Rankings, Awards & Submissions Specialist
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s largest and most successful law firms, has an immediate opening for a Rankings, Awards & Submissions Specialist to join the Client Relations & Marketing team in the Toronto office.
Reporting to the Director, Client Relations & Business Development, the successful candidate will oversee the rankings and awards process to ensure the Firm consistently improves and continuously contributes to the directories and publications of market recognition.
Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Rankings and Directories
- Developing and maintaining a network of connections with various directories and publications to ensure deadlines and material requirements for submissions are met
- Assessing the value in participating and making strategic recommendations to relevant stakeholders as to whether the Firm should participate and track information
- Determining and measuring the value-adds across rankings (tiering) and making strategic recommendations to management regarding the directories/rankings participation proposed for the year
- Developing and maintaining a schedule and communication plan to facilitate the internal process for each of the ranking publications in which the Firm participates
- Maintaining the annual budget relating to directories and publications
Communication Plans
- Working with the Communications team to develop a communication plan to promote the Firm’s rankings/recognition both internally/externally
- Communicating to the relevant stakeholders when new rankings/results are published
- Analyzing the overall rankings and commentary to determine the effectiveness towards achieving the Firm’s goals and communicating these results to management
- Assisting and collaborating with relevant team members in the coordination of Lexpert’s Top 10 Deals submission
- Collaborating with relevant team members to determine messaging for rankings, including quarterly M&A league table rankings, and developing external announcements and social media posts
Directories and Publications
- Answering daily inquiries from various ranking/directory publications and identifying and communicating opportunities with the applicable Business Development team members and/or lawyers
- Drafting and editing Firm and lawyer profiles for relevant ranking publications
- Working with the Business Development Directors and Practice Group Leaders to coordinate the Firm’s participation in practice/industry publications
- Coordinating interviews and lawyer voting for peer surveys that determine lawyer rankings
- Tracking references for directory submissions
- Researching and presenting a business case to management regarding the use of external resources, including software tools to assist with the management and coordination of written submissions
Award Submissions
- Researching, identifying and communicating new opportunities
- Tracking and maintaining a schedule of all awards in which the Firm participates
- Collaborating with lawyers, clients and other members of the Business Development team to draft nominations and ensure completion is done on time
- Coordinating attendance at award dinners and galas, receiving requests from lawyers who wish to attend, presenting requests to management for approval, communicating approvals to lawyers, and resolving any last-minute changes
- Maintaining the budget relating to award dinners and galas
- Working directly with management and the Innovation team to determine nominations and promote internally and externally for industry/professional awards
Database Management
- Working collaboratively with the relevant team members to proactively look at opportunities to highlight deals worked on at the Firm
- Ensuring the database is current and accurate at all times, and maintaining and updating the database with respect to publications, research schedules, deadlines, “no-go” publications, etc.
- Ensuring ranking submissions are uploaded to the Awards and Recognition portal by the Business Development team
Qualifications:
Education/Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or diploma in communications, public Relations, marketing or relevant field
- Minimum of five years of working experience in business development or marketing fields
- Familiarity with the legal industry and associated publications and awards is an asset
Skills/Abilities:
- Adept at effectively summarizing data into more user-friendly analyses
- Able to prioritize, organize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Can work collaboratively both within the department and across departments
- Able to make decisions, provide solutions and adapt to different working situations
- Strong research skills required to provide insight into growth opportunities for the Firm’s exposure as it relates to rankings, recognition and awards
- Able to contribute to the department’s analytical and reporting efforts as it relates to rankings, recognition and awards
- Can generate solutions, taking into consideration political, organizational and individual realities
- Strong problem-solving skills and able to evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of different options
- Uses a logical method for organizing and analyzing information
- Works collaboratively with the Client Relations & Marketing team and practice groups to design, develop and execute plans to promote the services the Firm provides and the rankings and recognition the Firm receives
- Flexibility to work during off-hours (i.e., after 5 p.m.) to regularly check emails
How to Apply:
To apply for this position, please submit your application along with a cover letter and résumé directly to our application portal.
Blakes wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Who We Are
At Blakes, we are all about our people. We are committed to not only providing exceptional client experiences, but also fostering an open and inclusive workplace culture for legal professionals and administrative professionals. As a winner of the Canada’s Best Diversity Employers award, as well as the Greater Toronto’s Top Employers award, we know that diversity and inclusion are not simply initiatives on the perimeter of our business — they are the core of our success. We understand the importance of cultivating 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 comprised of people with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, identities and cultures.
The Firm provides accommodation for applicants with disabilities during the recruitment process in accordance with applicable laws. Please contact us to request accommodation.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE.