Business Development Manager (M&A)
About the Opportunity
A leading global professional services organization is seeking a Business Development Manager to support the growth and market positioning of its transactional practices. This role partners closely with practice leadership and business development colleagues to strengthen client relationships, pursue new business opportunities, and drive strategic marketing and business development initiatives.
The successful candidate will collaborate with attorneys, practice leaders, and cross-functional teams including Marketing, Communications, Events, CRM, and Competitive Intelligence to execute business development strategies that support the organization's growth objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Business Development & New Business Pursuits
- Lead the development and execution of pitches, proposals, RFP responses, and client presentations.
- Manage the full lifecycle of business development opportunities, including strategy development, content creation, project management, and post-submission follow-up.
- Collaborate with attorneys and practice leaders to identify differentiators, craft compelling value propositions, and tailor materials to client needs.
- Maintain business development collateral, experience databases, deal lists, and practice descriptions to ensure accuracy and relevance.
- Analyze client and market opportunities to support strategic growth initiatives.
Client Development & Strategic Targeting
- Partner with practice leadership to develop and execute client targeting and account management strategies.
- Identify opportunities to expand relationships with existing clients through cross-selling and cross-practice collaboration.
- Support the development of strategic business plans for priority clients, industries, and market sectors.
- Monitor market trends, client activity, and competitive intelligence to help identify growth opportunities.
- Track and report on business development initiatives and outcomes.
Events, Marketing & Client Engagement
- Lead the planning and execution of client-facing events, sponsorships, conferences, webinars, and speaking engagements.
- Collaborate with events and marketing teams to maximize attendance and engagement opportunities.
- Analyze attendee and prospect data to identify relationship-building opportunities.
- Coordinate attorney follow-up efforts and track engagement activity within CRM systems.
- Measure and report on event effectiveness and return on investment.
Team Leadership & Operational Excellence
- Serve as a trusted advisor to attorneys and practice leaders on business development best practices.
- Manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
- Develop and implement processes that improve efficiency and service delivery.
- Ensure business development activities align with organizational goals, policies, and professional standards.
- Foster strong working relationships across departments and offices.
- Support additional strategic marketing and business development initiatives as needed.
Qualifications
- Strong knowledge of business development and marketing principles within a professional services environment.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
- Experience utilizing CRM, proposal management, and business intelligence tools.
- Excellent project management skills with the ability to prioritize competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and communication skills.
- Highly analytical with strong organizational and problem-solving abilities.
- Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build credibility with senior professionals.
- Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
- Commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
- Flexibility to travel periodically and attend client-facing events as needed.
- Willingness to adjust work schedules when business demands require.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Minimum of 5-7 years of business development, marketing, or client development experience within a law firm, consulting firm, accounting firm, investment bank, or other professional services environment.
- Experience supporting transactional, corporate, M&A, private equity, finance, capital markets, or related practices is strongly preferred.
- Prior experience managing pitches, RFPs, client targeting programs, and strategic growth initiatives required.
Compensation & Benefits
Base Salary: $120,000 - $165,000
Actual compensation will depend on experience, qualifications, market conditions, and other job-related factors.
The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:
- Annual performance-based bonus opportunities
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401(k) retirement savings plan
- Generous paid time off and paid holidays
- Parental and family leave programs
- Professional development and continuing education opportunities
- Wellness programs and employee assistance resources
- Community engagement and volunteer opportunities
FAQs
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