MW Canada Ltd. |
Job Number: | 9500 |
Job Title: | Sales and Business Development Associate |
Report To: | Matt Berger |
Prepared By: | Human Resources |
Approved By: | Matt Berger |
Date Approved: | September 16, 2026 |
Overview |
The Sales and Business Development Associate supports and develops existing customer relationships while coordinating product-development activities from request through sampling, testing, approval, and follow-up. A central purpose of the role is to provide consistent day-to-day account support and gradually assume responsibilities currently managed by senior members of the sales, design, and management teams. The employee will work closely with sales, design, management, and manufacturing to build a detailed understanding of MW Canada’s manufacturing processes, existing product offering, customer history, and current development programs. As technical and commercial knowledge develops, the employee will progressively lead routine customer interactions, coordinate account activity, and ultimately assume responsibility for selected customer accounts. New business development remains part of the role, but the initial priority is learning the business and becoming a dependable extension of the existing customer-management team. |
Main Duties and Responsibilities |
Customer and Sales Support - Support existing customer relationships and increasingly become a day-to-day point of contact for selected accounts.
- Coordinate sample requests, quotations, product information, testing, approvals, and customer follow-ups, ensuring open items are tracked through completion.
- Prepare for and participate in customer meetings, visits and presentations, initially alongside experienced team members and with increasing independence over time.
- Gradually assume responsibility for selected customer accounts as knowledge of customer history, products, manufacturing processes, and commercial requirements develops.
Business Development - Support targeted research into prospective customers, markets and applications that align with MW Canada’s capabilities, after core account-support responsibilities are established.
- Identify and support selected new business opportunities, customer outreach, and follow-up in coordination with management and the sales team.
- Conduct market and competitor research where it directly supports customer development, new products, or defined growth opportunities.
- Participate in trade shows, industry events, and customer meetings.
Product Development and Customer Programs - Own the coordination of assigned product-development programs from the initial customer request through sampling, testing, revisions, approval, and commercialization.
- Work closely with design, manufacturing, and quality teams to translate customer requirements into clear internal actions and keep development programs moving forward.
- Maintain clear visibility on program status, testing results, customer feedback, approvals, next steps, and outstanding responsibilities.
Marketing and Presentation Support - Prepare customer-specific product presentations, sample materials and marketing materials that support existing account development and new product launches.
- Work with the design team to integrate MW Canada’s digital design and visualization tools into customer presentations, product concepts, and sales activities.
- Develop awareness of colour, pattern, texture, and design trends relevant to customers and target markets.
Technical and Manufacturing Knowledge - Develop strong working knowledge of MW Canada’s existing products and manufacturing processes, including yarn processing, weaving, dyeing, finishing, and related operations.
- Spend structured time with manufacturing, design, quality, and experienced sales personnel to understand how products are developed, produced, evaluated, and sold.
- Learn the sales history, product mix, specifications, and key contacts for assigned accounts, while developing the technical knowledge needed to evaluate customer requirements and discuss product feasibility.
Organization and Follow Through - Maintain highly organized records of customer accounts, opportunities, development programs, commitments, and outstanding actions.
- Proactively monitor deadlines and follow up with customers and internal teams so commitments are completed without requiring repeated escalation from management.
- Manage multiple customer programs and priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
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Health and Safety |
- Follow all company safety policies, procedures, and Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) guidelines.
- Wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when entering production areas (e.g., safety shoes, eye protection, hearing protection).
- Report all workplace hazards, injuries, or near-misses immediately to management.
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General Requirements |
- Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail and follow-through; able to reliably manage many concurrent customer and development activities.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact professionally with customers and colleagues.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrates curiosity, initiative, and willingness to learn.
- Ability to work independently and collaborate across departments.
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Physical Demands |
- Office/Administrative: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Plant/Production: Walking, standing, and moving through manufacturing areas for product follow-ups and customer tours.
- Handling: Occasional lifting and carrying of samples, fabric swatches, or presentation display boards (up to 20–25 lbs).
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Environment |
- Primarily based at MW Canada’s manufacturing facility in Cambridge, Ontario.
- Work is performed in office, design, and production areas.
- Exposure to manufacturing environments, including intermittent high noise levels, airborne fibers/dust, moving machinery, and climate variations in production areas.
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Hours of Work |
- Full-time, Monday to Friday, primarily on-site at MW Canada’s Cambridge facility.
- Standard eight-hour workday, with flexibility in regular start and end times based on employee and business needs (for example, 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., or 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.).
- Some flexibility outside regular hours may occasionally be required for customer meetings, travel, trade shows, industry events, or operational needs.
- As the employee develops sufficient knowledge of the business, customers, and internal processes, the position may transition to greater flexibility in working hours and occasional work-from-home arrangements.
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Minimum Qualifications |
Education - College diploma or university degree in business, marketing, textiles, design, engineering, or a related discipline is preferred.
- A combination of relevant education, experience, and demonstrated ability will also be considered.
Experience - Approximately 2–5 years of professional experience in a customer-facing, commercial, manufacturing, product-development, design, or related role is preferred.
- Experience in textiles, manufacturing, technical sales, B2B account management, or product development is considered an asset but is not required.
- Candidates should demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple customer requests, development programs, and follow-up items simultaneously.
- Experience coordinating projects or working across multiple internal departments is considered an asset.
Computer Skills - Strong Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and general computer skills.
- Ability to learn and use new digital tools and technology.
Travel - Ability and willingness to travel approximately 3–6 times per year, primarily within North America, with occasional international travel.
Assets - Previous experience in textiles, manufacturing, design, technical sales or B2B sales.
- Interest in design, colour and product development.
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