The role

We are recruiting for a confident, energetic and commercially minded Senior Business Development Manager to play a leading role in developing and delivering the firm's business and client development strategies across the firm's Retail & Consumer sector and our MIPTOC (Media, IP, Technology, Outsourcing, Commercial Contracts) practice.

This role will form an integral part of the Commercial BD senior leadership team, reporting into the Head of Business & Client Development (Commercial). The role will be supported by a BD Manager and BD Executive and you will be joining the firm at an exciting time when there is a great deal of strategic focus and ambition within the business development function and wider firm.

• The Retail & Consumer sector is one of the firm's priority sectors. We act for numerous household names, winning a number of accolades including being ranked in Tier 1 of in the Retail and Consumer category of the Legal 500 directory and being accredited as Best Legal Adviser by Legal Week eight years in a row.
• This role also focuses on driving growth in the firm's MIPTOC (Media, IP, Technology, Outsourcing, Commercial Contracts) practice, core parts of the Commercial Division of the firm, with responsibility for defining and delivering group business development strategies, ensuring implementation is strategically aligned, client focused and highly effective.
• With support from the BD Manager and BD Executive, the successful candidate will combine day-to-day support for London-based partners in these practices and collaboration with the wider partnership, colleagues in our Asia offices and Brand, Clients and Markets (BCM) team on broader BD initiatives.
• Acting as both the BD lead, subject matter expert and ambassador for the practices with the wider business and other key stakeholders, you will need to establish a close and effective relationship with lawyers and business services colleagues, contributing and leading on best practice.
• With responsibility for all aspects of planning and development of business development activity and the targeting of marketing activity, the Senior Business Development Manager will enjoy a broad role developing and implementing annual business plans, budget proposals and campaign plans and overseeing BD activity, structured client development,and producing bespoke bids in pursuit of profitable revenue growth from RPC's Retail and MIPTOC clients and prospects.
• On the marketing side, the role holder will lead on profile raising initiatives, including events, marketing communications, multichannel campaigns, in addition to managing branding and external positioning and relevant award and directory submissions for these groups.

The ideal candidate will be a motivated self-starter, a persuasive and assertive team player with a strong background in professional services marketing and business development.

It's an exciting opportunity which offers exposure at the most senior levels of the firm and is rich with potential to make a real strategic impact and a tangible difference very quickly.

Reports to

Head of Business and Client Development (Commercial)

Duties and Responsibilities include but not are limited to the following:

The successful candidate will be the go-to person for all Retail related BD and Marketing activity. The Retail group has ambitious growth plans and focuses on three key streams:

1. Food & Drink
2. Digital Retail
3. Stores of the Future

Each stream has two partner leads with whom this role will closely work. The Retail group also has an Executive management team on which the person in this role will sit. In addition, you will also have responsibility for advisory and support marketing and business development services for the MIPTOC group of practices.

The role will have overall responsibility for the below:

Business and BD planning

• Working with the Retail and MIPTOC group leads, design and deliver a long-term overarching marketing and business development strategy for the group as a whole to develop sustainable profitable growth
• Design and execute annual and long-term marketing and business development plans - coupled with financial, BD and resourcing targets - which support the group strategies and help achieve their stated long-term business objectives
• Identify business leads and emerging opportunities through market research and analysis

Proposition building and positioning

• Lead the Retail and MIPTOC groups in developing compelling and competitive value propositions by group
• In collaboration with the BCM team, design and execute strategies to ensure the propositions are clearly articulated and communicated across all channels (digital platforms, capability statements, proposals, legal directories etc), and with maximum impact
• Work with relevant lawyers and the BCM team in London and Asia to deliver plans which build brand awareness and understanding in the external marketplace for the Retail and MIPTOC groups, for clients, targets and other key audiences

Key Account Management

• Working alongside relevant Partners, Business Development and Client Services colleagues, to lead the management and development of Retail sector and MIPTOC priority, growth and potential clients, implementing best practice CRM and ensuring that resources are aligned accordingly
• Institutionalise high quality relationship management and cross-selling disciplines through collaboration within the firm's client development programme, with the ultimate objective of opening out and driving revenue growth from existing clients of the firm
• Working alongside the Client Services team to leverage insights from the firm's client listening programme to drive a culture of client service excellence at both an individual client and group level
• Prepare partners for effective relationship and business development meetings with clients and targets including client/target research and presentation/marketing collateral support
• Advise, coach and motivate client teams, and assist in identifying business development opportunities

