Business Development Specialist

Job Description

This position has an end date of August 1, 2027. This is a casual, full-time position, with the possibility of extension based on revenue generation.

Location

This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

The Business Developer is a high-energy, results-driven growth role designed to drive candidate engagement and expansion across three major initiatives: two distinct, industry-first compute initiatives ( ISAIC and CAICV ) and the Fast-Paced Innovation Program for tech business and partnership creation. Positioned at the intersection of client engagement, outreach, partnership and business development, this mid-level role expands our market focus into data-regulated industries, including defense, dual-use, health, finance, and oil and gas, as well as partnership development around data centers, GPUs, accelerators, and advanced IT infrastructure.

Operating as a bridge between technical solutions and enterprise business problems, the Business Developer builds one-on-one relationships with companies, founders, research-informed ventures, and ecosystem partners. The ideal candidate translates complex AI workloads, cloud/on-premise compute environments, and data governance concepts into clear commercial value while navigating general compliance expectations for enterprise clients. Supported by structured manager guidance on high-risk strategic decisions and internal subject-matter experts for specialized technical engagements, this position drives measurable impact by managing a qualified intake funnel, increasing capacity utilization, and growing adoption and revenue.

Responsibilities

• Business Development & Lead Conversion (35%): Execute full-cycle lead generation and pipeline management for ISAIC , CAICV , and the Fast-Paced Innovation Program ; conduct discovery with target clients, especially in data-regulated sectors like defense, health, finance, and oil and gas, to align needs with program pathways, manage CRM updates, and hit specific targets: achieve 3% MoM active resource growth in Year 1, maintain full capacity utilization in Years 2–3, onboard 250+ total customers over 3 years, and maintain an intake funnel sufficient to onboard 28 companies every 6 months.
• Strategic Partnerships & Market Expansion (25%): Identify and support key partnerships with accelerators, incubators, industry associations, post-secondary institutions, and enterprise clients; represent the initiatives at sector events to drive referrals, co-marketing, and brand visibility, while gathering market intelligence to support growth strategies.
• Technical & Market Engagement (20%): Serve as a client-facing bridge between business challenges and technical solutions by confidently communicating advanced compute concepts (GPUs, cloud/on-prem, AI workloads, data centers, and data governance); evaluate prospect readiness for infrastructure access, while escalating complex technical, legal, or high-risk matters to internal subject-matter experts.
• Outreach & Targeted Communications (10%): Assist in developing, reviewing, and refining market-facing collateral, pitch decks, digital content, and outreach campaigns tailored to technical and executive audiences; support event planning and targeted campaigns to build pipeline interest.
• Reporting & Operational Alignment (10%): Track and report key funnel metrics, conversion data, and account forecasts to leadership; document sales playbooks and engagement workflows, while collaborating cross-functionally with technical, legal, and program teams to align market demand with operations.

Qualifications

• 
  
  Education:
  Undergraduate degree in Business, Commerce, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 
  
  Experience:
  3 to 5 years of business development, partnership development, or account management experience within technology-focused organizations (e.g., SaaS, cloud, AI, data infrastructure, or cybersecurity).
• Technical Fluency: Ability to confidently discuss advanced compute infrastructure (GPUs, data centers, cloud/on-prem environments, AI workloads, data governance) and translate complex technical capabilities into business value.
• Sales & Funnel Execution: Proven ability to manage a full-cycle business development pipeline, from prospecting and discovery to pitch development and deal closing, using CRMs (e.g., Zoho, Odoo) to track activity and forecasting.
• Communication & Judgment: Strong stakeholder management skills across both technical and executive audiences, with sound commercial judgment to identify high-risk, legal, or procurement issues that require manager escalation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Data-Regulated Industry
  
  Experience:
  Direct experience working in