Client Relations & Business Development Specialist

BC Legal Management Association; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s largest law firms, is seeking a Business Development Specialist to join the Vancouver office's Client Relations & Marketing department. The role partners with local and national groups to acquire new clients and expand existing relationships, guiding the development of short- and long-term BD plans and inspiring lawyers to engage in BD initiatives.

Key duties include managing workflows, preparing submissions for directories and awards,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in business/marketing or equivalent is required.
• Minimum of three to five years of BD/marketing experience or similar role.
• Experience in the professional services industry is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Work and project management – contribute to work and project plans and deliver on owned accountabilities.
• Directory and award submissions – draft submissions for review and approval by the manager/director and partners.
• Events – provide onsite/logistical support and help deliver events in partnership with the Events team.
• Client programming – assist with development and execution of educational programming (seminars, webinars, CPD sessions, women@blakes programming).
• Sponsorships – plan, monitor and execute sponsorships and industry association events.
• New business RFPs and pitches – draft information packages and support development of more complex RFPs with the Senior BD Manager and Proposals team.
• Business development budget – assist with creating and monitoring annual BD expense reports and budget.
• Business planning – prepare agendas and materials for practice groups and client meetings; lead business planning for assigned groups.
• Business evaluation – assess marketing investments and draft business cases; provide recommendations.
• Marketing materials – work with Marketing Communications to update digital and printed collateral and review materials.
• Research – source and summarize analyses to support BD initiatives.

Skills

Business Acumen

Customer Service

Communication Skills

Coaching/Mentoring

Interpersonal Skills

Adaptability

Creative Thinking

Collaboration

Judgement

Technology

Education

Bachelor’s degree or diploma in business/marketing

Job description

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada's largest and most successful law firms, is currently looking for a Business Development (BD) Specialist to join the Client Relations & Marketing department in the Vancouver office. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Client Relations and Business Development, the BD Specialist works with members of the Vancouver office and assigned national practice and industry groups to acquire new clients and expand current client relationships in order to drive revenue. This position will assist with the development of short- and long-term business development plans and strategies and inspire lawyers to focus on business development initiatives.

Primary responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Work and Project Management – Contributing to the development of work and project plans and delivering on owned accountabilities
• Directory and Award Submissions – Participating in table-setting conversations with assigned groups and preparing draft submissions for review and approval by the manager/director and accountable partners
• Events – Working in partnership with the Events team to ensure the successful preparation and delivery of events and provide onsite/logistical support
• Client Programming – Assisting with the development and execution of educational programming, such as seminars/webinars, tailored CPD sessions and women@blakes programming
• Sponsorships – Assisting in planning, monitoring and executing sponsorships and industry association events
• New Business RFPs and Pitches – Drafting information packages and other client-pitch and proposal materials for routine work for assigned groups; supporting the development of more complex RFPs in partnership with the Senior BD Manager and Proposals team
• Business Development Budget – Assisting with creating and monitoring annual BD expense reports and budget
• Business Planning – Working in collaboration with the relevant BD Director or Manager(s) to prepare agendas and all required materials for practice, industry group and client team meetings; taking the lead in initiating, framing and facilitating the delivery of business planning for assigned practice groups
• Business Evaluation – Assessing marketing investments/expenditures to optimize value and impact; drafting business cases that assess options and provide recommendations, as required
• Marketing Materials – Working with the Marketing Communications team to develop and deliver updates or new digital and printed collateral, and provide ongoing review and revision, of both existing and new materials
• Research – Sourcing and providing summary analyses from multiple in-house and external sources to support planning and initiatives for assigned groups

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in business/marketing or equivalent is required
• Minimum of three to five years of BD/marketing experience or similar role
• Experience in the 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

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 by fostering an open and inclusive workplace culture. As a winner of Canada's Best Diversity Employers and Greater Toronto's Top Employers awards, we understand the importance of fostering an environment that brings out the best in each person. Our success as a firm starts with the hiring, development and retention of top talent. 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.