Job Summary / Purpose:
The Director of Business Development and Membership Services provides strategic leadership for organization-wide business growth, funding acquisition, revenue diversification and long-term financial sustainability. The primary mandate is to identify, pursue and secure new business and funding opportunities that advance OSCIA’s strategic priorities and support operations, programs, research, member services and other organizational initiatives.
The Director leads the development of competitive funding proposals, grant applications, partnership submissions, sponsorship opportunities and business cases, coordinating expertise across departments to deliver compelling, financially sound proposals. The role cultivates relationships with government funders, industry partners and other stakeholders and is accountable for maintaining a proactive pipeline of opportunities and reporting measurable results.
The Director oversees member services and organization-wide communications and events, ensuring consistent engagement, member value, brand integrity and stakeholder confidence. The Director leads a multidisciplinary team and works collaboratively with the General Manager and fellow Directors.
Primary Accountability: Business Development and Funding Acquisition
- Develop, implement and regularly update an organization-wide business development and revenue diversification strategy aligned with OSCIA’s strategic plan and financial priorities.
- Proactively identify, qualify and pursue government funding, competitive grants, contribution agreements, service delivery contracts, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and other mission-aligned revenue opportunities.
- Lead and personally contribute to the writing, coordination, editing and submission of high-quality proposals, expressions of interest, funding applications, requests for proposals and business cases across all OSCIA departments.
- Work with program, research, finance, and information technology leaders to develop proposal scope, deliverables, implementation plans, budgets, timelines, performance measures and credible organizational capacity statements.
- Maintain a centralized funding opportunity pipeline, proposal calendar and submission process; establish clear ownership, review milestones, approval requirements and follow-up responsibilities.
- Build and sustain strategic relationships with funders, government agencies, agricultural organizations, industry partners and prospective clients to position OSCIA as a credible, cost-effective delivery partner.
- Assess opportunity feasibility, full-cost recovery, operational capacity, risk and alignment with OSCIA’s mandate before recommending pursuit or commitment.
- Coordinate funder presentations, due diligence, proposal clarifications and negotiations, and support effective handovers to departments responsible for delivery after funding is secured.
- Monitor proposal success rates, funding awarded, prospective revenue, pipeline value, renewal opportunities and progress against approved business development targets; report regularly to senior leadership and the Board.
- Identify opportunities to renew, expand or diversify existing funding relationships while reducing overreliance on individual funding sources.
Strategic Partnerships and External Relations
- Lead relationship development and strategic engagement with government, agricultural organizations, industry and prospective funding partners.
- Represent OSCIA professionally at consultations, industry forums, stakeholder meetings and business development discussions.
- Identify collaborative initiatives that extend OSCIA’s reach, strengthen its value proposition and generate sustainable organizational benefit.
Member Services and Engagement
- Provide strategic oversight of membership growth, retention, service quality and member experience.
- Support local and regional associations and ensure member feedback informs service improvements and organizational priorities.
- Oversee the development and evaluation of member benefits, engagement initiatives and sustainable membership growth plans.
- Ensure member inquiries and concerns are addressed effectively through established team processes.
Organization-Wide Communications and Events
- Oversee an integrated communications strategy, brand standards and consistent internal and external messaging across OSCIA.
- Provide leadership for websites, newsletters, digital communications, media relations and stakeholder updates, with appropriate approval of public statements.
- Oversee organizational events, conferences, member meetings and partnership activities, emphasizing quality, efficiency and measurable impact.
- Ensuring communications and events support business development, funder confidence, member engagement and strategic priorities.
Leadership, Planning and Accountability
- Lead, coach and evaluate staff responsible for business development, member services, communications and events; foster collaboration and professional growth.
- Set annual objectives and key performance indicators with particular emphasis on proposal activity, funding secured, revenue diversification and partnership development.
- Work across departments to ensure coordinated priorities, responsible resource allocation, operational continuity and effective knowledge transfer.
- Identify and manage financial, contractual, reputational, operational and compliance risks within the Director’s scope of responsibility.
- Ensure all funding submissions, external commitments and communications follow OSCIA policies, approval authorities and applicable funder requirements.
Qualifications & Skills:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Business, Business Development, Publics Relations, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
Professional credentials – Considered an asset, accreditation from professional associations that verify specialized knowledge in agricultural leadership competence. Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP or Nuffield)
Years of Experience: Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in business development, communications, membership management, or related functions, including at least 8 years in a senior management or director-level role.
Required Experience and Capabilities
- Demonstrated success preparing persuasive, competitive proposals and grant applications and securing substantial funding, contracts, sponsorships or partnership revenue.
- Proven ability to build and manage an organization-wide business development pipeline, prioritize opportunities and deliver measurable revenue outcomes.
- Strong proposal-writing, persuasive communication, negotiation and relationship-management skills, including experience with government and institutional funders.
- Ability to develop and critically assess budgets, cost-recovery assumptions, financial forecasts, business cases and contractual obligations in collaboration with Finance.
- Experience coordinating complex cross-functional submissions, managing deadlines and aligning multiple contributors around a unified proposal.
- Knowledge of Ontario agriculture, government-funded programming and agricultural stakeholder networks is strongly preferred.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and overseeing membership engagement, organizational communications and events.
- Excellent analytical, strategic planning, project management and reporting skills; proficiency with Microsoft 365 and relevant data tools.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality and represent OSCIA professionally.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):
Knowledge:
- In-depth understanding of Ontario’s agricultural sector including government priorities, agricultural policy frameworks, rural economic development, environmental stewardship, and sustainability practices.
