Position Description:
Reporting directly to the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), this role is pivotal in leading the development and execution of a forward-thinking membership, sponsorship/partnership, and engagement strategy. The role focuses on fostering meaningful, value-driven relationships across the Toronto business community, enhancing the Board’s presence and impact. With a consultative and bespoke sales approach, this leader will drive growth through tailored solutions that align with the needs of partners, members and the Board.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Business Development:
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Collaborate with the CCO to design and implement a sales/business development strategy that aligns with the Board's long-term vision, emphasizing the cultivation of high-impact partnerships and sustainable revenue growth.
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Lead full-cycle business development efforts, including research-backed prospecting, tailored proposals, and nurturing long-term relationships with prospective members and partners (e.g., event sponsorship, councils, World Trade Center partners etc.)
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Act as a connector, identifying synergies between the Board's sponsorship opportunities and potential partners, translating those connections into value-driven engagements.
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Utilize data and market trends to inform and refine business development initiatives, ensuring that solutions, pricing and benefits resonate with partner needs and market dynamics.
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Build and nurture lasting relationships with key stakeholders, industry leaders, and potential clients, serving as a key interlocutor for the Board.
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Prepare and present impactful business cases and proposals to executive audiences, aligning partner needs with long-term value creation.
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Represent the Board at high-profile industry events, conferences, and trade shows to network, identify new opportunities, and elevate the Board’s standing in the business community.
Leadership:
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Lead and coach a team of business development and membership management professionals, fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and relationship-building with a goal to retain and grow membership and partners.
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Collaborate cross-functionally with departments like marketing, policy, finance, and operations to create integrated strategies that maximize value for the Board, partners and members.
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Oversee the CRM strategy, ensuring that internal processes support relationship-building efforts and provide valuable insights for future growth.
Your Profile:
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10 to 15 years of experience in business development, and/or sales, with experience in a B2B environment or a membership/event sponsorship driven organization.
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10 to 15 years of experience managing a sales or team with proven leadership and people development skills.
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Knowledge of or experience selling into key industrial sectors including financial services, professional services, manufacturing, life sciences, technology etc., would be an asset.
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Demonstrated ability to lead strategy development, execution and professional reporting in a partnership, business development or sales capacity.
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Exceptional interpersonal skills.
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Superior writing ability with proven experience developing compelling and professional client proposals.
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Effective project and time management capabilities and exceptional organizational skills, with proven ability to meet strict and competing deadlines for multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
You’re often described as:
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A strategic thinker who can see the big picture while being detail-oriented in execution.
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A dynamic and entrepreneurial leader with a passion for forging connections and driving business growth through strategic partnerships.
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Adept at aligning partner needs with the right opportunities, using data to inform your decisions.
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A trusted advisor with a consultative approach to partnerships, always seeking to deliver tangible value.
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An entrepreneurial spirit who continually looks for opportunities to “think outside the box” and to elevate relationships and offerings.
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A proactive and persuasive communicator who can align teams and stakeholders around common goals.