Business Development Manager

Gowling WLG; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Gowling WLG is seeking a Business Development Manager to join the BD & Marketing team. The successful candidate will support revenue growth across practice groups and sectors, translating market insights into actionable strategies.

You will conduct market research, manage client accounts, develop go-to-market plans, and track performance, collaborating across time zones to accelerate growth.

Qualifications

• Client-centric and strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Data-driven professional able to translate market insights into strategy.
• Experience in business development is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Market intelligence and analysis: conduct market and client research to identify needs and growth opportunities.
• Develop and share understanding of client needs, legal practice areas, industries and competitors.
• Leverage CRM and data sources to extract data and generate reports and dashboards.
• Provide actionable insights to leaders based on analysis and ongoing research.
• Identify opportunities through market insights and cross-firm collaboration and mobilize resources.
• Collaborate to develop targeted outreach strategies and cultivate relationships with clients and prospects.
• Build client programs and sales initiatives to grow revenue and enable cross-sell.
• Monitor industry developments and regulatory changes to seize opportunities.
• Develop and execute annual business planning and go-to-market plans.
• Measure effectiveness of BD strategies and adjust to achieve outcomes.
• Engage in networking events to develop partnerships and leads.
• Strategic client management: build account plans for key clients and deepen relationships.
• Support regular client reviews to assess satisfaction and explore cross-selling opportunities.

Job description

ABOUT GOWLING WLG

At Gowling WLG, our commitment to excellence begins with our people. As an international law firm with offices in Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we’re proud to recruit and retain top talent who bring energy, insight, and a singular focus on delivering exceptional experiences – for our clients and each other.

At Gowling WLG, our commitment to excellence begins with our people. As an international law firm with offices in Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we’re proud to recruit and retain top talent who bring energy, insight, and a singular focus on delivering exceptional experiences – for our clients and each other. We’re intentional about building a workplace that’s both high-performing and supportive, ensuring that everyone is empowered to do their best work and reach their full potential. Our culture is grounded in our shared values: Raise the Bar, Embrace Differences, and Thrive Together. These values shape how we collaborate, lead, and succeed – across teams, time zones, and career paths. Whether you’re pursuing a role in law or business services, explore what’s possible and make your mark with Gowling WLG.

PROFILE

The Business Development (BD) Manager is a member of the BD & Marketing team and plays a critical role in supporting the Firm’s revenue, profitability, and client and market growth in alignment with the Firm’s strategic plan. The successful candidate will provide BD support for a combination of practice groups and sectors and must be client-centric, a strategic thinker with strong business acumen, a skilled relationship builder, and a data-driven professional who can effectively translate market insights into actionable strategies that help accelerate growth. This role transcends traditional business enablement and coordination functions, focusing holistically on market intelligence, proactive opportunity identification, client account strategy and planning, go-to-market, and the execution of high-value pursuits.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Market Intelligence & Analysis:
• Conduct ongoing market and client research and analysis to identify needs, emerging trends and competitive landscapes to inform potential growth opportunities for particular practice groups and/or sectors based on the assigned portfolio.
• Develop, maintain, and share a comprehensive understanding of client needs, legal practice areas, industries and sectors, market dynamics, and competitor activities, demonstrating subject matter expertise and market awareness.
• Leverage existing financial systems, CRM and data sources to extract data, generate reports and dashboards that inform business development and growth strategies.
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations to practice group and sector leaders and stakeholders based on analysis and ongoing research.
• Opportunity Identification:
• Proactively identify and recommend new business opportunities through market insights and analysis, go-to-market initiatives, and cross-firm collaboration, mobilizing resources to drive action once aligned.
• Collaborate with leaders and partners to develop targeted outreach strategies and cultivate and deepen relationships with clients, prospects, and key decision-makers.
• Build and/or activate client programs and sales initiatives that align with the Firm’s profitability drivers and strategic plan to grow the existing base, enable effective cross-sell and collaboration, and drive new revenue through client opportunities and innovative pursuits.
• Monitor and track industry developments and regulatory changes that may create new business opportunities and swiftly seize them when they arise.
• Develop, manage, and execute the annual business planning process and go-to-market plans for relevant practice groups and sectors, ensuring there is an aligned action/initiative roadmap that delivers on desired growth goals.
• Measure and evaluate the effectiveness of BD strategies and initiatives with a focus on creating impact, adjusting as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Engage in networking activities, industry events, conferences, and seminars; develop strategic partnerships to promote the firm’s services, expand relationships and deliver leads.
• Strategic Client Management:
• Build and execute strategic account plans for designated key clients, focusing on deepening relationships and expanding purchased services to accelerate strategic growth.
• Support regular client reviews to assess satisfaction, identify needs, and explore opportunities for cross-selling and up‑selling.
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