Proposal Specialist

**ABOUT GOWLING WLG**

At Gowling WLG, our dedication to excellence and quality service begins with our people. As a global law firm with offices across Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we pride ourselves on sourcing and retaining top talent who bring energy, passion and commitment to the delivery of outstanding client service.

Employee satisfaction is important to us. We work hard to ensure that our people are motivated, engaged and empowered. We are guided by our firm’s Core Values - The Power of Teamwork, Always Striving to be Better, We all Bring Something Different - in all that we do.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an integral part of our firm’s core values. We are always striving to build a more equitable, engaging and rewarding workplace by attracting and retaining talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. Our aim is to help everyone reach their full potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Our diverse group of legal professionals, law students, law clerks, paralegals, legal administrative assistants and business services team members work together, and are respected and valued for their individual contributions.

**PROFILE**

Reporting to the National Proposal Manager, the Proposal Specialist will work within a national shared services team environment, developing and preparing proposals in response to formal legal service procurements, including, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), as well as informal requests for credentials documents, in alignment with the firm’s business strategies and revenue growth goals.

Working within the Proposal and Pursuits Team, as well as collaborating with other functional teams, including the Experience, Business Development and Pricing Teams, the Proposal Specialist will provide lawyers with strategic guidance, highlighting what sets Gowling WLG apart and leveraging the firm’s strengths to meet the needs of clients and prospective clients.

This position could be based out of any of the firm’s Canadian offices.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Conduct a thorough review and analysis of incoming requests for proposals to understand the business requirements and strategically plan how to execute the creation of the response.
- Respond to deadline-driven RFPs across many services and jurisdictions, often acting as a team liaison and project manager for the entire proposal development process, including any international requests and multi-party opportunities.
- Develop proposals into a cohesive document using the firm’s established document templates, or an online response, ensuring that the proposal incorporates pre-approved and convincing content, is in alignment with firm brand standards and brand voice, and is in compliance with all requirements of the RFP or client request.
- Lead all proposal production activities, including any hard-copy printing, distribution and physical delivery of the document, or online submissions.
- Update the proposal content library with completed responses to improve access to a data bank of content, improving the efficiency and the performance of subsequent requests for proposal and credentials responses.
- Collaborate with the Experience Team to preserve any relevant work examples collected during the proposal development process.
- Continually seek to develop improved proposal writing processes and ensure quality control of final submissions.
- Participate in research initiatives related to proposals.
- Create originally drafted content if needed for unique requests.
- Other duties as required that contribute to the firm, its clients and our team.

**QUALIFICATIONS**
- A post secondary education with a focus on Business, Communications, Project Management, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
- A minimum of 5 years experience in a similar role with a preference for experience in a law firm or parallel professional services environment, or another relevant industry sector.
- Proven success working in a global virtual work environment demanding strong interpersonal and organizational abilities with excellent leadership skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with other firm members, with the aptitude to be highly responsive to internal clients’ needs in a professional and service-driven manner.
- Capacity to work independently, as well as within a team environment.
- Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.
- Natural problem-solving, curiosity and critical thinking skills.
- Ability to excel in a deadline-driven environment and the flexibility to work outside of regular business hours on short notice as needed in order to meet deadlines.
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word, as well as database platforms and familiarity with procurement processes.
- Excellent knowledge of the Canadian legal landscape and business environment.
- Bilingualism (English/French) is considered an