SENIOR ADVISOR, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

We are banking at another level.

Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs.

Choosing BDC as your employer also means:

• Flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few   

• In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1

• A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life

• Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more... 

Explore the BDC Way in our Culture Book

POSITION OVERVIEW

You are part of a highly collaborative and innovative team whose mission is to raise the awareness, relevance, and engagement of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs, and everything it can do to support the organization’s business development efforts and help Canada’s SMEs.

You’re a self-starter who will contribute to our mission by designing, leading and delivering impactful initiatives that resonate with BDC’s core audiences and are aligned with our corporate strategy.

As Senior Advisor, International Relations & External Communications, you will play a pivotal role in advancing BDC’s international engagement priorities. You will operate at the intersection of communications, stakeholder and governmental relations, strategic intelligence, and public affairs.

Working in collaboration with the broader External Communications & Stakeholders Relations team, and in support of BDC’s core business lines (Financing, Capital and Advisory Services), you will act as value-added communications channel between external (international) and internal stakeholders, generating the necessary connections, insights, and strategic guidance that will help the business lines realize their goals.

Reporting to the Director, Public Affairs and External Communications, the Senior Advisor plays a core operational role in advancing a 360° communications approach to international relations, ensuring alignment across the Bank and with external partners—from foreign investment agencies and multilateral institutions to business development missions, international financial institutions, innovation networks and global SME platforms.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

External Communications & Narrative Leadership

• Develop communications that tell the story of how Canada’s entrepreneurs compete and scale internationally.

• Lead proactive and reactive media relations related to BDC’s international initiatives—crafting messages, briefs, and speaking points for executive participation in global events.

• Integrate international insights into BDC’s overarching communications narrative, ensuring consistency across earned media, digital channels, and stakeholder communications.

• Play a critical organizer role in complex international engagements, high visibility announcements, and external communications campaigns—managing logistics, budgets, KPIs, and ensuring ‑visibility announcements, and external communications campaigns—managing logistics, budgets, KPIs, and ensuring cross alignment‑functional alignment.

Strategic International Engagement

• Support the implementation of BDC’s International Relations Strategy by mapping, prioritizing, and working in collaboration with BDC’s partnership team in advancing strategic international partnerships that align with BDC’s enterprise goals.

• Identify opportunities for BDC executives to contribute to international forums, summits, and bilateral engagements.

• Build and maintain relationships with international counterparts—including SME agencies, investment authorities, and innovation hubs.

• Serve as a key point of contact bridging internal teams (e.g., Corporate Strategy, Government Relations, Economic Research, Investment divisions) with external global partners (public and private).

Issues Management & Executive Counsel

• Provide insights on global opportunities and risks and develops options for positioning and international engagement strategies.

• Prepare executive messaging and materials for speeches, international panels, and bilateral meetings.

• Help monitor geopolitical developments with implications for Canadian SMEs, synthesize the trends and events into insights for senior executives, and advise on communications and stakeholder approaches based on the same.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You are a hands-on driver with a passion for international affairs, economic policy, and global entrepreneurship. You thrive in environments where diplomacy meets data, and where communications play a decisive role in shaping global perception.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, international relations, public affairs or a related field—or equivalent experience.

• 10–15 years of experience in communications, public affairs, global relations, diplomacy, international business, or related fields.

• Experience working with senior executives, government partners, and international stakeholders.

• Strong ability to connect the dots across complex organizations and build an international narrative that supports enterprise strategy.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and French.

• Ability to influence with tact and diplomacy across diverse cultures and stakeholder environments.

• Demonstrated capacity to work under pressure, show autonomy, and bring creativity to problem-solving‑solving.

• Experience with government relations, geopolitics, or international development is a strong asset.

• Previous experience with financial institutions or Crown corporations is considered an asset.

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work. If you require an accommodation to complete your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

While we appreciate all applications, we advise that only the candidates selected to participate in the recruitment process will be contacted.