Vice President, Global Expansion (FTE)

Vice President, Global Expansion (FTE)

INVEST OTTAWA – Global Expansion

Reporting to the President and CEO, the Vice President, Global Expansion is a key member of Invest Ottawa's Executive Leadership Team, responsible for advancing Ottawa's global competitiveness through foreign direct investment, international trade, business retention and expansion, and international talent attraction.

The VP provides strategic leadership to a high-performing, world-class business development team, leveraging deep knowledge of the commercial and economic development ecosystem to position Canada’s Capital Region as a premier destination for investment, innovation and business growth. Through influential partnerships with business and government leaders locally, provincially, nationally and internationally, the VP drives measurable economic impact through investment attraction, business expansion, job creation and the development of globally competitive Canadian anchor companies.

Sectors and markets

• Priority sectors: Defence, Security & Aerospace, Telecommunications, Next-Generation Networks, Semiconductors & Photonics, Software / AI
• Other Traditional Sectors: Cleantech, Life Sciences and Digital Media
• Geographies: Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.
• Priority markets: USA, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, Germany, France and the Nordics.
  

Key responsibilities

Leadership and strategy

• As a member of Invest Ottawa's Executive Leadership Team (ELT), contribute to organizational strategy and lead the development and execution of Global Expansion strategies and annual operating plans aligned with Invest Ottawa's Strategic Plan, vision, mission and values
• Drive measurable outcomes in foreign direct investment, business growth, job creation and international expansion, establishing clear performance targets and strategies to identify, advance and secure investment opportunities.
• Collaborate with executive colleagues and teams across Invest Ottawa to advance shared priorities, deliver integrated services and maximize collective economic impact.
• Provide strategic oversight of the Global Expansion budget, resources and performance, ensuring sound financial stewardship, effective execution, transparent reporting and continuous improvement.
• Anticipate emerging global trends, market dynamics and investment opportunities, leveraging insights and collaborating with Marketing and Communications to inform strategic priorities, strengthen Ottawa's competitive positioning and engage international networks.

People leadership and management

• Build, inspire, develop and lead a high-performing, inclusive and accountable Global Expansion team, fostering leadership capacity, talent development and succession planning.
• Establish clear priorities, performance expectations and resource allocation aligned with organizational strategy and economic impact objectives.
• Champion a collaborative, values-driven culture that strengthens cross-functional effectiveness and organizational performance.
  

Foreign direct investment

• Lead Invest Ottawa's foreign direct investment strategy, overseeing international prospecting, strategic account development, investor engagement and the conversion of opportunities into new investments, business expansions and high-value jobs.
• Collaborate with municipal, provincial, federal and regional partners to coordinate investment attraction efforts, deliver seamless investor experience and maximize collective economic impact.
• Lead incoming investor visits through the FDI program, responding to inbound international delegations and investor interest to convert them into investment in Ottawa
• Champion Canada's Capital Region as a premier destination for investment, innovation, business growth and talent, leveraging its competitive strengths to attract international companies and investment.
  

Trade

• Lead the design of Invest Ottawa’s international export program and strategy, overseeing the team, client engagement, account management and conversion of trade activities into commercial export success.
• Lead proactive outgoing trade missions, through Invest Ottawa’s trade program identifying target markets and partners to open new markets and accelerate the international growth of Ottawa-based companies.
  

Business retention and expansion

• Lead strategies to strengthen the retention, growth and expansion of businesses across Canada's Capital Region, working closely with industry leaders to identify opportunities, address barriers to growth and drive investment, job creation and long-term economic prosperity.
• Cultivate strategic alliances and business-to-business partnerships locally, nationally and internationally to unlock new opportunities, strengthen industry competitiveness and accelerate business expansion across priority sectors and markets.

Global talent attraction

• Lead the Global Talent Attraction team in developing and executing targeted international strategies and initiatives to attract highly skilled talent aligned with the current and emerging needs of Ottawa's priority industries.
• Cultivate strategies and strategic partnerships with industry, government and international stakeholders to strengthen talent pipelines, facilitate the attraction and relocation of specialized talent, and enhance Canada's Capital Region's global competitiveness.

