The Senior Manager, Business Development is an operational leader and business development subject matter expert responsible for translating strategic business development priorities into effective execution within the practice group. The role ensures the high-quality delivery of BD initiatives, provides expert advisory support to partners and leadership, and leads teams and projects to drive client engagement, growth, and market positioning.
Acting as a key link between strategy and execution, the Senior Manager applies deep business development expertise and market insight to support commercial decision-making, lead complex pitches and proposals, and address business development challenges. The role works closely with partners, practice leaders, and cross-functional teams to ensure BD activities are aligned with firm and practice priorities, delivered efficiently, and continuously improved.
The Senior Manager contributes to the evolution of BD best practices and processes, supports the adoption of strategic initiatives, and plays a critical role in ensuring consistent, high-impact execution across the practice group.
The roles and responsibilities of this job include:
Strategic planning and client cultivation- Support the development and execution of client and business development strategies in line with firm and practice group priorities.
- Analyze market, client, and competitor data to identify growth opportunities and inform strategic outreach.
- Advise and coach partners, lawyers and leadership on client planning, segmentation, and relationship management to maximize client value and retention, including account management and client feedback.
Proposals and pitch excellence- Oversee and manage the preparation of high-quality, tailored pitches, proposals, and client presentations.
- Ensure proposals are aligned with client needs, market trends, and firm strategy, collaborating with partners and BD teams to deliver compelling and competitive submissions.
- Implement best practices and continuous improvement in pitch processes, leveraging data and feedback to enhance outcomes.
Positioning Practices & Partners- Contribute to the development and execution of thought leadership, market positioning, and external engagement strategies.
- Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to raise the profile of the practice group and its partners through events, rankings, PR and content initiatives.
- Ensure alignment of positioning activities with firm priorities and market opportunities.
- Act as a key liaison between BD, practice groups, industry teams, and other business services, ensuring coordination and alignment of BD efforts.
- Facilitate collaboration across teams to address complex challenges, share best practices, and drive integrated solutions for clients.
- Engage with senior stakeholders to support commercial decision-making and the achievement of strategic objectives.
Contributor capacity- Manage and mentor BD team members and project groups, setting clear expectations and fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture.
- Provide technical and professional guidance, feedback, and support to ensure successful delivery of initiatives and continuous team development.
- Act as a role model for operational excellence, innovation, and professional conduct.
Performance and impact- Monitor and report on the effectiveness of BD initiatives using data-driven insights and KPIs, particularly in the development of the annual budget and reporting on spend.
- Drive process improvements and operational efficiency to maximize the impact of BD activities.
- Ensure that all BD outputs meet high standards of quality, timeliness, and alignment with strategic goals.
Other key areas- Maintain strong commercial awareness and industry knowledge to inform BD strategies and keep the firm competitive.
- Support risk management and compliance in all BD activities, ensuring adherence to firm policies and external regulations.
Some essential job requirements for this role:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; relevant professional qualifications an advantage.
- Substantial experience delivering and managing business development activities within a professional services environment, working closely with leadership to translate strategy into execution.
- Recognized expertise in business development disciplines (e.g., pitching, client planning, market positioning), providing technical guidance and advisory support at the practice or sub-functional level.
- Proven experience leading projects and coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality BD outcomes within agreed scope and timelines.
- Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, quality, and consistency of BD delivery.
- Strong commercial awareness and understanding of market and client dynamics, applied pragmatically to support growth and competitiveness.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and judgment skills, with the ability to address complex operational challenges.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with partners, BD colleagues, and other business services teams.
The New York salary range is $174,400 - $261,600
This role reports to Director, Business Development, Global Practices
