Director, Regional Business Development - Ontario

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Date: Apr 8, 2026

Location: North York - Toronto, ON (Hybr, CA Ottawa, ON (Hybrid), CA Kitchener, ON (Hybrid), CA

Company: Wawanesa Insurance

 

Job ID: 9948 


Employment Type: Existing Role
Working Business Language: English. This role is considered a head-office role and will be required to communicate with internal and external stakeholders across Canada where the primary business language for this role is English.  As such, the successful candidate must be fully proficient in English
 

Salary: At Wawanesa, salary is only one component of a holistic, comprehensive and competitive offering that we provide to our employees. In addition to salary, full-time and part-time permanent employees are eligible for an annual bonus plan, leave of absence top-up programs and provided with generous vacation time, personal days, premium free benefits and pension plan. 
 

The salary offered for this role is determined with consideration to various factors, including but not limited to: your work location, local labour market conditions, external market salary data, internal pay equity and the knowledge, skills, experience and anticipated proficiency in the role. The salary offered is estimated to be within the following range: $160,000 - $190,000.  Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply. 

 

About Us
At Wawanesa, we offer a hybrid work environment that offers flexibility to our employees in balancing in-office (2 days per week OR 15 hours per week in a Wawanesa office) and remote work. You may work from any of the following locations:Toronto (North York), ON; Kitchener, ON; Ottawa.
 

The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (“Wawanesa Mutual”), founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $3.5 billion in annual revenue and assets of $10 billion (CAD). Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.7 million members in Canada, and we are home to more than 3,300 employees distributed across the Canadian regions and communities where we operate. We give back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. We are also proud to be recognized as one of Manitoba’s Top Employers. To learn more visit wawanesa.com. 


We are currently looking for dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic individuals who thrive in an environment that welcomes change and are looking for an opportunity for diverse experience and advancement on a growing team.
 

Job Overview

Working under minimal supervision, the Director, Regional Business Development contributes to Wawanesa’s success by directing, planning, and implementing sales strategies and initiatives. This job develops and executes sales programs over both short and long term timeframes.

 

Job Responsibilities

  • Act as a key contributor in all business development related activities in support of the distribution of our products and services to expand the business and achieve the company’s strategic growth objectives.
  • Establish business targets and promote the vision around them.
  • Prospect for new distribution partnerships, develop and strengthen current relationships through ongoing contact and support.
  • Build, lead and develop a high-performing team to support and maintain Wawanesa’s distribution channel sales responsibilities.
  • Create and enable a work environment that is respectful, challenging and rewarding and employees are maximized to their full potential while contributing to the achievement of Wawanesa's goals.
  • Contribute to and support the development and evolution of Wawanesa's policies and practices.
  • Champion initiatives and be receptive to both employee resistance and acceptance, so that genuine understanding and commitment can occur.
  • Stay abreast of industry, regulatory and company changes or trends as they relate to the insurance industry.
  • Performs other responsibilities as required.

 

 

Qualifications

  • Minimum ten years’ Business Development experience with five years in a leadership role, within the P&C Insurance Industry including significant commercial knowledge. 
  • Strong knowledge of the P&C Insurance market and broker network within the Ontario region is required (Experience in the GTA market is an asset).  
  • CIP/FCIP or LLQP designation desirable in combination with an undergraduate degree in business administration, commerce, sales, or marketing.
  • Strong established broker network.
  • Strong MS Office skills.
  • Excellent leadership skills with the ability to influence and gain respect, credibility and confidence from others.
  • Ability to make excellent and well justified decisions in complex and high pressure situations.
  • Ability to develop and implement comprehensive sales strategies and plans that bridge complex issues that span across time.
  • Strong business acumen with excellent analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to recognize and identify critical issues.
  • Excellent interpersonal, presentation and communication skills with the ability to effectively convey ideas in a persuasive and eloquent manner.


Diversity Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

At Wawanesa, we are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our people – this is supported by having a representative workforce.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including racialized persons, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, gender-diverse and neurodiverse individuals, and anyone who can contribute to the further diversification of thought and ideas. 
 

We aim to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodations during any stage of the recruitment process, please reach out in confidence to jobs@wawanesa.com.
 

All Wawanesa job applicants are subject to Wawanesa's Privacy Policy.

Please note that the recruitment process for this position may involve the use of AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants. All final decisions are taken or reviewed by human recruiters and human hiring leaders in compliance with all applicable legislation.