A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 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.
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.
What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.
DEPARTMENT PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE
The U.S. Marketing & Business Development team is a sophisticated group of experienced professionals charged with guiding the Firm's fee earners to grow U.S. and global revenues, expand client relationships and strategically tackle new client pursuits.
As business professionals at one of the largest law firms in the world, the U.S. MKT Team thrives on market challenges and outside-the-box thinking. It is a team where fresh ideas are not only entertained, they're encouraged.
ROLE PURPOSE
The Senior Manager or Director of Sectors & Clients - Life Sciences & Established Industries is responsible for leading business development and marketing initiatives across the two sectors and their client base. The "Established Industries" sectors touches many areas of focus for the Firm, including automotive, retail and consumer, industrials, etc.
Working with the U.S. sector heads, partners, practice aligned BD colleagues, and the extended global Marketing team, the Senior Manager/Director - LS & EI will guide the execution of business initiatives that align with the firm's established priorities and plans including, capitalizing on potential revenue opportunities across practice areas and geographies relevant to the sectors, developing strategy for robust client programs, targeting new clients not supported by existing firm framework, and creating processes and priorities for expanding reach within these specific sectors through thought leadership campaigns and other targeted visibility and profile raising.
This is a high visibility role and will collaborate with marketing and business development, business services, regional managing partners, and practice group leaders.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
U.S. Sector Heads
U.S. Practice Leaders
U.S. Directors of Business Development and their teams
Global Business Development team members
JOB DESCRIPTION
CONTEXT
This role is partner facing and involves serving as the go-to for partners and other fee earners for all BD and marketing within the U.S. LS & EI Industries practice groups. The Senior Manager/Director - LS & EI is crucial to the groups' execution of their strategies and the day-to-day success of the business. A successful candidate should be able to show a proven track record of leading partners to new business wins and notable client relationship expansion.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Complete business plans for successful integration and leveraging of capabilities and client prospects.
Lead strategy and execution of a client and sector program in the United States for the Life Sciences and Established Industry groups.
Develop and oversee firm-wide revenue generating opportunities from existing and potential clients.
Manage sector efforts including collaboration with practice groups on pitches and submissions and the creation of programs for sector client outreach through targeted thought leadership campaigns and other proactive trend analysis and reporting.
Target clients brought through lateral hiring to introduce cross-practice and regional capabilities.
Create process for better succession and transition of client relationships, both planned and unplanned.
Engage partners in proactive planning for successful integration into client relationships.
Increase engagement with local counsel as source of referrals and coordinate globally across regions.
Coordinate with in-house PR & Communications team to increase visibility of the firm in the legal, business, and trade media within these sectors.
Hire, manage, mentor, and develop staff; ensure all functional resources are in alignment with the Firm's vision and strategic objectives and perform at the highest level of quality, consistency and efficiency.
Position self as trusted advisor to partners and senior stakeholders on marketing and business development initiatives for the sectors you support.
Execute ad hoc requests to support special projects, practices, and initiatives as needed.
Contribute sector credentials to relevant pitches, proposals and RFPs.
Collaborate with the Firm's DEI team to partner with clients on various initiatives.
Seek out smart investments and coordinate Firm sponsorships of conferences (e.g., targeting speaker opportunities, coordinating materials and speakers, conducting event follow-up, etc.) and, together with the U.S. Events team, planning client events and seminars relevant to the sectors.
TEAM
This position reports directly to the Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer - Americas but also works closely with other members of the business team, including but not limited to the wider MKT team, HR, Finance, etc.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's degree or equivalent required; advanced degree such as a J.D. or MBA preferred.
Minimum 10 years of experience in marketing and business development leadership role in a professional services environment.
Direct management experience specifically related to team building, managing performance, goal setting, and delivering constructive feedback.
Culturally astute with a strong ability to work effectively with colleagues from other countries on cross-border activities.
A tenacious, proactive approach to achieving results and with a demonstrable track record of helping to successfully grow a practice group, sector, or client base.
A strong team player, with experience of developing successful working relationships with other business development team members.
Capacity to lead and motivate a team, cultivate team environment where ideas can be shared, questions can be asked, and individuals are accountable for performance.
Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills - ability to develop and create relationships with respect and credibility with senior partners, stakeholders, and business unit leaders.
High attention to detail and strong client focus.
Track record of developing and executing programs that cut through industry noise to measurably achieve marketing and business development objectives and key results.
Solution oriented with a track record as a problem solver with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Proactive self-starter, resilient, highly organized and works well with peers, as well as with fee earners at all levels.
Ability to work in an environment with shifting priorities to meet time-sensitive deadlines.
Great networking and advocacy skills; able to build relationships with stakeholders both internally and externally.
This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced business development professional working closely with an energetic group of people, in a busy law firm environment.
