Senior Specialist, Business Development

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

BLG (Borden Ladner Gervais LLP) is seeking a Senior Specialist, Business Development to drive strategic BD initiatives across CCM and SBL practices. You will work with Sector Leaders and the Director, BD to identify opportunities, craft compelling pitches, and coordinate cross‑functional teams to win new work and deepen client relationships.

The role emphasizes relationship-building, market intelligence, and strong communications across national teams, with potential regional assignments in

Qualifications

• 5 to 7 years of progressive business development experience in legal or professional services.
• Ability to develop pitches and manage RFP processes.
• Strong relationship-building and executive communication skills.
• Bilingual English/French is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute and implement CCM and SBL plans in consultation with stakeholders.
• Lead account planning, governance and follow-through for assigned client teams.
• Support CM go-to-market campaigns, thought leadership and client-facing assets.
• Provide streamlined reporting on client account performance and ROI.

Skills

Relationship building

Pitches

RFP processes

CRM proficiency

Strategic thinking

Education

Undergraduate degree

Tools

CRM platforms

MS Office

Deal capture tools

Job description

We are BLG: Canada’s Law Firm. Our culture is one of vigilance and curiosity, Firm-wide collaboration, unfailing mutual respect and dedication. We pride ourselves on having standout talent and delivering an exceptional client experience. Nous sommes BLG, vos avocats au Canada. Forts d’une culture alliant vigilance et curiosité, nous travaillons en collaboration à l’échelle du cabinet, animés d’un respect sans faille et d’un dévouement de tous les instants. Nos ressources remarquables et notre expérience client exceptionnelle font notre fierté. Learn more about us at www.blg.com. Résolument tournés vers l’avenir, nous offrons des conseils de grande valeur et nous distinguons par notre engagement indéfectible envers l’innovation, la diversité et l’inclusion, la collectivité et le perfectionnement professionnel. Rendez‑vous sur www.blg.com pour en savoir plus sur le cabinet.

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Specialist, Business Development provides strategic business development recommendations and practical support to the Sector Leaders and the Director, Business Development. An emerging leader, relationship builder and executor, the Senior Specialist is an ambassador of the Clients and Markets (C&M) Core Team Values and integrates with C&M colleagues to identify and deliver impactful initiatives that support measurable revenue growth and profitability targets; client relationship retention and acquisition; and amplification of BLG’s brand profile within the industry and sector. Success in this role is measured through the Senior Specialist’s contribution to lead generation (converting opportunities into new work); client relationship development (new and institutional); and brand awareness (BLG as trusted business partner within the sector). This role is replacing a current vacancy and is open to be filled in any of our five regions: Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary or Vancouver.

Primary Responsibilities

Business Acquisition, Pitches and Pursuit Strategy

Develop, execute and implement the initiatives set out in the annual Corporate and Capital Markets (CCM) and Specialized Business Law (SBL) practice plans, in consultation with key stakeholders (Group Heads, Chief Client Officer, Director, Business Development and in collaboration with national C&M team members Work closely with the Pursuits team to assist with RFP’s, proposals and tailored pitches across CCM and SBL, providing strategic input on differentiation, value propositions and key messaging Monitor market opportunities, M&A trends, capital markets activity and regulatory developments, providing competitive intelligence and insights that support business development initiatives and strengthen BLG’s market positioning Prepare partners for prospect and client meetings by providing commercial briefs, target profiles and structured dialogue frameworks to support effective needs assessment conversations Support the development, maintenance, and continuous enhancement of business development and marketing assets, including proposal templates, client‑facing collateral, brochures, presentation slip sheets, deal reporting tools, and other resources that drive consistency, efficiency, and market impact Assist with the management and reporting of CCM and SBL budgets, providing recommendations and guidance on strategic expense priorities and assessing ROI on client engagement and business development activities undefined

Client Account &Relationship Management

Support Focus Group Leaders in leading assigned client teams through account planning, meeting governance, and action item reporting and follow‑through Translate insights from the Firm’s Client Listening Program into specific account expansion strategies and service improvement recommendations Develop deep knowledge of priority client stakeholders, business strategies and current issues; update client profile and track key touchpoints in CRM Identify cross‑selling opportunities between CCM deal flow and SBL advisory sub‑practices to deepen client relationships and expand mandates Leverage relationship programs to engage with priority client stakeholders and develop consistent, value‑added client experiences (e.g., Client Listening Program, CPD offerings interactive client presentations and workshops) Organize and facilitate regular CCM and SBL focus group meetings; manage action items and drive measurable follow‑through on revenue‑generating priorities

Marketing & Brand Awareness

Partner with the Marketing and Communications team to support CCM and SBL go‑to‑market campaigns, thought leadership content and digital initiatives that build BLG's profile in the corporate transactional and specialist legal markets Collaborate with Marketing and Communications and legal professionals to identify timely market opportunities for content, including trends pieces, transaction updates and client‑facing insights, providing practice‑specific input and subject matter direction Work alongside the Rankings and Communications teams to contribute CCM and SBL deal experience, expertise and key messages to leading legal directory and awards submissions (e.g., Chambers, Lexpert, IFLR1000) Support legal professionals in participating in relevant industry sponsorships, speaking engagements and conferences, coordinating with the Events and Communications teams on execution Reporting and Business Intelligence Provide streamlined reporting on assigned CCM and SBL client account performance and the impact of profile‑building activities including recommendations to improve outcomes Ensure representative transactions and experience are captured in Foundation to support pitch credentials, league table accuracy and competitive positioning Actively maintain target client profiles and CCM and SBL marketing lists in CRM Use market analytics and pipeline data to track wins, losses, ROI and business development best practices, reporting regularly to Focus Group Leaders and the Director, Business Development

