EXECUTIVE ADVISOR, HIGH IMPACT FIRMS (DEFENCE SECTOR)

High-Impact Firms Advisory Practice Established more than 10 years ago, the High-Impact Firms advisory practice supports a select group of firms who have the ambition and potential to become sustainable leaders in their industries.

Position Overview BDC is the only bank dedicated exclusively to Canadian entrepreneurs. As Executive Advisor, High Impact Firms (Defence), you act as the senior advisor and primary point of contact for CEOs participating in BDC Advisory Services’ Growth Driver Program (GDP).

You lead complex, multi‑year advisory engagements with high‑potential Canadian SMEs in the defence supply chain, working closely with their executive teams and BDC delivery partners. Your work contributes directly to the growth, resilience, and long‑term success of Canadian businesses, while reflecting BDC’s inclusive, impact‑driven approach where you can be yourself at work.

Challenges to be Met

Serve as the

trusted advisor

to CEOs and their leadership teams, directing GDP mandates end‑to‑end and ensuring measurable impact on growth, profitability, and achieving the client’s objectives.

Manage an active portfolio of

8–12 high‑impact SME clients

at various stages of multi‑year advisory engagements within the Canadian defence sector and supply chain.

Lead and coordinate delivery teams (Executive Advisors, Business Advisors, Directors of Service Delivery, Client Partners, and Defence specialists) to ensure a “one‑voice” client experience.

Act as senior

sales and qualification support

during business development, including identifying GDP opportunities, supporting deal closure, and transitioning clients into delivery.

Become

deeply knowledgeable about each client’s business , strategy, operating model, and leadership challenges to guide decision‑making at CEO and executive team level.

Support CEOs

through strategy definition, execution, implementation follow‑through, and leadership development, including post‑Leadership Retreat coaching.

Help clients secure the required resources to execute their strategy, by helping clients access appropriate advisory, financing, capital resources, and/or external ecosystem resources aligned with their strategic priorities.

Track, assess, and report client performance against objectives over time using BDC CRM and advisory tools.

Maintain strong internal collaboration across BDC Advisory Services, Financing, Capital, and Defence teams, ensuring compliance with rules of engagement.

Represent BDC externally by building credibility and relationships within the defence advisory and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Provide structured feedback from the field to continuously improve advisory solutions, toolkits, and delivery approaches.

What We Are Looking For Required Qualifications

Total experience:

Minimum

20–25 years

of professional experience.

Senior leadership experience:

Minimum

15–20 years

in one or more of the following: • Founder, owner, or

C‑suite executive

in a high‑growth entrepreneurial firm. • Executive leadership role in a

multi‑national organization , with

P&L responsibility

and accountability for strategy execution and growth. •

Partner‑level management consulting

experience advising CEOs, executive teams, and Boards. •

Defence sector experience:

Senior executive experience within a company in the

defence sector

or

defence supply chain . •

Strategic leadership:

Proven experience defining strategy, communicating vision, executing strategic plans, and leading organizations through growth, change, or transformation. •

Experience with strategic pivots:

Comfort and proven experience with strategic pivots as the nature of competition and customer needs rapidly change. •

CEO‑level advisory and executive coaching capability:

Demonstrated ability to build trusted advisory relationships with CEOs and senior executives. •

Business acumen:

Ability to quickly assess complex businesses, identify performance gaps, and translate insights into actionable solutions. •

Cross‑enterprise exposure:

Experience with complex organizations (typically

>$100M in revenue ) involving growth, restructuring, acquisitions, divestitures, fundraising, and talent development. •

Change leadership:

Hands‑on experience leading or advising organizations through change, including operating model shifts, new product introductions, GTM initiatives, or organizational redesign. •

CRM discipline:

Experience using CRM systems to document client engagements, performance metrics, and advisory activities. •

Language:

Bilingual French and English is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

Direct experience with

defence procurement , either from a government/customer perspective or supplier perspective.

Experience navigating

macro‑economic or geopolitical shifts

requiring strategic pivots within the defence sector.

Executive experience launching or scaling

new business units , integrating acquisitions, or entering new markets.

Demonstrated success acting as a

growth catalyst , rallying leadership teams around new strategic priorities.

Prior experience in

executive coaching

or leadership development programs.

Established professional reputation and network within the

Canadian defence ecosystem .

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