Business Development Manager

Overview

Responsible for working closely with the Practice Chairs and other Partners to develop a market strategy that will position the practices as leaders in their field and enable the practices to achieve key business goals, including increasing their market share. The Business Development Manager will be responsible for overseeing the execution of marketing plans and initiatives, with functional support provided by other members of the firm-wide Business Development/Marketing team.

Primary

• Develop Business Development/Marketing portion of annual practice plans and business development initiatives and ensure alignment with the firm’s overall marketing strategy.
• Recommend business goals and metrics regarding practices’ overall market share peer rankings and cross-selling priorities.
• Partner with the firm’s Directors of Global Practice Management and Financial Services Department to obtain internal and external financial data from which to develop meaningful annual practice group business plans, including financial metrics, for discussion with the Partners.
• Assist Partners in identifying the practices’ competitive strengths and develop supporting marketing plans to promote same in an effective and unified manner that is consistent with the firm’s overall branding strategy.
• Provide marketing research and analysis and regular and timely business intelligence on key competitors and marketplace trends; identify and recommend other opportunities for increasing the practices’ profiles among potential clients and help to differentiate the practices from their competition.
• Manage sales outreach function, including developing and writing sophisticated client pitch templates, responses to RFPs and other new business material; lead internal follow-up debriefing on pitch opportunities.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of the practices’ marketing collateral, brochures, biographies and practice group descriptions.
• Collaborate with Partners and other members of Business Development/Marketing team to plan and execute on the practices’ participation in relevant industry events, industry surveys, public relations and communications and technology initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Information Technology team when needed to develop relevant tools to improve client tracking and monitoring, client service, web presence and more.
• In consultation with other members of the Business Development/Marketing team, assist Partners in organizing internal and external group meetings, relevant training presentations and other activities that support the practices’ goals.
• Support Directors of Global Practice Management in development of annual practice budgets. Draft Business Development/Marketing portion of practice budget.

Secondary

• Performs additional duties and responsibilities as necessary.

• Job is performed in a typical office environment, but is subject to time pressures and constraints, and is often dependent on input from others.
• Long hours are required periodically.
• Occasional travel to other firm offices required.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in business, economics, finance or marketing; advanced degree, such as a JD or MBA, is preferred.

Experience:

• At least seven years’ experience in business/marketing professional services, including the development of business and marketing plans and the creation of new services and products. Law firm experience and familiarity with identified practice groups preferred.

Special Knowledge:

• Superior writing, editing, organizational, project management, problem solving, analytical and research skills and an ability to conceptualize and effectively communicate complex concepts to Partners and staff.

Technical

Skills:

• Strong technical proficiencies, particularly in the use of CRM/contact databases, Excel, PowerPoint and on-line research databases, such as Capital IQ, Merger Market, Courtlink and other web-based research tools.

Attributes:

• Confident, positive self-starter who can win the trust of lawyers as well as professionals in all administrative departments. Persuasive communicator who is able to manage by influence versus authority and who can help build consensus around an idea. Demonstrated project management experience as well as the ability to manage/mentor junior staff and lead teams.