General Responsibilities

Ensure that CCM and SBL stakeholders are kept informed of business activities, risks, opportunities and recommended actions Facilitate knowledge sharing of business development best practices to build capabilities across the C&M team Collaborate with other C&M functions (Pursuits, Pricing, Business Development Intelligence, Events, Marketing, Communications, CRM) to deliver seamless and consistent service to legal professionals Act as a bridge across C&M sub‑teams, pulling in the right resources for practice initiatives without creating bottlenecks Be an ambassador of continuous improvement and change, playing an active role in elevating the performance of the C&M team

Key Competencies

• Undergraduate degree in Business, Law, Marketing, Finance or Communications
• 5 to 7 years progressive business development experience in a legal or professional services environment
• Demonstrated understanding of corporate transactions, capital markets activity (including equity and debt offerings, M&A) and the competitive landscape for transactional legal services
• Proven track record structuring and executing high‑value pitches and navigating complex RFP processes from strategy through to completion
• Executive presence with the ability to build relationships and earn trust with senior partners and key client stakeholders through an energetic, engaging and empathetic approach
• Comfortable operating in a matrixed, national organization with multiple competing priorities and stakeholder demands
• Innovative, results‑driven and action‑oriented, able to identify challenges and opportunities and execute to completion in a deadline‑driven environment
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesize market intelligence, financial data and client insights into practical recommendations
• Familiarity with RFPs, alternative fee structures and pricing strategies for professional services
• Strong oral and written communication skills; strong time management and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
• Proficiency in CRM platforms and deal capture tools; established knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Bilingual (English/French) capability is an asset

Principales exigences

• Baccalauréat en administration des affaires, en droit, en marketing, en finances ou en communications
• De 5 à 7 ans d’expérience progressive en développement des affaires dans le milieu des services juridiques ou des services professionnels
• Compréhension manifeste des opérations d’entreprise, des activités des marchés financiers – y compris les placements d’actions et d’obligations et les fusions et acquisitions – et du contexte concurrentiel des services juridiques liés aux transactions
• Expérience éprouvée dans la structuration et l’exécution de présentations à forte valeur et dans la gestion de processus d’appel d’offres complexes, de l’élaboration de la stratégie à la conclusion
• Prestance professionnelle assortie d’une capacité à établir des relations avec des associé·es chevronné·s et des intervenants clés chez les clients et à susciter leur confiance grâce à une approche dynamique, mobilisatrice et empathique
• Capacité de travailler efficacement au sein d’une organisation nationale à structure matricielle, caractérisée par de multiples priorités concurrentes et diverses demandes de parties prenantes
• Approche novatrice axée sur les résultats et les actions; capacité à cerner les défis et les occasions à saisir en respectant des échéanciers serrés
• Solide esprit d’analyse et de synthèse d’informations commerciales, de données financières et de perspectives de clients afin de formuler des recommandations concrètes
• Bonne connaissance des appels d’offres, des modes de facturation adaptés et des stratégies de tarification dans le contexte des services professionnels
• Solides compétences en matière de communication orale et écrite; excellente gestion du temps et des priorités
• Maîtrise démontrée des plateformes CRM, des outils de consignation des transactions et des logiciels de la suite Office (Word, Excel et PowerPoint)
• Bilinguisme français‑anglais, un atout

The expected salary range for this position is $80,000 - $90,000, depending on level of experience, region/location, and other factors. La fourchette salariale pour ce poste est de 80,000$ à 90,000$ et varie selon divers facteurs, notamment l’expérience et l’emplacement.

BLG is committed to building a diverse workplace reflective of the communities we serve and to fostering an inclusive culture where Firm members feel valued, respected and inspired to thrive as their authentic selves. We value diversity of thought and the unique skills, perspectives and experience each individual brings to BLG. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and encourage applicants from members of groups that have been historically underrepresented, including but not limited to First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, people who identify as women and/or LGBTQ2S+. BLG est résolu à bâtir et à favoriser un milieu de travail inclusif et diversifié à l’image de notre collectivité, où l’ensemble des membres du cabinet se sentent valorisés, respectés et inspirés à s’épanouir dans toute leur authenticité. Nous avons également à cœur de mettre en valeur les connaissances, les points de vue et les expériences de chacun et chacune. Nous invitons toute personne qualifiée à postuler, notamment celles provenant de groupes historiquement sous‑représentés, comme les Autochtones (Premières Nations, Métis et Inuits), les personnes racialisées, les personnes ayant une incapacité, les femmes et les membres de la communauté LGBTQ+. We also strive to provide an accessible candidate experience. Please let us know if you need any accommodations during the recruitment process. Nous sommes déterminés à ce que notre processus de recrutement soit le plus accessible possible. Si vous nécessitez un accommodement, n’hésitez pas à nous le faire savoir.

We are BLG: Canada's Law Firm. We pride ourselves on having outstanding, talented people and delivering an exceptional client experience. We are a future‑minded firm, delivering high‑value advice and known for our commitment to innovation, diversity and inclusion, community involvement and talent development. Our culture is one of curiosity, firm‑wide collaboration, mutual respect, dedication and continuous improvement. We look forward to hearing from you and exploring how you can contribute to our team. For more information, visit us here.