ventureLAB INNOVATION CENTRE

o/a ventureLAB

Senior Manager, Advisory Services — Job ID 202527

Position Profile

About ventureLAB

ventureLAB is a not-for-profit innovation hub and global founder community for hardware technology and AI companies in Canada. Leading from the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, we are powered by seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders with decades of experience in building IP-rich start-ups, scale-ups, and global multinationals. Since 2011, ventureLAB has supported more than 4,000 tech ventures, helped generate over 6,800 jobs, and enabled over CAD $420 million in investment capital. Our mission is to help founders build and scale globally, especially in hard-tech and enterprise software, by delivering deep domain expertise, access to world-class prototyping and lab infrastructure (including Canada’s only hardware & semiconductor-focused incubator), and a globally connected network of investors, partners and advisors.

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Our Mission

Powering hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canada’s knowledge-based economy.

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Our Vision

Born Global. Built to Scale. Inclusive by Design. Inspire a new generation of global founders who choose Canada to scale IP-rich tech ventures, creating innovative hardware and scale-ready enterprise software solutions that transform communities and establish a blueprint for a more sustainable, inclusive tech ecosystem.

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Our Values — Team RIVIR

• Relentless: We are tenacious and resilient. We follow through and remove roadblocks, so together we succeed and go further.
• Inclusive: We are empathetic and open-minded and collaborate respectfully so that we build trust with each other and value diverse opinions, ideas, and perspectives to learn and make better decisions.
• Visionary: We inspire bold futures with our founders, team, partners, and community by challenging each other respectfully and thinking differently.
• Innovative: We celebrate ingenuity and empower the team to create new ideas, processes, and strategies. We are curious and resourceful by asking questions for clarity.
• Results: We are proactive and plan. We are accountable and focused. We are direct and transparent through fact-based discussions.

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ventureLAB is made up of passionate, driven individuals and is growing quickly. It is a fast-paced, flexible environment where individual contributors make a big difference and work collaboratively to achieve shared goals. We are proud to be one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures and a Great Place to Work®.

Position Profile

Reporting to the VP, Founder Success, the Senior Manager, Advisory Services leads ventureLAB’s ecosystem of Advisors (paid experts) and Executives in Residence (volunteer leaders), a critical network that delivers hands-on expertise to help founders grow, scale, and expand globally.

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This role ensures that ventureLAB’s Advisors and EIRs are fully integrated into the organization’s mission, culture, and programming, enabling them to provide high-impact support to founders across business strategy, technology development, fundraising, commercialization, and global market entry.

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The Senior Manager serves as both the strategic architect and operational leader for this network, overseeing engagement, performance, and alignment to ventureLAB’s broader goals of building a scalable, sustainable, and internationally connected founder-support model. This position combines people leadership and workforce management, cross-functional collaboration, and ecosystem-building to ensure the advisory function continues to evolve alongside ventureLAB’s growth and the needs of its founder community.

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For the role, you will have to be:

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• A Leader with an Operational Mindset: leading a team of Advisors and EIRs, you will need to map Advisor/EIR skill sets and focus areas, client matches and engagement, onboarding, and invoice management to ensure an engaged group of advisory resources that are fulfilling client needs. Additionally, you will evaluate initiatives' and services' effectiveness through key performance indicators (KPIs) and feedback from clients, advisors, mentors, or other parties to ensure our value equation remains high and the initiatives meet individual company needs.
• A Collaborator: Ensure a collaborative ‘One Team’ approach, where shared success comes from the combined energy, ideas, and execution of many. You will architect value and build lasting impact through teamwork. Manage the flow of information to and from the advisory team and provide a collaborative environment that maintains an exceptional client experience.
• A Communicator: Effectively communicate and present at different levels of the organization. Provide the client's voice and support decision-making in company and portfolio assessment processes to maintain a high-quality bar for stakeholders and ensure progression towards results.
• Connected: To build and maintain relationships, internal and external, as it is critical to understand our team's needs, desires, and ambitions and the greater world.
• Think Big: You’ll lead a team of advisors, mentors, and industry professionals to find the best, biggest ideas for high-growth companies.

