Senior Business Development Manager

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals.

Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.

As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs.

At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world.

All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition

The Opportunity

Key responsibilities

• Work alongside the Real Estate Managing Partner to provide strategic business development and marketing for the London and EMEA Real Estate division, including but not limited to, identifying areas of growth, influencing strategic priorities and Partner decision-making and leading on initiatives that align with firmwide projects. Act as a strategic advisor to the group heads and other key partners to influence and develop BD strategy, both individual and group wide, ensuring BD initiatives are aligned to maximise client growth, sustained revenue generation and profile raising for the practice. This role would be expected to influence decision making and strategy that impacts the wider Real Estate practice and sectors, in particular, Real Estate, Energy and Infrastructure, as well as broader teams across EMEA and US.
• Working alongside the Sector Lead Partners (Real Estate) and the Senior Business Development Manager Real Estate APAC, to provide strategic business development and marketing for the Global Real Estate Sector, managing the client portfolio and pursuits pipeline and driving growth.
• Assist with and contribute to building a high BD performing team, ensuring team members are aligned with strategic priorities, and demonstrating return on investment of BD activities.
• Drive the strategic decision-making around product development and go-to market strategy, maximising profitable revenue opportunities, aligning where possible with the firm's strategic choices. 
• Identify strategically important client relationships for the Real Estate division and the firm including target clients, manage the pursuits pipeline and look to develop strategic pursuit plans to drive profitable revenue across multiple practices groups, key priority sectors and identified growth corridor offices, particularly in relation to firms' strategic choices. Own the relationships with multiple clients and act as an influencer and advisor to CRPs on the development of these accounts, challenging BD approaches to ensure they are grown strategically. 
• Lead the pitching function within Real Estate BD, both managing the pitch pipeline and contributing to the most significant and profitable opportunities. Develop key messaging and value propositions, targeted at individual client needs as well as providing coaching and challenge to Partners on pitch ROI. This role will assert influence across the Partner group in London, EMEA and the US to ensure we strategically pursue profitable and revenue generating opportunities.
• Drive the development and delivery of impactful strategic thought leadership and brand building initiatives, including but not limited to, leading on relationships with membership bodies and associations, identifying opportunities to build relationships with journalists and media, identifying market themes and topics to pursue for though leadership campaigns, and monitoring competitor output.  Ensuring alignment of these campaigns to broader firmwide initiatives. Driving ROI and measuring the impact of profile building activities. Champion and seek to continuously improve the use of BD systems and processes.  

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Degree educated 
• Seven years corporate or professional services experience., of which, two years working in real estate is desirable. We will consider candidates with less or more experience providing they meet the required competencies
• seven years experience of working in a partnership is preferable but not mandatory 
• Proficient systems skills (experience in Word, Excel, Powerpoint; Outlook, InterAction)
• Assimilates and analyses information quickly
• Numerate with an understanding of law firm economics 
• Faultless and engaging writing skills    
• High level of verbal reasoning 
• Builds rapport and professional credibility quickly 
• Assertive in interpersonal relationships
• Takes personal responsibility for getting things done
• Sets and meets challenging deadlines
• Excellent organisational skills and high levels of accuracy
• Approaches challenges with a ‘can-do’ attitude
• Remains calm under pressure
• Flexible team player
• Prompt and attentive 
• An innovative mindset, curious about AI and emerging technologies

Competencies

• Personal Leadership
• Builds Authentic Relationships
• Collaborates with others
• Enhances the Client Experience
• Achieves Results

Team

Location

Contract type

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values - Human, Bold, and Outstanding.