- Comprehensive knowledge of business development strategies, revenue diversification, funding acquisition, and partnership development within the agricultural and not-for-profit sectors.
- Strong understanding of government funding programs, competitive proposal processes, grant applications, contribution agreements, and funding requirements.
- Knowledge of business planning, financial sustainability, revenue forecasting, and the development of business cases to support organizational growth.
- Understanding of government, industry, and private-sector funding opportunities, including the identification and cultivation of prospective funding partners.
- Knowledge of stakeholder relationship management, strategic partnerships, and approaches to securing long-term organizational funding.
- Working knowledge of membership engagement, retention, and growth strategies that support organizational objectives.
- Understanding of strategic communications, brand management, and stakeholder engagement to support business development and organizational visibility.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, and data analytics tools to support business development, proposal preparation, and performance reporting.
Skills:
- Exceptional proposal writing and grant development skills, with demonstrated success preparing compelling, competitive funding submissions, business cases, and partnership proposals that secure financial support.
- Strong business development and strategic planning skills, including identifying, evaluating, and pursuing new funding opportunities, revenue streams, and organizational partnerships.
- Proven ability to cultivate, negotiate, and maintain productive relationships with government representatives, funding agencies, industry partners, sponsors, and other key stakeholders.
- Strong financial acumen, including interpreting budgets, developing proposal budgets in collaboration with Finance, assessing financial viability, and evaluating potential revenue opportunities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate OSCIA’s value proposition, organizational capabilities, and funding requirements to diverse audiences.
- Strong research and analytical skills to identify emerging funding opportunities, assess market trends, evaluate business opportunities, and develop evidence-based recommendations.
- Excellent negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills to secure partnerships, funding agreements, and business development opportunities.
- Proven leadership, coaching, and team management skills, fostering collaboration, accountability, and high performance across departmental and organizational teams.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple funding proposals, manage competing priorities, and meet critical submission deadlines.
- Ability to develop and monitor key performance indicators related to funding acquisition, revenue generation, partnership development, membership growth, and organizational sustainability.
Abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to proactively identify, pursue, and secure funding opportunities that support the financial sustainability and strategic priorities of the entire organization.
- Proven ability to lead the development of comprehensive, competitive funding proposals, coordinating input from multiple departments to present a compelling organizational business case.
- Demonstrated capacity to develop and implement business development strategies that generate measurable revenue, diversify funding sources, and strengthen long-term organizational sustainability.
- Ability to identify opportunities for new partnerships, service delivery agreements, sponsorships, and other revenue-generating initiatives aligned with OSCIA’s mandate.
- Ability to work collaboratively with the General Manager, Finance, and departmental Directors to identify organizational funding needs, develop proposals, and advance strategic business opportunities.
- Proven ability to translate organizational priorities into actionable business development initiatives, with clearly defined objectives, financial considerations, and measurable outcomes.
- Ability to represent OSCIA professionally and credibly with government, industry stakeholders, funding partners, and agricultural organizations.
- Demonstrated ability to provide strategic oversight of member services and organizational communications while maintaining a primary focus on business development and funding acquisition.
- Proven ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take initiative in identifying and advancing opportunities without requiring ongoing direction.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex priorities, maintain accuracy, and consistently deliver high-quality work within demanding timelines.
- Strong leadership and decision-making abilities, with a collaborative, adaptable, and solutions-oriented approach to organizational challenges.
Behavior Competencies:
- Adaptability: Demonstrate a willingness to be flexible, versatile, and dynamic in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.
- Ethical behaviour: Ensure personal behaviours align with the Association's core values and code of conduct.
- Relationship development: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, internally and externally.
- Effective communication: Speak, listen, and write in a precise, clear, and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools.
- Client focus: Anticipate clients' needs and respond in an appropriate and timely manner, seeking to provide the highest quality service.
- Teamwork development: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve challenges, and make decisions that enhance cross-functional cooperation.
- Initiative: Ability to assess and initiate tasks independently.
- Decision-making: Assess role-based situations to determine the importance, risks, and make clear decisions in a timely manner.
- Time management and organization: Set priorities, develop a task schedule, monitor progress towards deadlines.
- Problem-solving: View problems as learning opportunities, focus on improving future results.
- Cultural Competence: Value diversity and inclusivity, demonstrating an ability to work effectively with trust across various departments.
- Foster Sustainability: Ensuring the work we do improves the viability and sustainability of rural Ontario and Ontario agriculture.
- Continuous Learning: Participates in an environment of professional development and personal growth.
Working Conditions / Physical Demands:
- Hybrid work model combining remote and in-office work, with the position based in Guelph, ON.
- Home office settings require a dependable, high-speed internet connection to ensure effective participation in virtual meetings and online collaboration.
- May require occasional work outside of standard business hours (e.g., early mornings, evenings, or weekends) to attend meetings, events, or respond to organizational needs.
- Requires regular use of a computer; prolonged sitting, typing, and screen time required.
- May involve occasional lifting of light materials (e.g., files, laptop – up to 10 lbs).
- Must be adaptable to a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and time-sensitive deadlines.
- Must hold and maintain a valid driver’s licence and have access to reliable transportation for occasional travel to meetings, stakeholder events, and organizational sites.
- Must maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality when handling sensitive or organizational information.
