Manager, Business Development

Position Title: Manager, Business Development

Reports to: VP, Student Recruitment & Strategic Partnerships

Job Type: Full-time, permanent

Location: Ottawa, ON

About IBU

International Business University (IBU) stands as Ontario's first independent not-for-profit university. Having received Ministerial consent for full accreditation in 2020 and DLI approval in 2023, IBU is Ontario's only not-for-profit independent University. Our foundation draws inspiration from the world's most esteemed independent universities, creating a 'next generation' model characterized by innovation, agility, and responsiveness. IBU is focused on being a truly student-centric, industry-aligned university, executing the best practices of today to build the future talent relevance of tomorrow. IBU is committed to curricula and learning experiences that seamlessly blend rigorous academic preparation with practical skill development, reflecting emerging technologies, evolving societal needs, and the future demands of the global workforce.

Position Summary

The Manager, Business Development is responsible for building and maintaining strategic relationships with high schools, settlement agencies, Indigenous Bands, and other community organizations to support student recruitment's objective of expanding access to post-secondary education. Reporting to the Vice President of Student Recruitment and Strategic Partnerships, the role focuses on domestic partnership development and engagement. The ideal candidate brings exceptional business development skills with experience in education, community outreach, or recruitment, and thrives in a relationship-driven, goal-oriented environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify, cultivate, and formalize strategic partnerships with high schools, settlement centres, Indigenous Bands, and community-based organizations to generate student recruitment pipelines.
• Develop and execute customized outreach strategies to engage key stakeholders and align partnership goals with university objectives.
• Represent the university at education fairs, community events, and stakeholder meetings to enhance brand awareness and identify new student pathways opportunities.
• Serve as the primary liaison for educational and community partners, providing consistent, high-quality engagement and support through proactive communication and outreach.
• Maintain and strengthen existing partnerships through regular touchpoints, collaborative planning, and mutual goal setting.
• Recommend partnership opportunities, and for those approved, collaborate with internal stakeholders to formalize MOUs and contracts.
• Research and monitor trends in education, community engagement, and student recruitment to inform ongoing, evidenced-based, strategy and outreach efforts.
• Collaborate with internal teams to align partnership strategies with enrollment targets and institutional priorities.
• Monitor and evaluate partnership performance, maintaining a detailed database of engagement activities and outcomes. Provide regular reports on metrics such as lead conversion, student retention, diversity outcomes, and overall impact to inform strategic decisions.
• Contribute insights to refine recruitment strategies based on market trends and community feedback.
• Work closely with marketing, admissions, and student services to ensure consistent messaging and seamless prospective student experiences.
• Support the development of culturally responsive engagement strategies, especially when working with Indigenous and newcomer communities, ensuring sensitivity to language, context, and lived experiences.
• Manage multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment, prioritizing tasked based on strategic impact and partner needs.
• Ensure high standards of execution across all initiatives, from initial outreach to long-term relationship stewardship.
• Other related duties as assigned.

The successful candidate will have the following essential qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Business, Communications, or a related field; Master's degree is considered an asset.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in business development, community outreach, student recruitment, or partnership development, ideally within the education sector.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating and sustaining strategic partnerships with diverse communities and educational stakeholders.
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of audiences both in-person and virtually.
• Proven commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion principles in education and community-based work.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to manage sensitive or confidential information with discretion.
• Proficient with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and experience with data management and reporting tools.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities, capable of handling multiple initiatives and deadlines effectively.
• Knowledge of Canadian educational systems, settlement services, and Indigenous communities is a strong asset.
• Energetic, resourceful, and results-driven, with a track record of achieving business development goals.
• Willingness and ability to travel locally and domestically for outreach and partnership-building activities.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to build productive relationships across internal teams and external partners.

IBU values and embraces diversity, equality and inclusion as fundamental to our mission to educate students for career success in the business world today. Our desire is to ensure that our institution is a welcoming, inclusive, respectful, and safe environment for everyone. As an institution operating on traditional lands of Indigenous Peoples and communities, IBU recognizes its obligation as a member of the Ontario postsecondary system to join the path of reconciliation with Indigenous People. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you require disability-related accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please contact us at and we will be happy to accommodate your needs under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit to a cover letter and resume in PDF format. See our website for further information about this new and exciting university.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Please note that we will only be in contact with those individuals moving forward in the process.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Extended health care
• Paid time off

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree (required)

Experience:

• Business development and Strategic Partnership: 5 years (required)
• Education sector: 5 years (required)

Willingness to travel:

• 50% (required)

Work Location: In person