The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is the largest non-profit professional arts organization in Canada with a membership of more than 4,000 emerging and established industry professionals. Founded in 1979, the Canadian Academy is dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and advocating for Canadian talent in the film, television, and digital media sectors while remaining committed to nurturing all levels of talent through professional training, networking opportunities, and guidance.

In everything we do, we seek to foster a culture of work that is creative and entrepreneurial but also grounded in a respect for processes and professionalism that ensures the integrity of our membership organization. As a growing organization, we are looking for team members who will bring enthusiasm and a growth mindset to their positions.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television is seeking an experienced Senior Director of Business Development to play a pivotal role in expanding the Academy’s reach, fostering extensive corporate and government partnerships and enhancing its brand presence.

As a key member of the Leadership Team, reporting directly to the CEO, you will play a critical role in shaping and executing the Academy’s business development strategy. This includes cultivating robust corporate partnerships, securing essential government funding through grant applications, overseeing membership recruitment, and identifying new opportunities for individual donor contributions. As the ideal candidate, you will bring extensive experience in the media and entertainment industry, coupled with a proven track record of leading and mentoring a high-performance business development team. You will be known for fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Planning

Develop and implement comprehensive business development and partner marketing strategies to support the Academy’s mission and growth objectives.
Lead the creation and execution of plans to boost partnership and membership opportunities.

Partnerships & Government Relations

Identify, cultivate, and solidify partnerships with corporate sponsors, government entities, and other stakeholders.
Lead efforts to secure government funding by identifying relevant grants, writing compelling applications, and ensuring compliance with all requirements. Maintain strong relationships with government agencies to advocate for the Academy’s needs.
Negotiate contracts and agreements to maximize benefits for the Academy.
Foster and maintain strong relationships with existing partners to ensure long-term collaboration and support.
Maintain awareness of the Academy’s brand through the creation and execution of targeted partner marketing campaigns.
Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications team to ensure brand/partnership integrations are negotiated in a mutually beneficial manner.

Membership Recruitment & Donor Engagement

Guide strategies to recruit new members, retain existing ones and identify opportunities for individual donor contributions.
Analyze membership trends and feedback to continuously improve member value and satisfaction.
Oversee design and implementation of membership campaigns, programs, and events.
Collaborate on the creation and execution of targeted membership marketing campaigns that enhance the Academy’s brand visibility and support member engagement.

Team Leadership

Lead and mentor a high-performance business development team while closely working alongside teams across the organization.
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and excellence.
Collaborate with internal and external teams to create compelling sponsor-driven marketing content and materials.

Financial Oversight

Develop and administer budgets & forecasts for business development, sponsor and fundraising activities, ensuring optimal allocation of resources to achieve objectives.
Work with the Finance team in monitoring financial performance and providing regular reports on metrics, ROI and KPI’s.
Drive revenue generation through both traditional and innovative approaches, including new business opportunities and optimizing existing revenue streams.

Event Coordination

Oversee event integrations in support of various partners during Canadian Screen Week and membership engagement activities throughout the year.
Organize high-profile fundraising events, ensuring seamless experiences for guests and fostering strong relationships to support the Academy’s mission.

Market Research

Conduct research to identify new market opportunities and trends within the media and entertainment industry, providing insights that drive informed decision-making.

Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television jobs

Senior Director of Business Development