The Manager, Business Development drives participation in Venture for Canada’s programs through proactive business development, prospecting, and relationship-building. The role focuses on employer acquisition and institutional partnerships to generate qualified leads and measurable program growth.
Full description
If you’re excited about building systems that empower others to lead and want to help shape Canada’s next generation of entrepreneurial, AI-ready talent for the future of work, we’d love to hear from you!
Venture for Canada is a national registered charity equipping talent across Canada with the entrepreneurial skills, mindset, and opportunities to succeed in a 21st-century economy increasingly shaped by rapid change and emerging technology. We believe that to be entrepreneurial is to act upon opportunities to create value for others. The resourcefulness and creativity of people across Canada are essential to addressing our country’s greatest challenges. Venture for Canada serves as a catalyst by empowering individuals to create a more prosperous, inclusive, and innovative society.
Since 2013, Venture for Canada has grown in meaningful ways, and we’re excited to expand our team with values-aligned individuals who can contribute to what we’re building. To learn more about our hiring process and workplace philosophy, visit our Careers page.
Role Overview
The Manager, Business Development is responsible for driving participation in Venture for Canada’s programs through proactive business development, prospecting, and relationship-building.
The role has two core portfolios:
1. Employer acquisition – building a pipeline of SMEs and employers for VFC’s Internship, Intrapreneurship, AI Adoption, and other employer-facing programs.
2. Institutional partnerships – developing relationships with post-secondary institutions, incubators, accelerators, and other organizations that can drive program enrolment, bulk seat purchases, and white-labelled program sales.
The relative focus across employer acquisition and institutional partnerships may shift over the course of the contract based on VFC’s program priorities, growth targets, and capacity needs.
This is a results-driven role for someone who enjoys prospecting, opening doors, pitching, building relationships, and converting interest into measurable program growth.
Key Role Responsibilities
Employer Acquisition
Build and manage a national pipeline of prospective SMEs and employer communities for Venture for Canada’s employer-facing programs
Proactively identify, prospect, and engage new employers through outbound outreach, referrals, networking, events, and other business development channels
Develop relationships with business networks, industry associations, chambers of commerce, and other organizations that provide scalable access to prospective employers
Clearly articulate Venture for Canada’s value proposition and generate qualified employer interest in participating in Venture for Canada programs
Consistently follow up with prospective employers and move opportunities toward submission of an employer interest form
Develop and deliver employer-facing webinars, presentations, information sessions, and other activities designed to generate employer leads
Attend relevant business and industry events to generate leads, build relationships, and promote Venture for Canada programs
Identify and test new employer acquisition channels and outreach strategies
Develop repeatable business development approaches that allow Venture for Canada to efficiently scale employer acquisition
Meet established targets for employer pipeline, qualified leads, and employer interest generated
Institutional Partnerships & Program Growth
Build and manage a pipeline of post-secondary institutions, incubators, accelerators, employers, and other organizations that provide access to VFC’s target program participants.
Proactively identify, prospect, and engage institutional partners through outbound outreach, networking, referrals, and events.
Build referral relationships that generate qualified prospective participants for VFC’s programs.
Identify and sell opportunities for institutions to purchase bulk program seats or white-labelled VFC programming for their students, members, or communities.
Lead institutional business development from initial outreach through presentations, proposals, negotiation, and close.
Develop and deliver webinars, presentations, and information sessions with partners to drive program awareness and enrolment.
Attend relevant post-secondary, entrepreneurship, and recruitment events to generate leads and develop institutional relationships.
Track referrals, enrolments, institutional sales, and revenue generated through these channels.
Meet established targets for institutional pipeline, participant referrals, enrolment, and program sales.
