Head, Strategy and Business Development

Position: Head, Strategy and Business Development

Location: Ottawa 

Reports to: President & CEO

Salary range: $165,000 - $185,000

Vacancy Status: This posting is for a new vacancy. We are hiring for 1 position.

Job Summary / Overview:

The Head, Strategy and Business Development plays a central role in shaping CENGN’s strategic direction and driving its evolution, accelerating commercialization and technology adoption for Canada’s innovation economy. This position combines strategic foresight with business development leadership, linking market intelligence, partnership development, and execution to deliver tangible, measurable results for CENGN and the ecosystem we serve.

As a key advisor to the President & CEO, this role will lead the design and delivery of CENGN’s strategic roadmap, ensuring alignment with emerging technologies and national priorities across 5G, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and defence innovation. You will identify and develop new revenue opportunities, forge strategic alliances, and position CENGN as a trusted partner to industry, government, academia, and defence organizations.

This role also focuses on building and leading a high-performing business development team, strengthening member engagement, and enabling cross-functional collaboration so strategy, execution, and partnership development work together to enhance CENGN’s reputation across the ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy

• Lead the annual and multi-year strategic planning cycle in close partnership with the CEO, ensuring priorities are grounded in market reality, financial sustainability, and CENGN's mission
• Track competitive, regulatory, and technology shifts, particularly in 5G, cloud, AI, and digital infrastructure and translate these into actionable strategic recommendations
• Identify and evaluate new revenue streams, partnership models, and market opportunities that advance CENGN's path to long-term sustainability
• Develop operational frameworks for evaluating strategic partnerships, alliances, and new service areas
• Deepen relationships with funding partners and ensure organizational accountability for outcomes under government or partner funding agreements.
• Provide the CEO and executive team with clear, evidence-based strategic counsel on major decisions

Business Development

• Lead, mentor, and grow the Business Development team, setting clear direction while empowering individual ownership
• Through leadership of the team, maintain and deepen existing member and partner relationships
• Identify and pursue sustainable revenue opportunities, including 3rd party testing, training, and commercial services
• Foster alliances with like-minded organizations locally, nationally, and internationally
• Lead and manage business development pipeline activity with discipline; tracking leads, advancing opportunities, and keeping leadership informed
• Stay current on industry trends and engage CENGN's broader ecosystem through events, social channels, and sector initiatives

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Champion a culture of transparency with no silos and no surprises.
• Demonstrate and support our CENGN values of integrity, accountability, agility, collaboration and fostering success 
• Bring solutions and decisions to the table with context, connected to our mission

What We're Looking For

Experience

• 10–15 years of progressive experience in the Information and Communications Technology or digital infrastructure sector
• Demonstrated track record in business development. You know how to open doors and close deals
• Experience leading or significantly contributing to strategic planning in a technology-driven organization
• Proven ability to build, lead and work cross-functionally to support high-performing teams 
• Bilingualism (English/French) is a strong asset

Competencies

• Commercial acumen paired with genuine strategic thinking, you understand both the numbers and the narrative
• Strong communicator and relationship builder across diverse stakeholder groups including government, industry, academia, and start-ups
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity and in a fast-moving environment with shifting priorities
• High emotional intelligence.  You can read rooms, build trust, and bring people along
• Proficiency in CRM tools, MS Office, and presentation platforms

Education

• Bachelor's degree with either a Business or Technology focus, or equivalent experience; MBA or advanced degree an asset

This role does not include leadership of the Marketing function. It is also not a role where success is measured by activity alone. The expectation is strategic clarity, high performance teams and team cohesion, and revenue results. Anyone coming in will be expected to invest time in understanding CENGN's existing culture, relationships, and ways of working before reshaping any of them.

Successful applicants must meet all applicable security requirements, including but not limited to the ability to obtain and maintain a Canadian government security clearance. Applicants may be required to meet additional security requirements in order to gain access to technical data, classified areas or information. You must be eligible to work in Canada.

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to forward their resume in confidence to CENGN via CENGN’s Application Portal. CENGN thanks all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be acknowledged. CENGN is an equal opportunity employer.