Senior Program Lead

About Alacrity Canada

Alacrity Canada is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the growth of Canadian technology companies through market access, skill development, investment readiness and international expansion. With a focus on sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, Alacrity provides programs and resources that enable companies to scale globally while creating positive economic and environmental impact.

The Opportunity

Alacrity Canada is seeking a Senior Program Lead to spearhead the development and delivery of a new Dual-Use Defence Program. This initiative will support Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) developing technologies with both commercial and defence applications, helping them navigate procurement pathways, commercialization challenges and international market expansion.

This is a pivotal leadership role at the intersection of venture growth, national security innovation and ecosystem development. You'll collaborate with industry leaders, government partners and innovative founders to design and execute programs that build capacity, accelerate technology adoption and strengthen Canada's position in global dual-use innovation.

This role is ideal for a systems thinker and connector who understands the unique dynamics of defence and commercial markets, thrives in complex stakeholder environments and is passionate about helping Canadian companies scale responsibly and sustainably.

Key Responsibilities

1. Program Design & Delivery

2. Lead the design, implementation and evolution of Alacrity's dual-use defence programs, ensuring alignment with national priorities, funder expectations and measurable impact.

3. Provide senior oversight and mentorship to participating SMEs, supporting commercialization, procurement readiness and business development.

4. Develop and deliver workshops, coaching and advisory sessions focused on scaling, compliance, security and international partnership opportunities.

5. Ecosystem Engagement & Stakeholder Coordination

6. Build and maintain relationships with defence sector stakeholders including federal agencies, innovation hubs, prime contractors and industry associations.

7. Collaborate with public and private partners to strengthen Canada's dual-use innovation ecosystem and create opportunities for SME participation.

8. Represent Alacrity at strategic events, trade missions and roundtables to elevate program visibility and advocate for SME-led innovation.

9. Strategic Program Development

10. Work with senior leadership to develop a scalable program framework responsive to defence modernization priorities and emerging global opportunities.

11. Identify partnership and funding opportunities across government and industry to sustain and expand the program.

12. Integrate ESG, investment readiness and sustainability principles into defence innovation programming.

13. Internal Coordination & Operational Oversight

14. Collaborate with Alacrity's operations, communications and data teams to ensure seamless delivery and transparent reporting.

15. Oversee CRM systems and performance metrics to align internal processes with funder and partner reporting needs.
16. Mentor and support team members and contractors to uphold program quality and expand organizational capacity.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in venture development, innovation programming, or economic development, ideally with exposure to dual-use or defence sectors.
• Proven success leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from strategy through implementation.
• Experience supporting SMEs and scaling companies through commercialization, procurement or export activities.
• Strong relationships or familiarity with Canada's innovation and defence ecosystems (e.g., DND, IDEaS, CADSI, DRDC, Innovation Canada).
• Excellent facilitation, relationship management and systems thinking skills.
• Experience using tech tools such as Slack, Google Workspace and Zoom.

Why Join Us?

At Alacrity, we don't just support innovation, we help scale it. This is your chance to play a pivotal role in growing Canada's sustainable tech ecosystem while contributing to meaningful economic and environmental outcomes.

What We Offer

We are brisk, cheerful, & community-minded. We're friendly and eager team players, who support one another to do our best both at work and outside the office.

• Flexibility to work in a hybrid environment with offices in Vancouver and Victoria
• Extended health and dental benefits; premium 100% covered
• Employee Assistance Program
• Health and Wellness Spending Accounts
• Employee Incentive Plan
• Support to learn and grow through professional development opportunities

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, or disability status. We believe different perspectives make Alacrity Canada a better organization. We're committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment where our team members feel that they belong. We are actively educating ourselves to create this environment.