Baker McKenzie

The Business Development Manager, London Corporate (M&A and PE) - Contract (12 months) will manage the strategic focus of the Corporate Group in the London office, specifically the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and (Private Equity) PE teams. The role-holder will coordinate the BDMC functions, office resources and develop a strategically focused, market-leading BDMC business-partnering capability, which enables the Groups in the London office to win, retain and grow business.

The individual will be working side-by-side with partners and leadership to develop the growth plan for the Practice Group, ensuring that our marketing captures our unique value proposition, and identifying and prioritizing the key client opportunities, marketing initiatives, and service lines of the Group. This also involves close collaboration with various other practices in the London offices and Senior BD Managers for aligned sub-groups in EMEA, to enhance cross-selling opportunities to promote the firm’s capabilities. 

The role-holder should have a broad mix of experience across the whole business development, marketing, and communications skillset. They should be able to combine a strategic perspective with a hands-on approach to delivery as well as be good at spotting opportunities and mobilizing resources to pursue them, bringing in support from the wider marketing and business community as appropriate. 

Main responsibilities:

• Lead on the design and execution of BDMC plans for assigned sub-groups within the London Corporate team, bringing in BDMC Experts and End-to-End functions as required (these functions include central marketing, directories, proposals, key client management, data analytics, market research, events, and design teams)
• Proactively drive forward agreed priorities that are aligned with global and regional plans, including practice-driven strategic initiatives; client engagement (e.g. client targeting, client listening, client events); profile-raising activities (e.g. directory & award submissions, speaking opportunities); fee-generating activities and other BDMC projects as required
• Work with Partners and fee earners to ensure their BDMC requirements are strategically brainstormed, developed, implemented, and communicated to other parts of the BDMC function; collaborate with Expert functions to challenge requests where commercially prudent, e.g. pitch go/no go decisions
• Work with colleagues in the wider regional & global Practice Group BDMC, Client Development, and Industry Sectors to ensure lawyers are connected to key initiatives and armed with information on the latest trends and related hot topics/talking points to generate opportunities
• Deliver high-quality BDMC support and training to the Practice Group by integrating contributions from Expert functions and End-to-End Services with their work. This spans all aspects of the BD and Marketing mix, including developing client or sector opportunities, maximizing ROI from client conferences & events, deploying marketing and communications campaigns, and promoting our service lines
• Support the Partners and other fee earners to identify and implement external profile-raising opportunities, including our thought-leadership program/campaigns, article writing, and speaking opportunities
• Ensure that content and materials suitable for BDMC purposes are regularly reviewed and kept up to date; develop new materials for additional service lines and opportunities as required
• Work within the pitching ecosystem to deliver first-rate responses and proposals for fee-generating opportunities where there is a genuine prospect of a successful outcome. This will require a collaborative working approach with fee earners, client managers, pitch pros, BDMC colleagues, and others

Skills and experience: 

• Good experience in a marketing and/or business development role, preferably in a professional services environment 
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and developing relationships with them
• Line management experience 
• Strong judgment and a demonstrable track record for confidently suggesting well-reasoned independent strategic recommendations and ideas
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Able to effectively manage competing priorities
• Advanced understanding of strategic marketing and communications
• Self-motivated and independent, able to work with a minimum of supervision
• Comfortable working across multiple cultures and time zones in a matrix organization
• Strong interpersonal skills, including a pleasant nature and the ability to influence others
• A high degree of attention to detail

Reports to: Senior Business Development Manager, London Corporate

Position type: In Market

Development framework: Manager

At Baker McKenzie we are different in the way we think, work and behave. With our team of 13,000 people, including over 6,500 locally admitted lawyers, in over 70 offices worldwide, we have a passionately collaborative community of 60 nationalities and are committed to world-class career development to everyone in every job at every level. Baker McKenzie can offer you both the uncompromising commitment to excellence expected of a top firm paired with a passionately global and genuinely collaborative working environment.

To Apply

At Baker McKenzie, we welcome direct applications.

Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role.  We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application.  If you are unable to apply online, please contact the Recruitment Team on either 020 7919 1000 or Recruitment.London@bakermckenzie.com

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Baker McKenzie is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for all. Our unique international culture is reflected in the drawing together of a worldwide family of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds in all of our offices. We encourage the best people - regardless of race, religion or belief, if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or age - to fulfill their professional aspirations with us.  We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates.