Director, Business Development & Member Engagement

Business Development & Membership | Downtown Toronto, Ontario

Make a difference with Life Sciences Ontario (LSO) | www.lifesciencesontario.ca

Who we are and what we do

Life Sciences Ontario is a member-driven organization that represents and promotes the province's vibrant and diverse life sciences sector. LSO collaborates with governments, academia, industry, and other life sciences organizations in Ontario and across Canada to promote and encourage commercial success throughout the sector. Membership in Life Sciences Ontario includes global life sciences organizations, emerging companies, investors, service providers, academic institutions, regional governments, individuals, and students. We thrive on the challenge of bringing our best, progressive thinking to keep our association growing and to help Ontario's life sciences ecosystem prosper. We are passionate about the quality of our work, the people and organizations with which we partner, the outcomes we achieve, and the opportunity to shape the future.

The role

Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the Director, Business Development & Member Engagement will lead the growth of LSO's membership, sponsorship and strategic partnership portfolio. This role combines strategic business development with executive relationship management to deliver sustainable revenue growth and exceptional member value. The successful candidate will be a visible ambassador for LSO, developing trusted relationships with CEOs, founders, executives, investors, government leaders, researchers and ecosystem partners across Ontario. Success will be measured not only by revenue growth, but by the strength of long-term relationships that advance both LSO and Ontario's life sciences sector.

What you’ll do

Business Development & Revenue Growth

• Own and execute LSO’s annual and multi-year business development plan aligned with LSO's strategic priorities and financial objectives.
• Build and manage a qualified pipeline of prospective members, sponsors, partners, and other aligned revenue opportunities.
• Lead the full business development cycle, including prospecting, needs discovery, proposal development, negotiation, closing, onboarding, and renewal.
• Identify and assess new markets, earned-revenue opportunities, and strategic collaborations that align with LSO's mandate and values.

Strategic Relationship Management

• Strengthen LSO's value proposition for current and prospective members across the life sciences ecosystem.
• Expand membership across life sciences subsectors and regions of Ontario, with particular attention to organizations and communities beyond the Greater Toronto Area.
• Develop and implement member acquisition, onboarding, engagement, renewal, and re-engagement strategies in collaboration with the LSO team.
• Maintain a regular cadence of member outreach and relationship reviews to understand priorities, demonstrate value, identify opportunities, and address emerging concerns.
• Use member feedback and engagement data to recommend improvements to programs, services, communications, and the overall member experience.
• Maintain a strong LinkedIn presence to highlight member news, announcements, and events.

Sponsorships, Partnerships & Proposals

• Design and advance sponsorship and partnership opportunities connected to LSO's events, programs, policy initiatives, thought leadership, and sector-building activities.
• Develop compelling proposals, presentations, partnership frameworks, and other business development materials tailored to senior decision-makers.
• Negotiate agreements and coordinate internal delivery to ensure commitments, benefits, timelines, budgets, and reporting requirements are met.
• Work with the CEO, VP Business Operations and other colleagues to cultivate relationships with government, industry, academia, investors, regional organizations, and peer associations.
• Represent LSO at meetings, conferences, events, and sector forums to strengthen visibility and generate new opportunities.

Market Intelligence & Strategic Insight

• Gather and synthesize intelligence from members, prospects, partners, and the broader market to inform LSO's advocacy, programming, communications, and organizational strategy.
• Monitor sector developments, competitive offerings, funding opportunities, and stakeholder priorities that may affect member value or revenue growth.
• Provide regular forecasts, pipeline reports, risk assessments, and recommendations to the President & CEO and leadership team.
• Contribute a business development and member perspective to organizational planning, new initiatives, and cross-functional decision-making.

Systems, Measurement & Collaboration

• Establish practical KPIs and dashboards for membership growth, retention, sponsorship, partnership development, pipeline conversion, and member engagement.
• Collaborate closely with events, communications, policy, operations, and finance colleagues to ensure a coordinated member and partner experience.

Experience and qualifications

Must-haves

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in business development, sales, membership growth, sponsorship, strategic partnerships, stakeholder engagement, or related field.
• Demonstrated success developing relationships, building pipelines, and achieving revenue, membership, sponsorship, or partnership targets.
• Experience engaging senior executives and decision-makers, with the judgment and confidence to represent an organization externally.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including persuasive proposals, presentations, executive correspondence, and relationship-based conversations.
• Strong planning, negotiation, project management, and follow-through, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and commitments simultaneously.
• Commercial and financial acumen, including forecasting, pricing, value proposition development, contract coordination, and performance measurement.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and productivity tools, with disciplined attention to data quality and reporting.
• A collaborative, self-directed working style suited to a small, dynamic organization where priorities evolve and team members contribute across functions.
• Commitment to IDEA and experience applying inclusive practices to stakeholder engagement and business development.
• A valid driver's license, vehicle and willingness to travel as part of regular duties.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of Ontario's or Canada's life sciences, healthcare innovation, commercialization, economic development, or public policy environment.
• Experience in a member-based association, nonprofit, professional services, economic development, or ecosystem-building organization.
• An established network across industry, academia, government, investment, innovation, or regional economic development communities.
• Experience developing sponsorship programs, funding proposals, or building new revenue streams.
• Post-secondary education in business, science, life sciences, public policy, communications, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

Key success metrics (first 12 months)

• A clear business development and member engagement strategy, pipeline, and reporting cadence are in place and actively used.
• Membership acquisition and retention targets are met or exceeded, with measurable growth across priority subsectors and regions.
• Sponsorship and partnership revenue grows through a stronger portfolio of multi-year and strategically aligned relationships.
• LSO's visibility, influence and strategic partnerships have measurably increased.
• CRM data quality, forecasting accuracy, and cross-functional visibility into member and partner commitments are materially improved.
• Market intelligence from members and partners is regularly translated into actionable insights for LSO's strategy, advocacy, programs, and communications.

What we offer

• Competitive Salary
• Benefits package.
• Hybrid work model with a collaborative downtown Toronto office.
• High-impact role with meaningful visibility across Ontario's life sciences ecosystem.
• A values-driven culture that welcomes new ideas, diverse perspectives, and continuous improvement.
• The opportunity to build relationships and initiatives that support the growth and success of Ontario's life sciences sector.

Role details

• Location: Downtown Toronto, Ontario (hybrid).
• Reports to: President & CEO.
• Travel: Regular travel within Ontario for member, partner, and event-related meetings. Occasional travel beyond Ontario for conferences and other meetings.
• Employment type: Full-time, permanent.
• Working hours: Some flexibility is required to support member engagement, events, and business development activities outside regular office hours.

LSO is committed to building and fostering a workplace that is reflective of our communities, where all members feel included, valued, and heard. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates but acknowledge the systemic and structural barriers that have historically marginalized and barred certain groups from accessing employment opportunities. As part of our commitment to removing barriers to employment, we strongly encourage applications from members of historically marginalized groups, including, but not limited to, Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and women. Accommodations are available upon request in all aspects of the recruitment process.

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