Manager, Business Development

University of British Columbia • Kelowna, BC

1d • CA$7,623 - CA$11,887 • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is an external-facing role responsible for expanding and deepening the network of employers, industry professionals, and alumni to create co-op, internship, project-based, and full-time employment opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students across all faculties except the Faculty of Management.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of six years related experience in an appropriate business specialization, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Nice To Haves

• Masters or Graduate degree.
• Experience in business development, employer relations, sales, recruitment, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in B2B sales, industry engagement, recruitment, or partnership development.
• Comfort with cold calling, outreach, and field-based business development.
• Exceptional interpersonal, presentation, and communication skills.
• Proficiency with MS Office; familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Maximizer, Salesforce and/or 12Twenty) is an asset.
• Strong organizational, project management, and multitasking abilities.
• Availability to support and attend events outside standard working hours, predominately evenings, but also early mornings or weekends.
• Some travel and evening work will be required.
• Valid BC Driver’s License and reliable access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Identifies, cultivates and secures co-op, internship, project-based, and new-graduate employment opportunities by proactively engaging employers across priority sectors relevant to programs across faculties.
• Conducts ongoing market, sector and competitive landscape analyses to assess hiring trends, emerging skill requirements, and shifts in fields that inform employer outreach strategies.
• Provides structured, evidence-based feedback to academic leaders, program directors, and curriculum designers regarding industry expectations, workforce needs, and evolving career pathways.
• Contributes to labour market and employer insights to the Academic and Career Development team to enhance advising practices, career education programming, and employer-relations strategies.
• Builds, strengthens and manages relationships with employers, industry associations, community partners, and professional networks locally, provincially, and nationally to expand recruitment pipelines for UBC Okanagan students.
• Conducts field-based outreach through company visits, sales calls, networking events, trade shows, panels, and conferences to promote programs and identify new partnership opportunities.
• Designs and facilitates employer–student engagement activities through networking events, information sessions, class visits, workplace tours, and online platforms.
• Develops and implements annual business development plans aligned with faculty priorities, labour market demands and key performance indicators.
• Creates and manages employer account plans, deepening engagement with multiple business units to support sustained recruitment, project partnerships, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Partners with faculties to identify, scope, and secure industry participation in experiential classes, applied research collaborations and community engaged learning initiatives.
• Secures employer participation in panels, recruitment events, and experiential education activities opportunities.
• Maintains a high level of expertise in labour market trends, sector specific developments, employer recruitment practices, and talent pipeline strategies to advise both internal and external stakeholders.
• Supports employer introductions and strategic connections for a range of initiatives with faculties (research collaborations, applied learning projects, alumni engagement).
• Oversees the maintenance of accurate CRM records documenting employer interactions, labour market intelligence, and student employment outcomes, ensuring data integrity and usable analytics.
• Tracks, monitors, and reports on business development activities, including expenditures, outreach metrics, employer engagement results, and progress towards performance targets.
• Contributes to the development of marketing materials, communication strategies, and promotional campaigns that position UBC Okanagan as a partner of choice for employers.
• Supervises student workers or co-op students supporting employer outreach, reporting, or event execution.
• Participates in strategic planning processes, program assessments, and outcome evaluations.
• Provides leadership, coaching, and performance management for business development team and student/temporary staff.
• Sets team priorities, allocates workloads, and ensures consistent, high-quality student support.
• Oversees training, onboarding, and ongoing professional development for team members.
• Implements service standards and ensures a consistent student experience across departments within ACD.
• Leads operational planning and resource allocation to support program scaling and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally.
• Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada, UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential.
• New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work.
• Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged.
• We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level