners
• Lead strategy and act as project manager for self-hosted events to develop opportunities for active employers, prospective employers, campus partners and industry experts to drive industry-specific job development
• Create integrated approaches to develop leads leveraging marketing channels and industry partners that can be replicated across regions and industries
• Develop integrated strategy for job development in areas of greatest need. Consult and incorporate feedback from all stakeholders (students, faculty, industry, employers & staff)
• Develop marketing messaging and audience personas to align with industry job needs
• Operate as subject matter experts
• Record all relevant data about each lead into the lead management system accurately and completely
• Record all communications, presentation, meetings and the outcomes of the interactions within the lead management system
• Address challenges within the business development process with solutions for optimal outcomes
• Continuously improve business development approaches, process and technology for greater efficiency, effectiveness, productivity and results

• University undergraduate degree in Business or equivalent
• Additional Certificates in Marketing and Sales and/or Project Management an asset

• Over 5 years of experience in a business development role is required

• Over 5 years of sales experience with demonstrated success – preferably in a business-to-business context

• Proven experience developing strong partnership with employers, industries, and levels of government

• Experience working with Marketing and Communications teams to develop marketing materials / strategies for campaigns including webinars, conference presentations, newsletter content, social media posts and thought leadership pieces

• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills required to build lasting relationships

• Proven, in-depth understanding of the sales cycle

• Demonstrated ability to grow a successful sales funnel through self-generated leads and initiatives

• Industry, labour market and economic forecasting knowledge across Canada

• The ability to think strategically and create effective business plans that align with our targets and goals

• Excellent customer service, relationship management skills, building strong collaborations and understanding of the customer experience

• Financial/budget administrative experience to support strategic plans

• Understanding of provincial and federal funding opportunities an asset

• Confident presenting and attending events to spotlight our Co-op Program

• Excellent social media, Digital and IT fluency

• Understanding of marketing channels and campaign creation to aide in job development

• Proven experience developing and deploying large scale marketing tactics with targeted industry specific messaging

• Strong organizational skills are imperative to document, track and report on interactions and the status of each lead and collaboration within the official system of record

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.