Business Development (Awards & Rankings) Specialist
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s largest and most successful law firms, has an immediate opening for a Business Development Specialist to join the Client Relations & Marketing team in the Toronto office.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Client Relations & Business Development, this role is part of the Business Development (BD) team, with a portfolio split between practice-area BD and Firm-wide Awards & Rankings. The role offers a great opportunity to progress in a practice-area BD role, while also contributing to the Firm’s overall market reputation strategy.
Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Business Development
The Specialist will work with the Senior Manager, Client Relations & Business Development and assigned practice and industry groups to acquire new clients and expand current client relationships to drive revenue. In addition to assisting with the development of short- and long-term business development plans and strategies, the successful candidate will inspire lawyers to focus on business development initiatives.
- Business Planning – Collaborating with the BD Director(s) and Senior Manager(s) to prepare materials for practice group, industry group and client team meetings; taking the lead in initiating, framing and facilitating the delivery of business planning for assigned practice groups
- Research – Sourcing and providing summary analyses from multiple in-house and external sources to support planning and initiatives for assigned groups
- Business Evaluation – Assessing marketing investments and expenditures to optimize value and impact; drafting business cases that assess options and provide recommendations, as required
- Submissions – Participating in table-setting conversations with assigned groups and preparing draft submissions for review and approval by the directors and accountable partners
- Events – Working in partnership with the Events team to ensure the successful preparation and delivery of events and provide onsite or logistical support, in addition to reviewing relevant sponsorships
- New Business RFPs and Pitches – Drafting information packages and other pitch and proposal materials for routine work; supporting the development of more complex RFPs in partnership with the BD Director and Proposals team
- Business Development Budget – Assisting with creating and monitoring annual BD expense reports and budget
Awards & Rankings
Working closely with the Senior Manager, Client Relations & Business Development, the Specialist will help oversee the Firm’s rankings and awards processes and submissions. This part of the role aims to ensure the Firm consistently improves its submissions and results and promotes them effectively in the market.
- Planning and Assessment – Ongoing assessment, annual planning and recommendations for the Firm’s participation in rankings, directories and awards
- Submission Planning and Preparation – Collaborating with the BD team and lawyers to ensure directory and award submissions are effectively prepared and follow best practices
- Communications Planning – Working with the Communications, Digital and BD teams to effectively communicate and promote the Firm’s awards and rankings in the market and internally, including drafting announcements and social media posts
- Research and Competitive Intelligence – Maintaining awareness of reputation and the value of awards and rankings in the external market
- Relationships – Developing relationships with A&R-related organizations to ensure deadlines and material requirements for submissions are met
- Research and Reporting – Improving A&R tracking and analysis to leverage recognitions across platforms
- Profile Development – Drafting, editing and submitting lawyer and Firm profiles for relevant ranking publications
- A&R Budget – Assisting with the creation and monitoring of the annual A&R budget
- Events – Organizing and managing lawyer attendance at key award galas
Qualifications
Education/Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or diploma in business, marketing, communications or equivalent is required
- Minimum of three to five years of BD/marketing experience or similar role
- Experience in a professional-services industry is an asset
Skills/Abilities
- Business Acumen – Understands the economic model and the operational flow and content of work in the Firm, and considers implications for the Firm’s business and assigned groups
- Customer-Service Orientation – Courteous, responsive and delivers with a sense of urgency
- Communication Skills – Strong verbal and written proficiency, and the ability to develop presentations
- Coaching/Mentoring – Coaches others on work deliverables and is a mentor to junior members of the team
- Interpersonal Skills – Strong interpersonal skills, supported by a foundation of patience, tact and confidence
- Adaptability – Ability to adapt to multiple areas of law, practice areas and industries
- Creative Thinking – Ability to share and embrace new ideas and consider creative solutions to challenges or barriers
- Collaboration – Demonstrates collaboration through actively learning from peers and employing best practices to improve consistency and effectiveness of BD delivery
- Judgement – Identifies and raises red flags when an external or internal change or event could impact assigned groups
- Technology – Strong proficiency with technology, and a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies as required
How to Apply
Please submit your application, including a cover letter and résumé, directly to our application portal.
Blakes wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Who We Are
At Blakes, we care about our people. We are committed to providing exceptional experiences for not only our clients but also our employees. As a winner of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Greater Toronto’s Top Employers awards, we understand the importance of fostering an inclusive workplace that brings out the best in each person. Our success as a Firm starts with hiring and retaining top talent, with a focus on helping our people succeed and thrive.
Blakes welcomes applications from all qualified applicants. The Firm is committed to maintaining an inclusive work environment composed of people with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, identities and cultures.
The Firm provides accommodation for applicants with disabilities and in respect of other protected grounds during the recruitment process, in accordance with applicable laws. Please contact us to request accommodation.