Tactical marketing and BD

• Provide strategic advice and guidance to lawyers on how to raise profile, awareness and market reputation to key buyer groups
• Work alongside lawyers and wider BCM colleagues to implement appropriate positioning and business development tactics according to client relationship maturity, including:
  • legal updates, bulletins and blogs
  • PR and media relations
  • sponsorship and advertising
  • conferences
  • seminars
  • client hospitality
  • thought leadership and content
  • strategic social media and other digital platforms
  • directories
  • internal communication
  • awards
• Collaborate with BCM colleagues to ensure Retail and MIPTOC marketing initiatives dovetail with and complement firmwide, sector and practice marketing and brand-building activities
• Establish and monitor an approach to measure return on investment on marketing and business development activities for the Retail and MIPTOC groups

Bid management

• Work closely with the Senior Proposals Manager, lawyers and BCM team to support the delivery of bids, proposals, client presentations and capability statements
• Act as a 'champion' for best practice bid management within the Retail and MIPTOC groups
• Lead on the management and drafting of ad hoc opportunities as required
• Improve and continuously refine standard content and materials to support the bid process

Team coordination and communication

• Coordinate the relevant members of the BCM team - from communications to digital, events to CRM ­­- in pursuit of defined BD objectives
• Join regular Commercial BD Leadership meetings to facilitate the sharing of information, ensure closer collaboration across Commercial and the firm, and contribute knowledge and ideas to continually improve our business development efforts across the Commercial Group
• Facilitate collaboration with lawyers and BCM colleagues in our Singapore and Hong Kong offices.

Knowledge and training

• Act as a coach, role model and mentor toward direct reports - Manager and Exec - providing constructive guidance, support, encouragement, feedback, communication and a commitment to their development and progress
• Help Partners and Associates become more effective in their BD efforts through coaching and skill-building

Budgeting

• Take the lead role in preparing an annual Brand, Clients & Markets budget for Retail and MIPTOC group marketing and business development activity, as well as associated practice areas
• Develop and monitor budgets ensuring they are aligned to the firm and practice's priorities and deliver value for money
• Review monthly expenditure against budget, ensuring value-driven cost control

Reporting

• Draw on wider resources to act as the focal point for reporting on progress on all BCM activity related to Retail and MIPTOC, including general status updates, KPIs, and data
• The Commercial business development team is led by the Head of Business and Client Development (Sharon Philbey) and forms part of the Brand, Clients & Markets team (led by Director of Brand, Clients & Markets, Ed FitzGerald). Internationally the BCM team comprises 68 professionals.

Position requirements

• Energetic and highly collaborative with a willingness to bring new ideas to the firm on how we can make our business development efforts more effective and efficient.
• A strong understanding of business-to-business marketing, business development and relationship management within professional services, ideally the legal sector.
• Ability to influence and build effective relationships with colleagues at all levels, ideally gained within a professional services environment.
• Experience of developing sector-, practice- and client-focused BD plans and a track record of delivering results aligned to objectives.
• Experience of key account management and client development within a professional services firm would be a bonus.
• Experience of working with clients in the Retail sector preferable, but not essential.
• Experience of, and a keen interest in, supporting business development for any of Media, IP, Technology, Outsourcing or Commercial Contracts practices within a law firm is a plus, but not essential.
• A strong understanding of the workings and language of a commercial team in a law firm.
• A team player, with proven experience of developing and motivating others, excellent people management skills and a willingness to do what's needed across the board to contribute to growth.
• A relevant post-graduate management or marketing qualification such as CIM or equivalent would be advantageous.
• Significant powers of organisation; excellent attention to detail; and infectious enthusiasm.
• Able to think strategically and commercially.
• Strong operational and project management skills.
• Stature and gravitas - is professional, credible and impactful, and confident with persuading and influencing where appropriate.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Flexible - is happy to work outside normal working hours when required.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effective relationship builder - is able to interact with individuals at all levels across the business.
• Shows initiative.
• Is a self-starter and has the ability and confidence to run with things.
• Being an ambassador of the firm.
• Doesn't take themselves too seriously