Business Development Specialist - Cloud Partnerships & Outreach

This position has an end date of August 1, 2027. This is a casual, full-time position, with the possibility of extension based on revenue generation.

Location - This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

The Business Developer is a high-energy, results-driven growth role designed to drive candidate engagement and expansion across three major initiatives: two distinct, industry-first compute initiatives (ISAIC and CAICV) and the Fast-Paced Innovation Program for tech business and partnership creation. Positioned at the intersection of client engagement, outreach, partnership and business development, this mid-level role expands our market focus into data-regulated industries, including defense, dual-use, health, finance, and oil and gas, as well as partnership development around data centers, GPUs, accelerators, and advanced IT infrastructure.

Operating as a bridge between technical solutions and enterprise business problems, the Business Developer builds one-on-one relationships with companies, founders, research-informed ventures, and ecosystem partners. The ideal candidate translates complex AI workloads, cloud/on-premise compute environments, and data governance concepts into clear commercial value while navigating general compliance expectations for enterprise clients. Supported by structured manager guidance on high-risk strategic decisions and internal subject-matter experts for specialized technical engagements, this position drives measurable impact by managing a qualified intake funnel, increasing capacity utilization, and growing adoption and revenue. 

• Business Development & Lead Conversion (35%): Execute full-cycle lead generation and pipeline management for ISAIC, CAICV, and the Fast-Paced Innovation Program; conduct discovery with target clients, especially in data-regulated sectors like defense, health, finance, and oil and gas, to align needs with program pathways, manage CRM updates, and hit specific targets: achieve 3% MoM active resource growth in Year 1, maintain full capacity utilization in Years 2–3, onboard 250+ total customers over 3 years, and maintain an intake funnel sufficient to onboard 28 companies every 6 months.
• Strategic Partnerships & Market Expansion (25%): Identify and support key partnerships with accelerators, incubators, industry associations, post-secondary institutions, and enterprise clients; represent the initiatives at sector events to drive referrals, co-marketing, and brand visibility, while gathering market intelligence to support growth strategies.
• Technical & Market Engagement (20%): Serve as a client-facing bridge between business challenges and technical solutions by confidently communicating advanced compute concepts (GPUs, cloud/on-prem, AI workloads, data centers, and data governance); evaluate prospect readiness for infrastructure access, while escalating complex technical, legal, or high-risk matters to internal subject-matter experts.
• Outreach & Targeted Communications (10%): Assist in developing, reviewing, and refining market-facing collateral, pitch decks, digital content, and outreach campaigns tailored to technical and executive audiences; support event planning and targeted campaigns to build pipeline interest.
• Reporting & Operational Alignment (10%): Track and report key funnel metrics, conversion data, and account forecasts to leadership; document sales playbooks and engagement workflows, while collaborating cross-functionally with technical, legal, and program teams to align market demand with operations.

• Education: Undergraduate degree in Business, Commerce, Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Experience: 3 to 5 years of business development, partnership development, or account management experience within technology-focused organizations (e.g., SaaS, cloud, AI, data infrastructure, or cybersecurity).
• Technical Fluency: Ability to confidently discuss advanced compute infrastructure (GPUs, data centers, cloud/on-prem environments, AI workloads, data governance) and translate complex technical capabilities into business value.
• Sales & Funnel Execution: Proven ability to manage a full-cycle business development pipeline, from prospecting and discovery to pitch development and deal closing, using CRMs (e.g., Zoho, Odoo) to track activity and forecasting.
• Communication & Judgment: Strong stakeholder management skills across both technical and executive audiences, with sound commercial judgment to identify high-risk, legal, or procurement issues that require manager escalation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Data-Regulated Industry Experience: Direct experience working in or selling into highly regulated, compliance-oriented sectors (e.g., defense, dual-use, health, finance, oil and gas, or enterprise security).
• Regulatory & Compliance Familiarity: Comfortable navigating discussions around data privacy, governance, and security framework requirements during discovery and enterprise onboarding.
• Agile Growth Mindset: A proactive, self-starting approach with the capacity to rapidly learn emerging AI and cloud concepts and turn technical/regulatory complexity into market opportunities.

Application Instructions

Click “Apply Now” and submit the following documents:

• Resume
• Industry Reference Network
• Cover Letter
  • In your cover letter, please briefly address the following three areas to help us evaluate your fit for the role:
    1. Technical & Business Translation: Describe your experience translating complex IT, AI, or advanced compute concepts (e.g., cloud environments, GPUs, data governance) into clear commercial value for executive and non-technical decision-makers.
    2. Pipeline & Target Execution: Highlight a specific example where you managed a full-cycle business development pipeline to achieve measurable growth metrics or cohort intake targets.
    3. Regulated Industry Context: Briefly detail any experience you have selling into or partnering with organizations in data-regulated sectors (such as defense, health, finance, or oil and gas).
• Access, Community, and Belonging Philosophy
  • Please submit a brief (1-page maximum) statement outlining your approach to Access, Community, and Belonging in the context of technology adoption and business development. Specifically, address the following points:
    1. Democratizing Technical Access: How do you approach lower barriers to entry for early-stage founders, underrepresented entrepreneurs, or non-traditional research teams seeking advanced compute and AI resources?
    2. Inclusive Ecosystem Building: Share an example of how you have engaged diverse stakeholders, community partners, or regional business networks to foster an inclusive pipeline and build a sense of community within a tech program or ecosystem.
    3. Values in Action: How do you ensure that principles of fairness, access, and respect are embedded in your day-to-day client engagement, partnership development, and intake processes?

This position is subject to all applicable terms and conditions of the collective agreement between the Governors of the University of Alberta and the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).