Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager – Offsets, Industrial Participation, Industrial Cooperation, and Local Content

The application window is expected to close on: 10/11/2026.

Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Most Preferred Additional: Toronto, Canada

What You'll Do

• Lead the identification, development, negotiation, and execution of offset, industrial participation (IP), industrial cooperation (IC), localization, and local content strategies supporting business growth and contract competitiveness.
• Co-create compliant and competitive Industrial Participation and ITB Value Proposition plans by teaming up with Sales, Government Affairs, Legal, and Finance to ensure all goals are met.
• Partner with government offset authorities (ISED, PSPC, DND) to navigate project eligibility, credit multiplier agreements, and annual fulfillment milestones together.
• Coordinate the end-to-end offset lifecycle, bringing together stakeholders for project identification, investment qualification, credit banking, audit validation, and statutory reporting.
• Facilitate the integration of Canadian technology SMEs, Indigenous businesses, and university research hubs into a shared Cisco supply chain and delivery ecosystem.
• Participate in Cisco Canada’s Country Digitization Acceleration steerco investments and NetAcad workforce training programs with cross-functional partners to collectively generate verified offset credits.
• Establish and maintain auditable standards for industrial transactions, ensuring all teams remain aligned on compliance and revenue recognition best practices.
• Champion the development and execution of offset, industrial participation, and local content obligations, working alongside business units to ensure commitments are measurable and transparent.
• Jointly monitor policy changes to collectively assess and mitigate impacts on ongoing and future programs.
• Foster collaborative partnerships with local industry, SMEs, academia, innovation hubs, training organizations, and strategic investors to grow capability through shared technology transfer, skills development, and joint ventures.
• Co-create pathways for sustainable in-country industrial growth by aligning Cisco’s resources with local partner objectives.
• Cultivate a collaborative environment and provide mentorship to cross-functional teams involved in offset and industrial participation initiatives.
• Drive process improvements, governance frameworks, and operational efficiencies to streamline how we work together.
• Design, Co-design and influence tools, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to ensure leadership has shared visibility into our collective progress and KPIs.
• Partner across the business to deliver training and awareness initiatives regarding offset and localization requirements.

Who You Are

• A strategic business development leader with strong government and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experienced negotiator with deep knowledge of global offset and localization policies.
• Financially and commercially savvy, with strong program and project management capabilities.
• Skilled in cross-functional leadership, risk management, and governance.
• An effective communicator and presenter, comfortable operating in complex international environments.
• Passionate about building sustainable local industrial ecosystems and fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
• Able to lead teams through change, driving operational rigor and accountability.

Minimum Qualifications

• Proven experience leading strategic business development and government engagement initiatives.
• Demonstrated expertise in negotiation and influencing within government and industrial participation contexts.
• Strong knowledge of global offset and localization policies and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing financial governance, audit processes, and offset lifecycle management.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver measurable business and compliance outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace & defense, security & cybersecurity, ICT & telecommunications, energy & infrastructure, transportation & rail, advanced manufacturing, or government procurement sectors.
• Track record of successful partnership development with local industry, SMEs, academia, and innovation hubs.
• Familiarity with Country Digitization Acceleration and workforce training programs such as NetAcad.
• Proven ability to develop operational tools, dashboards, and KPIs for leadership visibility and governance.
• Experience driving sustainable industrial growth initiatives aligned with national economic development prio