BD Manager - Corporate (Equity Capital Markets)

Job description

We are currently recruiting for a BD Manager (Corporate - Equity Capital Markets) to join our Marketing department on a permanent basis.
Role purpose
The London Equity Capital Markets (ECM) team is a key product within A&O Shearman's London Corporate practice group. It is strategically important to the firm. This role is based in London and supports London-based teams, but both products have European, and Global, scope.
The role is focused on the implementation of the BD strategy for the firm's London ECM practice.  The role will involve driving the practice’s strategies, supporting them to win more work by focusing on product driven BD activities such as pitches, campaigns and initiatives. This is a great opportunity for someone to join our market leading Corporate practice group, in a busy and strategic product group.  The role requires a ‘hands-on’ approach to marketing and BD.  Being adept at achieving results through detailed work and building relationships and influence within the practice will be essential to success.
 
Key relationships

• Senior BD Manager for London Corporate
• Head of Business Development – Global Corporate
• Partners and fee earners in the London ECM team
• Other international ECM partners and fee earners in the global network
• Peers across the wider business development, marketing and communications team

Role and responsibilities

• Business planning and advice - provide focus to the delivery and direction of BD activities. Play a key influencing role with ECM partners and senior associates on business development activities and projects, including client targeting and pipeline management. Lead on communication, coordination and strategic leadership of relevant key areas: Equity Capital Markets. Create strong links with the debt Capital Markets teams across the firm.
• Proposals - lead in preparing proposals, pitch presentations and credentials statements for London-based Regulatory and ECM opportunities and multi-jurisdictional opportunities with a UK nexus. Coach partners on their presentations and ensure the teams follow best practice. Input into documents prepared by other practice groups and offices requiring the relevant commercial product expertise. Seek client feedback, capture proposal outcomes and prompt fee earners to act upon feedback. Share best practice examples with the wider team and brand representatives.
• Client account management - assist partners, associates and BD colleagues in the management of strategic client relationships and coordinate client targeting efforts across the ECM group. Work with the central client relationship management (CRM) team on specific client tactics, including secondee debriefs, client presentations and training, etc. Develop an in-depth knowledge of the key clients in the market. Ensure regular sharing of information on client activities across relevant groups.
• Client listening - work on client listening programmes as appropriate; carry out client listening sessions with key clients. Assimilate the feedback into reports for the relevant partners. Proactively work with the partners to ensure that the feedback in the report is actioned appropriately.
• Market and client research - to support business planning activities and key proposals.
• Events and seminars – Coordinate cross-practice, multi-jurisdictional client-facing events (face-to-face and virtual), Deal updates and ad-hoc events. Contribute to preparation of regular slot London seminar programme events (i.e. corporate governance).
• Internal events – help to coordinate internal client events, including offsites, training for lawyers and group-wide catch ups (i.e. ECM EMEA steering call).
• Client hospitality - proactively identify appropriate client entertainment opportunities with fee earners and the CRM team. Challenge partners where appropriate on best use of hospitality opportunities and marketing budget spend. Track marketing spend against clients and individuals/teams within clients to ensure activities are aligned with overall strategic priorities.
• Internal communications - oversee the maintenance of a flow of market/client intelligence (e.g. pipeline deals, major players, market shares, key client contact moves and developments) to partners and associates.
• Campaign management - work with the partners, senior associates and the Knowledge Lawyer team to develop and execute integrated business development campaigns, where appropriate. Plan roundtables and client seminars to raise awareness of our expertise in key product areas. Liaise with the Communications/PR team to develop a stronger external profile for the selected product areas.
• BD tactics - responsible for the timeliness, consistency and quality of BD tools: Work with PAs and any available BD Executive/Assistant resource to ensure email distribution and target lists are kept up-to-date; maintain updated collateral, credentials, contact cards and CVs; and track and ensure deal information is regularly and accurately captured in the firm's experience system, EPiC.
• Directories and awards – lead on practice area directory submissions and team/individual award submissions. Feed into to wider relevant directories.
• Additional projects - Opportunity to assist in firm wide, local, departmental or practice area projects.

Key requirements

• Substantial relevant business development and marketing experience at an equivalent BD level, likely to be within a professional or financial services organisation, where the individual frequently worked with management of individual practice or service lines.
• Substantial experience of development and executing business development strategies that have been delivered significant results against strategic goals.
• Proven track record of achieving product-line business objectives.
• Enthusiasm to develop an in-depth understanding of the ECM market/practice (in terms of the market, the deals, the key players, the competition, and the actual structures and approaches involved in this area). Previous ECM and Regulatory experience would be a plus, but is not essential.
• Excellent communication skills - both written and oral.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills - with partners, key associates, and business development colleagues, clients and suppliers. Ability to motivate fee-earners to engage on business development projects and to work with them to develop and implement business development plans.
• Ability to motivate, develop and inspire both team and fee-earners to deliver business goals and change behaviour where required. Draws on experience to manage change.
• Exceptional people management skills with experience of managing and developing the careers of a high performing team.
• A proactive approach, balancing creativity and tenacity, and an enthusiastic approach to all work and interactions.
• High attention to detail and strong client focus.
• Ability to work to deadlines, juggle multiple projects and deliver under pressure. Ability to plan ahead, anticipate one's own workload and knowing how to work with busy fee earners, balancing conflicting priorities and does not over-commit to unrealistic deliverables - always manages expectations.   

Additional information - External

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with 47 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.
We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.
Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.
What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.
Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any reasonable adjustments as required.
We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.