Role summary/purpose of job

This is a dynamic role requiring excellent teamworking and communication skills as well as the ability to build strong, trusted relationships with partners and senior internal stakeholders and to work collaboratively with brand, marketing, communications, research and other business services across our global firm.

The Senior Business Development Manager will have considerable experience of working for a global firm in a fast-paced, professional, and client-focused environment. The role requires broad experience with legal or other professional services business development activities and initiatives and the know-how to operationalize and execute across multiple practice areas, sectors and geographies. A successful candidate will have specialized expertise in all aspects of business development, such as pitching, marketing/thought leadership campaigns, content or credentials creation, directory submissions, or key account client relationship management. It is intended that any existing specialization or expertise continues to be leveraged significantly within this role and used to coach and mentor colleagues.

With this context, the role holder will work closely with the ‘Head of’ to lead the Global Business Development team for ACT and will:
• Engage with the specific strategic challenges and opportunities for ACT, then lead the formulation of a focused marketing and business development strategy that strengthens relationships with existing clients, targets and positions the partners to win new work effectively and builds the global reputation of the firm in this space
• Be visible, credible and use their strong influencing skills to represent and engage the practice group or sector in the strategy, then manage associated activities effectively across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Lead the bid strategy including, as appropriate, involvement in the creation of compelling credentials, proposals and pitches, and advising partners on how best to respond to fast turn-around bids, global panels or other opportunities to win work for the global ACT practice as the lead or as part of a team, ensuring that opportunities are pursued tenaciously and pitch activity is recorded, tracked and results are reportable via Salesforce
• Oversee the creation of practice group or sector-specific content, campaigns and events and the completion of relevant directory and award submissions in order to increase engagement with priority clients and enhance the personal brands of leading practitioners, as well as the firm’s global reputation
• Manage the development of the headline marketing campaigns to support the broad dissemination to the market of ACT’s proprietary insights, for example the annual “10 Key Themes” campaign as well as the regular publication of the Foreign Investment Monitor, among others
• Leverage their commercial mindset and knowledge of business development best practices, as well as marketing technology and tools e.g. Salesforce to analyse trends, anticipate opportunities to win work and develop existing clients and services, track key relationships, and report on the success of initiatives
• Manage practice group or, campaigns or events and relevant directory and award submissions to increase engagement with key clients and enhance the personal brands of leading practitioners and the firm’s global reputation
• Demonstrate strong people management and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and drive direct reports to become a high performing team, as well as coaching and mentoring individuals to support their career and personal development goals
• Build trusted relationships with partners, stakeholders and global colleagues to achieve a ‘one team’ global mindset
• Establish an agile and responsive bespoke service model based on mutual respect and appreciation of skillsets across the team
• Contribute to continuous improvement in the firm’s approach to business development, including setting high expectations of the team to coach, learn from each other and share knowledge, content and data proactively to centralised tools, such as Foundation

Location overview: London

Our London office is at the heart of our global network, in one of the most exciting world cities. London is arguably the world’s greatest financial centre: all of the world’s leading financial institutions have a significant presence here. It’s home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe’s largest companies.

Our London team has a reputation that’s second to none. They’re the team the world’s leading businesses turn to for help with their most challenging problems. They work with colleagues around the world on complex, cross-border deals and disputes. Whether you join as a lawyer, a recent graduate or in a business services role, London is a great place to work.

You will have the opportunity to work on challenging, engaging work that will give you the opportunity to make your mark and progress your career. We believe there is no better place to work.

About Marketing & Business Development (MBD)

MBD is a dynamic global team which includes business development specialists, research analysts, brand, marketing and communications experts. By working collaboratively, our team shapes the firm’s client strategy, completes analysis of complex business issues, targets opportunities, develops compelling proposals and creates content and marketing campaigns that lead our digital presence. Together, we define the client experience and shape the perception of Freshfields around the globe.

The Antitrust, Competition and Trade (ACT) MBD team leads strategic positioning, visibility and client service activities for the world’s preeminent antitrust and competition practice. With more than 300 lawyers in the UK, US, Europe and Asia, our lawyers are leaders in all aspects of this dynamic and rapidly evolving area of the law. They help companies navigate increased governmental intervention in consumer markets and challenging geopolitical and economic turmoil. This position is an excellent opportunity to work in an international business environment and with a team of lawyers and professional colleagues who have a strong culture of teamwork and collaboration. You will work on challenging, engaging work that will give you the opportunity to make your mark and progress your career.

Key requirements

• Educated to degree level, with considerable experience in professional organisations (legal, accountancy, technology, consultancy)

• Deep understanding of how to develop effective go-to-market strategies for compelling proprietary content

• Affinity for leveraging digital tools to reach both broad and targeted audiences

• Strong emotional intelligence, independent thinking and execution, and mature professional judgment

• Excellent teamworking and collaboration skills, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and externally with senior stakeholders, as well as act as a source of guidance for less experienced team colleagues

• Strong multi-tasking and project management skills and demonstrated capabilities to manage multiple deadlines and changing project criteria, and resilience under pressure

• Superior written, presentation and oral communications skills, with demonstrated excellence in grammar and proofreading, as well as the proven ability to create well crafted drafts of substantive materials, requiring limited editing by senior stakeholders

• Extensive working knowledge of Microsoft Suite software

• Ability to work flexibly in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and high expectations

• Natural curiosity and propensity to learn from all experiences; enthusiasm and ability to coach and mentor direct reports into well-rounded business development professionals

• Additional language skills would be of interest

Freshfields Overview

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.

Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams. Our culture is a product of the combined mindsets and behaviours of our people which is through the Being Freshfields principles, outlined below:

• we show respect to everyone

• we are there for one another

• we are open with each other

• we are positive role models

We think and work globally - we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.

We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate.

Freshfields is committed to promoting equality and diversity and to developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds make important and positive contributions to our business and how we service our clients.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.