Development Assistant Jobs in Ontario (NOW HIRING)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Digital TechnologyApplied Research Centres require a dedicated business development professionalfocused on identifying, pursuing, and securing applied research partnershipswith industry, government, and not-for-profit clients at local, national, andinternational levels. This role will be responsible for direct engagement withprospective partners, managing the full business development lifecycle, andcultivating strategic relationships to drive sustainable revenue andresearch-funding growth across the three centres. 
Reporting tothe Director of Applied Research and working closely with the broader appliedresearch leadership team, this role will proactively engage with existing andpotential industry partners, funders, and collaborators to build awareness ofthe centres' full range of capabilities - including artificial intelligencedevelopment, adoption, and integration; cybersecurity solutions; and mixedreality and immersive content production.
The position is accountable forstewarding a portfolio of client accounts across the engagement lifecycle -from initial conversation through advisory, custom development, and trainingengagements - ensuring opportunities are nurtured, converted, and grown intosustained, multi-engagement partnerships through strategic relationshipmanagement, pipeline development, and continuous client engagement.
BusinessDevelopment 
Develop and execute an annual business development plan with measurable goals and budget recommendations covering all three Digital Technology Applied Research Centres. 
Build and maintain a revenue generation stream, with annual financial and research-funding targets provided by the Senior Managers of the respective applied research centres. 
Identify, prospect, and establish new client and partner relationships across the AI, cybersecurity, and immersive media sectors to expand market share and conduct sales presentations and discovery meetings with them.
Proactively engage with clients and prospects to ensure they are aware of the full range of services across the AI Hub, CCSI and MRC Studio. 
Maintain and enhance relationships with strategic partners (industry associations, funding agencies, research networks) to explore joint business and research opportunities. 
Manage and analyze the sales pipeline, track opportunities, and maintain visibility on revenue and funding forecasts. 
Manage the sales pipeline using Salesforce CRM (or equivalent CRM platform), maintaining accurate client records, opportunity forecasts, and business development reports.
Analyze pipeline performance, client feedback, and win/loss trends to continuously improve business development strategies.
ProposalDevelopment 
Lead the preparation of proposals, RFP/RFI responses, funding applications, and Statements of Work in collaboration with technical, finance, and project teams. 
Coordinate proposal contributions from researchers, project managers, finance, and external partners to ensure timely, high-quality submissions. 
Maintain a proposal library, including standard language, capability statements, past-performance examples, and budget templates to streamline future submissions. 
Track proposal pipeline, hit rates, and post-award conversion to support continuous improvement of bid strategy. 
StrategicMarket Engagement 
Support marketing and outreach initiatives that generate qualified leads and strengthen the centres' market presence.
Develop business development tools, case studies, and sector-specific materials to support client engagement.
Identify industry events, speaking opportunities, and networking venues where the centres can enhance their market presence.
Organize and lead facility tours, small-scale events and virtual workshops for prospective clients, highlighting key offerings and capabilities of each centre. 
Budgeting 
Prepare and monitor business development budgets, revenue forecasts, and research funding performance.
Analyze market trends and sales performance to support strategic decision-making. 
Leadershipand Strategic Contribution 
Participate in leadership meetings and contribute to strategic planning, business growth initiatives, and Go/No-Go decisions.
Participate in innovative conversations and ideas for growth across emerging technology domains. 
Share wins with the centres and the broader Durham College community. 
Organize customer and partner feedback sessions for management. 
Foster collaboration across the applied research centres by sharing market intelligence, client feedback, and business development successes.