Stakeholder relations

• Cultivate and strengthen influential relationships with senior business, government and economic development leaders, strategic partners and key stakeholders locally, nationally and internationally to advance Invest Ottawa's Global Expansion mandate.
• Engage senior municipal, provincial and federal officials, including elected representatives, to align economic development priorities, advance strategic initiatives and leverage programs, partnerships and funding opportunities.
• Build and sustain strategic relationships with embassies, consulates, international trade and investment organizations, and global partners to accelerate investment attraction, international trade and business expansion opportunities.
• Serve as a senior representative and ambassador for Invest Ottawa, championing Canada's Capital Region on national and international platforms while maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with the Global Expansion Management Committee and supporting engagement with Invest Ottawa's Board of Directors.

Cross-team collaboration: scaling Canadian anchor companies

• Partner with Venture Development to provide a seamless continuum of support for high-potential Canadian companies, accelerating their growth beyond $100 million in annual revenue and supporting their evolution into globally competitive anchor companies.

Qualifications, Experience and Leadership Attributes

You are an accomplished, collaborative and results-oriented executive who brings a strong track record of

leadership, commercial acumen and the ability to translate strategic opportunities into measurable economic

impact. Throughout your career, you will have demonstrated:

• Investment Attraction and Economic Impact: A proven track record in foreign direct investment, international business development, economic development or related fields, delivering tangible results in investment attraction, business expansion, job creation and economic growth.
• Strategic and Executive Leadership: Success developing and executing strategies, leading high-performing, multidisciplinary teams and translating ambitious organizational priorities into measurable outcomes.
• Commercial Acumen and Financial Stewardship: Strong business judgment, financial and operational accountability, and experience managing budgets, resources and performance against established objectives.
• Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships: The ability to build influential relationships with senior government, industry and international stakeholders, leveraging partnerships to advance shared priorities and unlock new opportunities.
• Global Business Development and Scale-Up: Experience advancing international market opportunities, supporting the growth of high-potential companies and building partnerships that strengthen global competitiveness.
• Innovation and Sector Expertise: Knowledge of innovation-driven industries and emerging technologies, including defence, security, aerospace, telecommunications, AI, semiconductors, photonics and other advanced technologies.
• Collaborative and Inclusive Leadership: A demonstrated ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, inspire teams, foster cross-organizational collaboration and build a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Executive Communication and Influence: Exceptional communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills, with experience representing organizations, engaging senior decision-makers and championing strategic priorities on national and international platforms.
• Global Talent and Market Development: Experience advancing international talent attraction, market development or related initiatives that strengthen business growth and regional competitiveness.

Additional details:

• Salary: Compensation for this role is discussed during the interview process and is based on the candidate’s skills, experience and qualifications
• Reason for opening: Backfilling a vacancy
• Location: The role is primarily based in person at Bayview Yards, Ottawa’s innovation hub, with flexibility for some hybrid work

Do you have some of these skills but maybe not all? We still encourage you to apply as we would love to review your unique application and learn more about you!

At Invest Ottawa we know that diversity, inclusion and a sense of belongingness are critical success factors for globally competitive organizations and are required to drive sustainable wealth creation and prosperity across our region. We prioritize the creation of an inclusive culture and infuse diversity into our programs, operations and governance. As an equal opportunity employer that doesn’t simply accept difference but celebrates, support and thrives because of it, we invite all qualified candidates to apply, and especially encourage those who identify as members of underrepresented groups.

Invest Ottawa and Bayview Yards are determined to provide a barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you require accommodation during any phase of the evaluation process, please contact hr@investottawa.ca to request specialized accommodation. Do know, all information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

At Invest Ottawa, we are focused on doing better and committed to leading by example because it’s what’s best for us, our culture and our community.