Responsibilities

The Senior Manager, Advisory Services, will:

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1. Lead and Strengthen the Advisor & EIR Community

• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with ventureLAB’s Advisors and EIRs, ensuring they feel integrated into the organization and connected to our founder community.
• Design and execute engagement frameworks that ensure clarity of roles, expectations, and outcomes for all advisors and EIRs.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the network’s collective skill sets and identify capacity gaps aligned to founder needs, particularly in commercialization, IP strategy, fundraising, scaling, and global expansion.
• Proactively recruit new advisors and EIRs with complementary expertise and global experience to strengthen ventureLAB’s bench and ensure readiness for future founder needs.
• Develop programming that promotes collaboration and peer learning among advisors and EIRs (e.g., quarterly community events, training sessions, and best-practice sharing).

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2. Operational Excellence & Performance Management

• Develop and manage systems, processes, and dashboards that track the performance, engagement, and impact of advisors and EIRs.
• Lead ongoing performance evaluations, feedback cycles, and engagement reviews to ensure high-quality, outcome-driven advisory support.
• Work closely with the Director, Founder Growth Operations  and the Sector portfolio teams to align Advisor and EIR engagement with defined KPIs for the Founder Success department.
• Ensure operational efficiency in scheduling, founder-matching, onboarding, invoice and contract processing, and communications between advisors, EIRs, and ventureLAB teams.
• Translate data and feedback into actionable recommendations to enhance quality, responsiveness, and overall impact.

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3. Strategic Growth & Global Expansion

• Collaborate with the VP, Founder Success and the Senior Leadership Team to evolve the Advisor & EIR Network in alignment with ventureLAB’s global growth strategy.
• Lead efforts to position the network as a differentiating asset for founders scaling internationally, connecting them with global markets, investors, and corporate partners.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of a scalable, sustainable business model for advisory services that can grow with ventureLAB’s international footprint.
• Strengthen strategic partnerships that expand access to expertise and global opportunities for founders (e.g., collaboration with foreign innovation hubs, accelerators, and investment networks).
• Represent ventureLAB in ecosystem discussions and forums to promote collaboration and attract high-calibre advisors and EIRs with international experience.

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4. Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Foster strong collaboration with other ventureLAB departments (across the Founder Success teams as well as Partnerships, Operations, Marketing, and Finance) to ensure seamless integration of Advisor and EIR support across initiatives.
• Serve as the voice and advocate for the Advisor & EIR community within ventureLAB, ensuring their perspectives inform organizational strategy and program design.
• Promote a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and continuous improvement across the network and internal teams.

Qualifications

Given your background and work experience, you are bold and can readily delve into managing internal and client-side requirements. You have the ability and desire to thrive and excel in a fast-paced, rapid-growth environment.

Also, to be a successful candidate, you need to have:

• Relevant Experience: 5–7 years of progressive experience in innovation ecosystems, accelerators, venture capital, or technology commercialization, ideally with startup operating or advisory exposure.
• Ecosystem Network: Extensive network across startups, investors, and industry partners, including venture capital, private equity, and angel groups in Canada and the United States.
• Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Advanced analytical and strategic skills to assess opportunities, articulate value propositions, and inform executive-level decisions.
• Founder & Market Insight: Deep understanding of the founder journey, startup lifecycle, and pathways for global commercialization and scale.
• Leadership & Team Development: Demonstrated ability to coach, motivate, and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability and growth.
• Soft Skills & Professionalism: Excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills; strong judgment, discretion, and emotional intelligence when engaging senior executives and stakeholders.
• Mindset & Education: Self-motivated, adaptable, and passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship; MBA or equivalent executive-level experience preferred.

Salary & Benefits 

Salary Range: $80,000 to $90,000 CAD per annum. In addition to salary, ventureLAB offers:

• Comprehensive Health and Dental Benefits Package
• Up to three weeks of paid vacation, depending on seniority and company policy
• Annual Funding for Professional Development Activities
• Access to Innovation Ecosystem Events and Networks

How to Apply

Apply by November 28, 2025, to hr@venturelab.ca, quoting “Senior Manager, Advisory Services – Job ID 202527” in the subject line. Include your resume, salary expectations, and a brief note telling us why you’d be a great addition to the ventureLAB team.

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At ventureLAB, we value diversity, inclusion, and respect. Diverse experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds bring great ideas and create stronger teams — we embrace them because we know that by including everyone, we all thrive. Accommodations are available on request for candidates with disabilities taking part in the recruitment process.

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We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only qualified candidates will be contacted.