Manager, Proposals

Who We Are:

Aird & Berlis LLP is a prominent Canadian business law firm located in the heart of Toronto’s and Vancouver’s financial districts. With over 250 lawyers, business advisors and patent agents, we serve clients across Canada and globally.

What We Believe In:

The firm is committed to ensuring that all members of the Aird & Berlis LLP community feel valued, respected and supported. We are a dedicated group of diverse individuals who care about each other, the work we produce and the client service we provide. We go to great lengths to foster a professional, supportive environment for all firm members so you can focus on the important things: client service, your career and your life.

What We Are Looking For:

Aird & Berlis LLP is seeking to fill a new position for a Proposals Manager, to join the Marketing team in our Toronto office. Reporting directly to the Chief Growth Officer, this role leads the development and delivery of compelling, client-focused pitches and proposals that support the firm’s growth priorities. Working closely with firm leadership, partners, practice and industry groups and the Business Development team, the Proposals Manager oversees proposal strategy, workflow, content quality and submission deadlines. The ideal manager will bring strong judgment, exceptional writing and editing skills, and the ability to develop a team through coaching, training, feedback and collaboration.

Responsibilities:

Pitch and Proposal Strategy and Leadership

• Lead the firm’s pitch and proposal strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities, brand and growth objectives.
• Partner with practice and industry groups to develop pursuit strategies focused on client needs, growth priorities and cross-selling opportunities.
• Advise firm leadership, partners and stakeholders on proposal positioning, key messages and competitive differentiation. Translate complex legal services and client requirements into clear, compelling, audience-appropriate responses.
• Establish pitch and proposal standards, processes and best practices to ensure consistent, high-quality submissions.
• Support opportunity qualification and bid/no-bid discussions with the Chief Growth Officer and relevant stakeholders to focus resources on priority pursuits.

Proposal Planning and Coordination

• Oversee intake and review of requests for proposals, requests for information and pitch opportunities, identifying requirements, deliverables and deadlines.
• Develop proposal work plans, assign responsibilities and coordinate kickoff meetings, stakeholder input, reviews and approvals.

Pitch and Proposal Development

• Oversee the end-to-end development of pitches, proposals and panel submissions, from strategy and drafting through final delivery.
• Work with lawyers and Business Development to understand client objectives and develop tailored value propositions, win themes and supporting evidence.
• Guide and contribute to drafting and editing executive summaries, service approaches, team profiles and experience statements, ensuring clear and persuasive responses.
• Coordinate pitch presentations and briefing materials, supporting lawyers with key messages, presentation preparation and rehearsals.

Quality Assurance and Submission Management

• Review proposals for accuracy, completeness, consistency and compliance with client instructions, evaluation criteria and submission requirements.
• Coordinate review and approval of pricing, commitments and sensitive information with responsible lawyers, Finance, General Counsel and other stakeholders, as appropriate.
• Oversee final production, version control and timely submission, protecting confidential information and maintaining complete proposal records.

Proposal Content and Knowledge Management

• Lead the development and maintenance of reusable proposal content, templates and pitch materials to support efficient, high-quality responses.
• Partner with lawyers and the Business Development team to capture representative matters, client insights and practice-specific credentials for use in pitches and proposals.
• Ensure proposal content reflects the firm’s voice, brand standards and market positioning while remaining tailored to each opportunity.
• Develop compelling experience narratives and case studies that demonstrate relevant capabilities and client value, subject to appropriate approvals.

Proposal Systems and Reporting

• Oversee proposal tracking and the use of content management and collaboration tools to maintain visibility into active pursuits, deadlines and team capacity.
• Report on proposal activity, outcomes and trends to the Chief Growth Officer. Use client feedback, win/loss insights and process data to improve future submissions.

Internal Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing, Business Development, Finance, Professional Resources, Information Technology and other teams to coordinate proposal inputs and supporting materials.
• Build strong relationships with lawyers and business professionals to clarify pursuit objectives, secure timely input and maintain a coordinated, client-focused approach.

People Leadership and Development

• Lead, mentor and develop all pitch and proposal specialists on the Marketing team, setting clear priorities and expectations and providing ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Build team capabilities in proposal strategy, persuasive writing, project coordination and quality assurance through training, knowledge sharing and best practices.
• Allocate work across the specialists, manage capacity and competing deadlines, and foster accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement within Marketing and across supporting teams.

Credentials, Experience and Supporting Submissions

• Coordinate the use of legal directory rankings, including Chambers and Legal500, to support relevant pitch and proposal credentials.
• Collaborate with lawyers and relevant Marketing colleagues to maintain current awards, recognitions and client references for proposal use.
• Oversee proposal-related use of the firm’s Expertise Database and identify improvements in representative work collection and tracking.
• Ensure supporting credentials and experience records are accurate, approved and readily accessible for pitches, proposals and related submissions.

Requirements:

• Post-secondary education in marketing, communications, business, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in pitch and proposal development and management preferably within a law firm environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, competitive pitches and proposals from opportunity assessment through submission.
• Experience working with senior leaders, partners and subject matter experts to develop client-focused proposal strategies and persuasive responses.
• Strong understanding of request for proposal processes, compliance requirements, proposal content management and quality assurance.
• Proven ability to lead, coach and develop pitch and proposal specialists and manage team workloads.
• Exceptional writing and editing capabilities, with demonstrated experience producing tailored proposals, executive summaries and client-facing pitch materials.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits, stakeholder inputs and competing deadlines in a fast-paced professional environment.

Skills:

• Microsoft 365 suite of Applications
• Exceptional proposal strategy, stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Superior writing, editing, verbal and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into compelling, client-focused proposals.
• Strong judgment, discretion and professionalism when handling confidential client information and advising on proposal commitments.
• Proven project and team leadership skills, with the ability to coordinate complex proposals from strategy through submission.
• Creative, solutions-oriented and adaptable, with a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.
• Ability to problem solve.
• Strong interpersonal skills.

Compensation:

The salary range for this position $100,000 to $130,000 is annually; the base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal and market equity.

Why You Should Apply:

• Opportunities for growth and on-the-job training and development
• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• Hybrid working model that offers flexibility and work-life balance
• A mid-sized firm with a strong sense of community and a family feel
• Active involvement in our community, with opportunities to volunteer
• Mentor program
• Wellness programs

Any offer of employment will be conditional upon a criminal background check.

We will review applications as they are received and all applications will be kept on file. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Aird & Berlis LLP is committed to providing equal access to employment. If you require accommodation, please contact ckelly@airdberlis.com and we will work with you to provide accessibility support.