Business Development Manager – Offsets, Industrial Participation, Industrial Cooperation, and Local Content

The application window is expected to close on: 10/11/2026.

Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Most Preferred Additional: Toronto, Canada

What You'll Do

- Lead the identification, development, negotiation, and execution of offset, industrial participation (IP), industrial cooperation (IC), localization, and local content strategies supporting business growth and contract competitiveness.
- Co-create compliant and competitive Industrial Participation and ITB Value Proposition plans by teaming up with Sales, Government Affairs, Legal, and Finance to ensure all goals are met.
- Partner with government offset authorities (ISED, PSPC, DND) to navigate project eligibility, credit multiplier agreements, and annual fulfillment milestones together.
- Coordinate the end-to-end offset lifecycle, bringing together stakeholders for project identification, investment qualification, credit banking, audit validation, and statutory reporting.
- Facilitate the integration of Canadian technology SMEs, Indigenous businesses, and university research hubs into a shared Cisco supply chain and delivery ecosystem.
- Participate in Cisco Canada’s Country Digitization Acceleration steerco investments and NetAcad workforce training programs with cross-functional partners to collectively generate verified offset credits.
- Establish and maintain auditable standards for industrial transactions, ensuring all teams remain aligned on compliance and revenue recognition best practices.
- Champion the development and execution of offset, industrial participation, and local content obligations,



working alongside business units to ensure commitments are measurable and transparent.
- Jointly monitor policy changes to collectively assess and mitigate impacts on ongoing and future programs.
- Foster cooperative partnerships with local industry, SMEs, academia, innovation hubs, training organizations, and strategic investors to grow capability through shared technology transfer, skills development, and joint ventures.
- Co-create pathways for sustainable in-country industrial growth by aligning Cisco’s resources with local partner objectives.
- Cultivate a collaborative environment and provide mentorship to cross-functional teams involved in offset and industrial participation initiatives.
- Drive process improvements, governance frameworks, and operational efficiencies to streamline how we work together.
- Design, Co-design and influence tools, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms to ensure leadership has shared visibility into our collective progress and KPIs.
- Partner across the business to deliver training and awareness initiatives regarding offset and localization requirements.

Who You Are

- A strategic business development leader with strong government and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experienced negotiator with deep knowledge of global offset and localization policies.
- Financially and commercially savvy,



with strong program and project management capabilities.
- Skilled in cross-functional leadership, risk management, and governance.
- An effective communicator and presenter, comfortable operating in complex international environments.
- Passionate about building sustainable local industrial ecosystems and fostering partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
- Able to lead teams through change, driving operational rigor and accountability.

Minimum Qualifications

- Proven experience leading strategic business development and government engagement initiatives.
- Demonstrated expertise in negotiation and influencing within government and industrial participation contexts.
- Strong knowledge of global offset and localization policies and compliance requirements.
- Experience managing financial governance, audit processes, and offset lifecycle management.
- Ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver measurable business and compliance outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience in aerospace & defense, security & cybersecurity, ICT & telecommunications, energy & infrastructure, transportation & rail, advanced manufacturing, or government procurement sectors.
- Track record of successful partnership development with local industry, SMEs, academia, and innovation hubs.
- Familiarity with Country Digitization Acceleration and workforce training programs such as NetAcad.
- Proven ability to develop operational tools, dashboards, and KPIs for leadership visibility and governance.
- Experience driving sustainable industrial growth initiatives aligned with national economic development priorities.

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how da

📌 Business Development Manager (Ottawa)
🏢 020 Cisco Systems
📍 Ottawa