Director, Client Engagement (Knowledge & Legal Research Services)

Harbor

19d•Remote

About The Position

Harbor is seeking a Director, Client Engagement & Market Development to grow its Knowledge & Research Services practice by developing and shaping new client engagements. The role builds relationships across the legal market, translates client needs into well-scoped engagements, and remains involved through delivery to help ensure successful outcomes. It also oversees the market-facing BLISS and LINKS programs and leads the practice’s thought leadership agenda. The Director works closely with Harbor’s Client Engagement team and Knowledge & Research Services delivery leaders from initial client conversations through engagement completion. This is a fully remote role that may be performed from anywhere in the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada, with approximately 20–30% travel expected.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Significant experience in knowledge, research, or information services within a law firm, professional services, or consulting environment.
Proven experience developing client relationships and shaping new engagements, ideally in advisory or managed services.
Experience developing proposals, Statements of Work, and scoping or pricing inputs.
Strong understanding of the priorities of law firm library, research, and knowledge functions.
Experience with thought leadership, events, or market-facing programmes.
Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills, including the ability to engage credibly with senior stakeholders.
Strong commercial judgment and a collaborative approach to working with delivery teams.
Reliable internet connection for virtual working.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS), JD, or another relevant advanced degree.
Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms.

Responsibilities

Build a pipeline of new Knowledge & Research Services engagements through market relationships, existing clients, and referrals.
Lead discovery conversations to understand client priorities, challenges, and desired outcomes.
Shape client needs into practical engagement approaches, involving subject matter and delivery experts as needed.
Partner with Client Engagement on opportunities and identify ways to extend existing client relationships.
Develop proposal and Statement of Work scope, assumptions, and resourcing with delivery leaders.
Contribute to pricing and commercial models that support margin objectives.
Maintain consistent, high-quality proposal and scoping materials.
Track opportunities and contribute to pipeline reviews and forecasting.
Own growth, performance, and P&L for Interim Research services.
Oversee delivery quality and placement success across Interim Research engagements.
Define strategies to improve utilization, margins, and scalability for Interim Research.
Position Interim Research as a strategic entry point for broader services.
Lead handovers from engagement development to delivery, ensuring scope, assumptions, and client expectations are understood.
Stay connected to engagements during delivery to support client communication and resolve scope questions.
Identify follow-on opportunities as engagements progress.
Apply delivery lessons learned to improve future scoping and positioning.
Oversee the planning and delivery of BLISS and LINKS.
Use insights from BLISS and LINKS to inform the practice’s point of view and open new client conversations.
Lead Knowledge & Research Services thought leadership, including content, presentations, and webinars.
Partner with Marketing to align messaging with service offerings.
Build relationships with library, research, knowledge, and innovation leaders across the legal market.
Represent Harbor at industry events, client meetings, and roundtables.
Bring market trends and emerging client needs into service development.
Help Harbor colleagues understand the offerings and recognize Knowledge & Research Services opportunities.