Dilys Group | Athena + Dilys Search Ottawa, ON – in-market across Ontario and Quebec12-month contract, with a clear path to permanent Base: $52,000–$58,000 (annualized) + uncapped commission on gross profit. Realistic first-year earnings for a strong performer: $75,000–$90,000+

Dilys Group is hiring a bilingual Business Development Lead to win new business for two of our companies: Athena, our bilingual frontline staffing division, and Dilys Search, our executive and leadership search practice.

This is a hunting role. You'll find the organizations that need what we do, get in front of the people who decide, and turn those conversations into profitable, recurring revenue. You'll work directly with the CEO on target accounts and larger opportunities, and you'll own your own pipeline day to day.

If your idea of business development is sending emails and "checking in" on existing accounts, this isn't the role. If you like walking into a room where you don't know anyone and walking out with two real opportunities, keep reading.

Why a 12-month contract

We're building this function for the first time and we want to build it right. Our intent is for this role to become permanent. We'll agree on clear milestones with you at the start, review them together at months 6 and 9, and base the permanent decision on those milestones — not on gut feel.

What you'll sell

Athena places temporary and contract workers across Ontario and Quebec in three sectors:

- Hospitality events — servers, bartenders, event staff, brand ambassadors, registration and conference support
- Hospitality operations — cooks, housekeeping, front desk and banquet staff for hotels, restaurants and caterers
- Seniors living — PSWs, PABs, RPNs, RNs, dietary aides, housekeeping and recreation aides for long-term care and retirement homes

Your buyers: hotel and food & beverage managers, event and conference organizers, long-term care and retirement home administrators, Directors of Care.

Dilys Search recruits senior leaders across Canada — CEOs, Executive Directors, Directors of Care, Controllers, HR and Labour Relations leaders and more — with deep roots in seniors living and long-term care. We are a commercial partner of AdvantAge Ontario and OLTCA.

Your buyers: owners, CEOs, boards and senior HR leaders.





These are two different sales conversations — one rapid and operational, one slower and relationship-driven. You'll need to be credible in both. In seniors living, they often happen in the same building.

What you'll do

Win new business

- Build and work a prioritized list of organizations with real staffing or leadership needs.
- Prospect by phone, email, LinkedIn, referral and in person — in English and French.
- Find the decision-makers and influencers, understand their problems, and position Athena or Dilys Search where we can genuinely help.
- Re-open former clients and grow existing ones where there is more business to win.
- Prepare and follow through on proposals, rates and commercial terms, with CEO support on larger deals.

Be in the market

- Visit clients and prospects independently across Ontario and Quebec.
- Represent Dilys Group at industry events, association meetings, trade shows and conferences.
- Follow up quickly after every meeting and event so connections turn into opportunities.

Own your pipeline

At any point, you'll be able to answer for every opportunity: who the client is, what the opportunity is, who decides, what it's worth, what happens next, and what's in the way.

Protect the margin

- Work with operations and recruitment to make sure what you sell can actually be delivered.
- Price to protect gross margin — volume at the wrong rate is not a win.
- Share what you're hearing in the market so we recruit for what clients are actually buying.

What success looks like

- First 90 days: You know our services, markets and pricing. You've built your target account list, you're meeting decision-makers every week, and you have live opportunities for both businesses.
- By month 6: New Athena clients are placing orders, and Dilys Search mandates are signed or in final negotiation.
- By month 12: You've built a client base and pipeline that produce recurring gross profit — and the case for making this role permanent is obvious.





Activity matters, but it isn't the scoreboard. We measure:

Qualified opportunities → New clients → Staffing orders and search mandates → Hours billed and placements → Revenue → Gross margin

What you bring

- Professional fluency in English and French — spoken and written, in business settings.
- A track record of personally winning new B2B clients and revenue — not only managing existing accounts. Be ready to walk us through specific wins.
- Confidence with senior decision-makers, from a hotel GM to a care home owner to a board chair.
- Sound commercial judgement: you know which opportunities are worth chasing and which aren't.
- Disciplined follow-up and pipeline management.
- The drive to act without waiting to be told what to do next.
- A valid driver's licence and a reliable vehicle, with willingness to travel across Ontario and Quebec and occasionally attend events outside regular hours.

An asset, not a requirement: experience in staffing, recruitment, healthcare, seniors' care, hospitality or B2B professional services. We care more about whether you can show us how you create and win business.

Compensation and terms

- Base salary: $52,000–$58,000 annualized, based on experience and demonstrated results.
- Commission: uncapped, paid on the gross profit generated by new business you win. Full plan shared at offer stage.
- Realistic first-year earnings: $75,000–$90,000+ for strong performance.
- Mileage: business travel reimbursed.
- Term: 12-month fixed-term contract, milestone reviews at months 6 and 9, and a path to permanent.

How to apply

Send your resume and a short note — in English or French, your choice — telling us about one client you personally won: how you found them, how you got in, and what the business was worth to [email protected] with the subject:
Business Development Lead Application

Applications that include the note will be reviewed first.

How to Apply
Submit your resume to

Want to know more about Dilys Search? Visit our website or LinkedIn!

W: https://www.dilyssearch.ca/

L: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dilyssearch

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $52,000.00-$58,000.00 per year

Language:

- English (required)
- French (required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ottawa, ON

📌 Business Development Lead – Bilingual (English/French) (Ottawa)
🏢 Dilys Search
📍 Ottawa