Application Deadline: October 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST
Position: Manager, Sector Research
Employment Type: Permanent
Compensation Details: - Sales Enablement (Strategy and Government) 19: Salaries typically range from $112,006 to $149,341 annually, based on qualifications and experiences, plus a performance-based incentive.
Location: - Export Development Canada operates in a hybrid work environment, with a current requirement of three in-office days per week.
- Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.
Internal Employees, please consult the ServiceNow article entitled Internal movements - what you need to know.
Team Overview The Sectors and International Advisory (SIA) Team helps Canadian companies grow internationally by combining sector expertise, actionable market intelligence, strategic advice, and connections to global business opportunities. The team develops and delivers EDC's prioritized sector strategies and works across EDC to translate knowledge of Canadian capabilities, global value chains, and market needs into practical choices and opportunities for exporters.
As Manager, Sector Research, you will lead and develop a team responsible for research on Canadian business ecosystems, industry sectors and subsectors, and global value chains.
This is a player/coach role: you will set priorities, create the conditions for strong team performance, and remain directly involved in high-value research, analysis, and the development of executive-ready insights and recommendations.
You will bring sound judgement, curiosity, and an experimentation mindset to complex research questions. You will coach researchers, establish clear research standards and reusable ways of working, and collaborate with various internal teams. You will ensure researchers identify the appropriate stakeholders for each assignment and recognize when collaboration or a hand-off to another team for deeper research or specialized support may be appropriate. Your work will help EDC identify where Canadian capabilities align with international demand and where EDC can have the greatest impact. This role will report to the Vice President, Sectors and International Advisory.
What you will be doing: - Lead, coach, and develop a team of researchers by setting clear outcomes, assigning work thoughtfully, providing timely feedback, supporting professional growth, and fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and accountable team environment.
- Set and manage the team's research agenda and portfolio, balancing strategic priorities, emerging business needs, capacity, timelines, and the need for both rapid-turnaround and deeper analytical work.
- Remain a hands-on researcher by leading selected high-priority studies on firms, Canadian sector and subsector ecosystems, competitive dynamics, technologies, and domestic and global value chains.
- Investigate complex business and sector issues, select fit-for-purpose qualitative and quantitative methods, and integrate primary research, secondary sources, firm-level data, financial information, and market intelligence.
- Establish and uphold standards for research quality, source integrity, analytical rigour, responsible use of AI-enabled tools, peer review, documentation, and clear communication of assumptions and limitations.
- Translate complex evidence into practical sector strategies, opportunity assessments, company and ecosystem profiles, briefings, presentations, and recommendations that support prioritization and decision-making.
- Connect Canadian capabilities to international demand by helping to identify gaps, , supply-chain opportunities, and areas where EDC's insights, advisory services, market-development capabilities, connections, and financial solutions can advance exporter growth.
- Build trusted relationships across EDC and with external experts, industry associations, government partners, companies, and research organizations to test hypotheses, broaden evidence, and increase the reach and usefulness of insights.
- Create reusable tools, datasets, playbooks, and knowledge-sharing practices that improve team productivity, strengthen institutional knowledge, and make insights accessible to non-expert audiences.
- Monitor delivery, research impact, stakeholder needs, and emerging trends; adjust priorities as evidence changes and communicate progress, risks, and recommendations to senior leaders.
What we are looking for: - Completed degree in Economics, Political Science, Business Administration, International Business, Data or Social Sciences, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
- Minimum ten years of progressive experience in market or sector research, economic or industry analysis, business strategy, consulting, international trade, or a related field, including experience leading complex work and guiding others.
- Demonstrated people-leadership experience, including setting expectations, coaching and developing employees, giving constructive feedback, managing performance, supporting wellbeing, and building an inclusive, high-performing team.
- A strong record as a hands-on researcher who can personally structure and execute complex assignments while overseeing a broader portfolio and enabling others to deliver.
- Experience in international trade, export development, market intelligence, or related fields, with a practical understanding of how companies internationalize, assess opportunities, and participate in global value chains.
- Advanced strategic-research and consulting-style analytical capabilities, including framing complex business and sector issues, developing hypotheses, integrating qualitative and quantitative evidence, and producing decision-useful recommendations.
- Experience with primary and secondary research, company profiling, firm-level datasets, market sizing, competitive analysis, and relevant commercial trade, market, and industry-intelligence platforms.
- Strong knowledge of Canadian sector and subsector ecosystems, exporter capabilities, innovation systems, and international supply chains, with the judgement to distinguish evidence from inference.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing requests, manage projects and resources, improve processes, and deliver high-quality work in a changing environment.
- Ability to build trust, collaborate across disciplines, and influence senior leaders and partners without relying on formal authority.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills in English, including the ability to explain complex findings clearly, concisely, and credibly to executive and non-expert audiences.
- Advanced proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, collaboration tools, and AI-enabled research tools such as Copilot, combined with sound judgement regarding validation, confidentiality, and responsible use.
What will make you stand out:- Bilingual in both official languages (French and English).
- Experience leading a research, intelligence, economics, strategy, or advisory team in a matrixed organization.
- Experience with data visualization software such as Power BI or Tableau to communicate complex findings to non-expert audiences.
- Experience in financial analysis, including interpreting financial statements, evaluating company performance, assessing industry financial trends, and integrating financial insights with market and sector research.
- Experience in one or more of EDC's strategic sectors, such as Agri-Food, Advanced Manufacturing, Digital Industries, Defence & Security, Energy & Energy Transition, or Critical Minerals.
Eligibility:EDC is committed to Fair Employment Practices and preference will be given to a candidate who is able to work legally in Canada
at the time of application (Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents). Candidates must meet the requisite government security screening requirements.
Internal applicants must also meet EDC's eligibility criteria for applying to internal opportunities. For more information, please refer to Section 2.1 in the Talent Acquisition Standard, available on LINK under the Resources tab in the Policies & Procedures section. The position is open to those who meet all of the essential requirements stated above and whose applications are received by the closing date.
