Job Description / Duties

We are looking for an experienced candidate to join our Business Development team in Ottawa to deliver on our mandate of creating trade opportunities for Canadian exporters and investors. In the role of the Global Trade Director you will leverage your business development skills and personal industry expertise and knowledge of Canadian capabilities and global supply chains to generate and nurture new export business opportunities for Canadian exporters and investors. You will lead a virtual team to establish relationships with leading foreign retail buyers in selected markets, assess their procurement needs and introduce Canadian companies with relevant value propositions. The successful candidate will have deep understanding of sector trends, international procurement practices and of Canadian capabilities in the Retail Food and/or Non-Food industries. You will apply that knowledge and your business developments capabilities to help Canadian companies “Go, Grow, and Succeed” in the international arena.

If you have the relevant experience in Retail Food and/or Non-Food industries and the idea of having direct impact on the success of Canadian exporters appeals to you then join our team.

Responsibilities

Develop strategies and relationships to expand sales opportunities for Canadian exporters in foreign markets with targeted large/top tier foreign buyers and prospects by developing a deep understanding of their procurement needs and process and matching them with Canadian capabilities;
Contribute to the development of foreign buyer account plans and lead trade creation strategies;
Maintain and expand EDC’s relationship network with large foreign buyers focusing on senior procurement influencers and decision makers;
Lead in all elements of creating trade opportunities including foreign buyer introductions to Canadian exporters, supply chain assessment of foreign buyers, matchmaking, etc.;
Provide deep expertise on the value proposition, technical capabilities and competiveness of Canadian companies;
Represent the voice of the foreign clients or prospects with regards to procurement opportunities;
Establish and lead an internal and external virtual team including sector associations and government partners;
Work with various EDC teams to keep current on emerging Canadian brands, products and capabilities and gather market intelligence in specified sector(s) of expertise;
Leverage the trade creation activity to create opportunities for EDC to support and facilitate the underlying export trade with our financing and risk mitigation services.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Screening Criteria

Undergraduate or graduate degree (or equivalent professional designation) in relevant discipline
Minimum 10 years of combined international business development and in-depth familiarity in managing suppliers and customer relationships
Advanced knowledge of best practices in retail procurement strategies, brand management activities
10 years of experience in supply chain management
Partnering with key sales and integrated supply chain contacts to ensure appropriate product/brand compatibility
Proven ability to work effectively in a matrix organization and lead virtual teams
Willingness to travel internationally

Skills & Knowledge

Strong communication skills (written, verbal, presentation)
Negotiation skills (external and/or internal)
Deep sector knowledge
Strong business development experience (preferably international)
Strong relationship management and networking skills

Assets

Bilingual in both official languages (French and English)
Spanish
Current knowledge of major trends in retail industry, including both merchandise and retail operations elements
Location

While preference will be given to candidates in Ottawa, strong candidates in Montreal and Toronto will also be considered.

How to apply

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Application deadline: June 15, 2018, 11:59 p.m. EST to Joanna Repple at jrepple@edc.ca

EDC is committed to employment equity and actively encourages applications from women, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities and visible minorities. If selected for an interview, please advise us if you require special accommodation.


Candidates must meet the requisite government security screening requirements.

Salary: $102,000 - $154,000 + performance-based incentive

Contact Information

Joanna Repple
jrepple@edc.ca

Employer Profile

EDC is Canada's export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC's knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 9,000 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining, and is a recognized leader in financial reporting and economic analysis.