Purpose of the Role
The Senior Manager, Financial Services Sector provides strategic business development (BD) advice and practical support to Sector Leaders and Clients & Markets (C&M) colleagues to drive revenue growth through the identification of impactful market opportunities and the development of priority client relationships within the Canadian Financial Services sector.
The incumbent in this role will be will be responsible for developing, executing and implementing the initiatives set out in the annual Financial Services Sector plan, in consultation with key stakeholders (Group Head, Clients, Sectors & New Services, Chief Client Officer, National Director, Sector Strategy & Growth, and Sector Leaders) and in collaboration with national C&M team members.
Key Responsibilities
Revenue Growth through Lead Generation and New Business Acquisition:
- Develop, execute and track measureable outcomes of the annual Financial Services Sector business plan, including the development and maintenance of a dynamic client/prospect opportunity pipeline.
- Track and manage action-oriented activities to develop new client relationships and opportunities across practice areas and bring the full breadth of BLG to the client relationship.
- Work with Sector Leaders, C&M colleagues and legal professionals to prepare focused, strategic responses to RFPs, pitches and other collateral in support of client acquisition opportunities, that clearly demonstrate the value of the new service offering to the client.
- Work with Finance, Legal Operations and Commercial Pricing stakeholders to develop strategic pricing for services, with an emphasis on client value and firm profitability through Alternative Fee Arrangements.
- Coach and prepare legal services professionals to conduct effective client/prospect needs assessment meetings, and develop proactive proposals that identify BLG’s unique value proposition and address the client/prospect’s specific needs.
- Develop, maintain and share valuable sector insights, including industry trends, legislative developments and competitive intelligence about legal service providers, with sector stakeholders to identify market gaps and new business opportunities.
Client Account and Relationship Management:
- Work with Relationship Partner to lead assigned client teams through account planning, meeting governance and reporting.
- Develop deep knowledge of priority client stakeholders, business strategies and current issues; update client profile and track key touchpoints in CRM.
- Leverage relationship programs to engage with priority client stakeholders and develop consistent, value-added client experiences in alignment with client priorities (e.g., Client Listening Program, CPD and substantive legal educational offerings, interactive client presentations and workshops).
- Track, report and present on client account performance indicators, including fees billed, matter pipelines, client relationship activity and pursuits.
Go-to-Market Activation:
- Develop and nurture a network in traditional legal and non-traditional legal channels, including legal-tech, Fintech and crypto assets spaces.
- Leverage professional networks, industry associations and events to promote BLG’s services to prospective clients and referees; collaborate with legal professionals to create impactful presentations at key events.
- Proactively undertake market research to assist in the positioning of existing service lines, and also to identify gaps in the market where new services should be conceptualized – distilling market insights into practical and actionable plans that capitalize on intelligence to strengthen the positioning of the BLG brand, and that of the sector.
- Create client personas/use cases and mine existing client database to identify prospective clients and opportunities to engage with target clients/prospects and deliver tailored solutions.
- Support the Sector Leader, in the launching of new service lines, including taking ownership of all non-technical aspects of the service launch and coordinating with other teams as required to ensure a successful launch.
- Develop and drive integrated service line positioning strategies (internal & external), including making strategic recommendations and related marketing approaches for new services and proactively updating marketing collateral, including website content, to reflect new service line offerings.
General Responsibilities
- Report on progress across the identified goals within the Financial Services sector plan to Sector Leader, Firm Management and other stakeholders, measuring performance and identifying areas where collective action is required.
- Ensure that the Sector Leader is kept informed of business activities, risks, opportunities and recommended actions.
- Collaborate with other C&M functions (Pursuits, Pricing, Business Development Intelligence, Events, Marketing, Communications, CRM, etc.) to deliver seamless and consistent service to legal professionals.
- Work closely with the Pursuits Team to support the Firm's RFP process including guiding inclusion of relevant content and key messages, making recommendations on lawyer teams and tracking business outcomes; provide advice and support to the RFP team on their internal and external communications needs.
- Facilitate strategic meetings and ensure appropriate action items are documented as they relate to revenue generation and client strategies, and lead the execution of action items. 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/Marketing/Communications
- 8+ years of experience and a minimum of 3 years in a professional or legal services environment
- Familiarity with RFPs, alternative fee structures and pricing strategies for professional services
- Maintain an executive presence with the ability to build relationships and trust through an energetic, engaging and empathetic approach
- In-depth understanding of legal and business environments, and comfortable operating in a matrix organization
- Innovative, results-driven and action-oriented, with the ability to identify challenges and opportunities and execute to completion in a deadline-driven environment
- Ability to synthesize and analyze information, and consider issues from a variety of perspectives
- Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a high-performing team and high-pressure environment
- Advanced knowledge of financial reporting concepts, budgeting and quantitative analysis methods
- Strong oral and written communication skills Strong time management skills and ability to manage a variety of concurrent projects
- Established knowledge of Microsoft Office suite software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and CRM
How to Apply
We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
At BLG only those BLG members who are fully vaccinated against COVD-19 with a vaccine approved by Health Canada will be permitted to attend a BLG office or event. “Fully vaccinated” means having received the full series (usually 2 doses) of a vaccine approved by Health Canada, with more than 14 days having passed since the second dose was administered. “Attending a BLG office” includes attending social or business gatherings organized by the Firm, with limits on the number of attendees in accordance with public health guidelines. With respect to client meetings, only fully vaccinated members of the Firm can meet in person with clients (others can attend virtually), unless prior authorization has been obtained from BLG and the client. For any BLG member who is not fully vaccinated, and if the Firm requires your attendance in the office to perform your role, you must take a rapid antigen test conducted within the 24 hours prior to your coming to the office, and you must show proof of a negative test result. A new test is required for each day you are physically in the office. Accommodations will be made for valid medical and religious reasons.
Everyone at BLG is required to carry out the duties of their role while upholding the important principles of our respectful workplace policies, and treating everyone with respect, regardless of position. At BLG, valuing diversity and inclusion is key to a respectful workplace.
BLG is committed to building and fostering a workplace that is reflective of our communities, where all firm members feel included, valued, and heard. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates but acknowledge the systemic and structural barriers that have, historically, marginalized and barred certain groups from accessing employment opportunities. As part of our commitment to removing barriers to employment, we strongly encourage applications from members of these historically marginalized groups including, but not limited to, Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities and women. Accommodations are available, upon request, in all aspects of the recruitment process.
* Please note that relatives of current BLG employees and partners are not eligible for consideration.