Pipeline, Performance & Reporting
Maintain an accurate and actionable employer acquisition pipeline with clear stages, next steps, and follow-up
Maintain accurate CRM records of employer prospects, outreach, opportunities, and outcomes
Track employer acquisition activity, conversion rates, lead sources, and channel performance
Use pipeline and performance data to prioritize activity and focus resources on the highest-performing acquisition channels and opportunities
Provide regular reporting and forecasts against employer acquisition targets
Identify barriers to employer acquisition and recommend changes to outreach, messaging, channels, or Venture for Canada’s employer value proposition
Develop and document repeatable employer acquisition processes and playbooks
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with Programs to understand program capacity, eligibility, timelines, and upcoming acquisition needs
Work closely with Marketing to develop campaigns, collateral, webinars, events, and communications that support business development
Coordinate with Student Programs when engaging employers already within Venture for Canada’s network to avoid duplication and ensure a consistent employer experience
Share employer and market insights with Program, Marketing, and leadership teams to strengthen Venture for Canada’s value proposition and acquisition strategy
Refer opportunities outside the role’s employer acquisition mandate to the appropriate internal owner
Who You Are
You are a proactive business developer who enjoys prospecting, opening doors, starting conversations, and building pipeline
You are comfortable with outbound sales and business development and are motivated by clear acquisition and growth targets
You are an excellent relationship builder who can quickly establish credibility with entrepreneurs, post-secondary institutions, SME leaders, and business organizations
You are persistent and resilient and understand that successful business development requires consistent outreach and follow-through
You are commercially minded and naturally look for efficient ways to reach and convert prospective employers
You are comfortable experimenting with different acquisition channels, messages, and approaches and using results to determine where to focus
You take ownership of your pipeline and are comfortable independently figuring out how to reach a target
You are highly organized and disciplined about CRM management, follow-up, and tracking results
You are curious about businesses and interested in understanding the challenges and opportunities facing Canadian SMEs and entrepreneurs
You are a confident communicator and presenter who is comfortable hosting webinars, networking, and representing Venture for Canada externally
What You Bring
3–5+ years of experience in business development, sales, partnerships, or a related role
Demonstrated success building pipeline through proactive outbound prospecting and converting prospects into measurable results
Experience developing new business relationships from initial prospecting through qualification and handoff or close
Experience working with SMEs, entrepreneurs, or business owners is strongly preferred
Experience developing or leveraging channel relationships, referral networks, associations, or other scalable approaches to customer acquisition is an asset
Familiarity with Canada’s entrepreneurship, small business, economic development, workforce development, or innovation landscape is an asset
Strong written and verbal communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills
Strong CRM and pipeline management skills, with the ability to use data to prioritize activity and improve conversion
Excellent organization, attention to detail, and follow-through
Strong ownership and initiative, with the ability to independently build a pipeline and move opportunities forward
Willingness to travel and attend external events as required
Job Details
The purpose of this job posting is to fill a temporary vacancy created by an employee leave of absence. The contract term is 12 months. The anticipated start date is immediate.
Arrangement
Venture for Canada is a remote-first organization with offices based in Toronto and Vancouver. This is a remote position open to candidates across Canada. While all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, preference may be given to candidates based in the Toronto, Ontario area to support occasional in-person collaboration. Light in-person attendance of program-related events during evenings and weekends is required.
Language Requirement
As a national organization serving communities across Canada, professional proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Proficiency in both English and French is considered a strong asset for this role.
Commitment to Diversity and Accessibility
Venture for Canada is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all stages of the recruitment and selection process. If you require an accommodation, please contact hiring@ventureforcanada.ca.
Applicant Notice
Venture for Canada may use artificial intelligence-enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process; all hiring decisions are made by our talent acquisition stakeholders. Only selected applicants will be contacted for an interview. In accordance with applicable laws, candidates who are interviewed will be notified of the hiring decision within 45 days of their final interview. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada at the time of application; we are unable to provide employment sponsorship or support work permit applications for this position.
Company information
Venture for Canada is a national charity based in Toronto, Ontario, dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial skills among young Canadians. Founded in 2013 by Scott Stirrett, the organization focuses on equipping post-secondary students and recent graduates with the skills needed to succeed in innovative work environments, particularly in startups and small businesses.The organization offers various programs, including internship and intrapreneurship opportunities that connect participants with paid positions at Canadian startups. Additionally, it provides fellowship programs to support talent development and offers talent acquisition services to help businesses find and nurture talent. Venture for Canada also facilitates training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to build a community of young entrepreneurs and innovative leaders. With a total of $4.8 million in funding from various investors, including the Government of Canada, Venture for Canada has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing charities in the country.
