Director, Client Engagement (Knowledge & Legal Research Services)

Harbor is seeking a Director, Client Engagement & Market Development (Knowledge and Research Services) to help grow our Knowledge & Research Services practice by creating and shaping new client engagements. This role builds relationships across the legal market, turns client needs into well-scoped engagements, and stays connected through delivery so that each engagement is set up to succeed. The Director will also oversee our market-facing programs, including BLISS and LINKS, and lead the practice's thought leadership. This role works closely with Harbor's Client Engagement team and partners with Knowledge & Research Services delivery leaders from first conversation through to successful completion. This is a fully remote role that can be worked from anywhere in the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada, with an expectation of approximately 20-30% travel.

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, bringing in subject matter and delivery experts as needed; Partner with Client Engagement on opportunities and identify ways to extend existing client relationships; Develop scope, assumptions, and resourcing for proposals and Statements of Work in partnership 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 engagements; Define strategy for improving utilization, margins, and scalability; Position Interim Research as a strategic entry point for broader services; Lead the handover from engagement development to delivery, making sure scope, assumptions, and client expectations are clearly understood; Stay connected to engagements through delivery to support client communication and resolve scope questions; Identify follow-on opportunities as engagements progress; Apply lessons learned from delivery 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 the Knowledge & Research Services thought leadership agenda, including content, presentations, and webinars; Partner with Marketing to align messaging with our 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 back into service development; Help Harbor colleagues understand our offerings and recognize opportunities for Knowledge & Research Services

Requirements

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, with the ability to engage credibly with senior stakeholders; Strong commercial judgement and a collaborative approach to working with delivery teams; Bachelor's degree required; Reliable internet connection for virtual working

Nice to have

Master's degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS), JD, or other relevant advanced degree preferred; Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms preferred