Business Development

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 Toronto.

Reporting to the Director, Client Relations & Business Development, the BD Specialist works directly with assigned 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

Business Planning - Working in collaboration with the BD Director(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

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/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/logístical support, in addition to reviewing relevant sponsorships

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 BD Director and Proposals team

Business Development Budget - Assisting with creating and monitoring annual BD expense reports and budget

**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 a professional-services industry is an asset

Bilingual capability 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**:
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.

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.