The Department

The pace of change in the business world has never been greater. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, new thinking, technology and business models have shaken up the old and made possible ideas that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The Innovation Department brings together expertise from across the Firm, allowing a new level of collaboration and a focus on meeting the needs of clients in diverse and dynamic sectors. Our legal knowledge is underpinned by the latest technology to create better insights, better levels of customer service and increased efficiency for our clients.

The practices within the Innovation Department include those that are well established, recognised as being at the top of their game by the legal industry, and those that we have created in recent years as clients have come to us with new problems to solve and value models to create.

We offer a relentless curiosity for our clients' businesses and sectors, and a passion for finding new ways to help them meet their goals. We have an innate understanding of what drives those creating new ideas, because that's what we are doing within our own business every day.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a Business Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager at Mishcon de Reya LLP, you will set the agenda for your group, take the lead on pushing projects through to successful completion and develop a successful and happy team around you.

You will act as a strategic partner to your group and will be responsible for providing and driving high value advice and initiatives, whilst contributing to the Firm's overall business development strategy.

Whist this role will principally support the Innovation department; you will guide your core team to find connections with the wider firm that empower business development at all levels. Flexibility and teamwork is a must, as we strive to maintain and build our culture of "one team".

In addition:

• Improve the marketing capability of the Practice's lawyers and raise their awareness of the role that the business development team can play. Attend fee earner practice meetings and develop/progress client action plans.
• Further develop the department's and the Firm's profile through: PR, editorial, thought leadership market research, select conferences, newsletters, and seminars. This will involve working with our Central BD team and external PR Agencies.
• Create marketing collateral that furthers the Firm's reputation (including, but not limited to, PowerPoint presentations, brochures, client briefings and other client communications.)
• Identify which are the most appropriate clients and intermediaries for growth (current and past clients as well as future targets) and develop plans accordingly.
• Strategic projects: you will evaluate potential business opportunities including geographical expansion, mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and new service offerings.
• Conducting analysis: collect and analyse data on a range of strategic and operational questions and translate into actionable insight and strategic recommendations.
• Conducting research: you will stay on top of industry trends, market dynamics and the Group's competitive landscape, providing proactive updates and analysis to the Group's leadership and identifying opportunities and threats for the Group's businesses. This may include researching best practices in the industry, benchmarking Mishcon's performance against others, evaluating new emerging market segments and identifying potential business opportunities.
• Identify and develop Practice specific products and services that can be used to position the Practices competitively.
• Work closely with the Professional Support Lawyers (PSLs), to ensure that all members of the department (and business development) are aware of key issues and trends in the law.
• Work with members of the department and wider business development team to produce high quality pitch documents and credential statements.
• Deliver plans within budget and to agreed timings.
• Guide and support the Practice Groups in the preparation of directory submissions.
• Lead on the coordination and delivery of events.
• Work with our Business Insights team to develop metrics that measure the effectiveness of all activities.

Contributing to BD

• Strengthen the culture of "one team". Be a mentor and coach to more junior members of the team. Maintain a positive approach appropriate to a senior team member.

Being part of One Firm

• Define and assist in the development of marketing and business development plans for cross-firm initiatives.
• Use effectively all communication channels for the department/Firm generally e.g. website, e-bulletins, media, sponsorship, conferences, and research and industry networks.

Skills/Experience

We are looking for individuals who are able to act as a true partner to our business.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• Relevant Degree or equivalent experience is required.
• 3-5 years executive business development/enterprise strategic sales experience.
• Strategic and creative thinking and strong commercial nous.
• Able to successfully develop and lead multiple strategic partnerships.
• Client development focus in previous roles as well as experience in pitch/proposal preparation and appropriate coaching to those delivering pitches.
• The ability to manage budgets and multiple projects simultaneously, with energy, enthusiasm, and drive.
• A team-orientated approach, with the ability to demonstrate through experience and from interview that they have a strong commercial and client-led approach to their work.
• A swift, analytical approach to problems.
• Excellent communication skills.
• The ability to build collaborative relationships across the firm.
• Highly organised and takes initiative.
• Proactivity, reliance, and a flexible and calm approach.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

About The Mishcon de Reya Group

The Mishcon de Reya Group is an independent international professional service business with law at its heart, employing over 1450 people with close to 670 lawyers. It includes the law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP and a collection of leading consultancy businesses that complement the firm's legal services. We have grown rapidly in recent years, showing more than 40% revenue growth in the past five years alone.

Based in London, Cambridge, Oxford, and Singapore, with an association with Karas So LLP in Hong Kong, the firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. The work we undertake is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, spanning six core practice areas: Corporate; Dispute Resolution; Employment; Innovation; Private; and Real Estate.

As of 1 January 2023, Mishcon de Reya and Taylor Vinters merged. The merger delivers on both firms' strategies to support the innovation economy and accelerate our growing share of the technology, media and life-sciences legal and consultancy services market in the UK and in key international innovation hubs globally.

In times of such far-reaching and profound change we want to be the law firm that enables our clients - and our own people - to shape the world's possibilities. We are here to help our clients benefit from new economies, new geographic centres of wealth, the new global movement of people and capital, and the impact of new technologies and new knowledge.

Our purpose remains rooted in our founding values. We take pride in the diverse range of people who make up the firm and are proactive in driving change and continuous improvement across the spectrum of equality, diversity and inclusion. Mishcon Academy , our in-house place of learning, development and new thinking for our people, clients and contacts and our innovative impact strategy, including a commitment to be a net zero carbon business , also play a central strategic role in the direction of the firm. In 2020 we launched Mishcon Purpose , a first-of-its-kind sustainability practice providing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) advice and purpose-driven insight to clients.

The Mishcon de Reya Group comprises standalone businesses MDR Brand Management , MDR Cyber , MDR Discover , MDR One , MDR Mayfair (in London, Singapore and Dubai) and MDRx . Complementary to Mishcon de Reya's core areas of work, each is led by best in class professionals recruited from a variety of non-legal industries and sectors.

We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.

#LI-Hybrid