Senior Marketing & BD Manager

The role

The Finance Group is large, complex and fast paced. It was recently recognised as ‘Finance Team of the Year’ at the 2024 Lawyer Awards. Couple this with the fact that the Financial Services Sector is the largest Sector of the firm, you soon begin to realise we have a great opportunity for the right candidate.  This is a role where the International MBD team underpins the Group / Sector success by working on a wide range of high profile campaigns, events and client development activity. 

The International MBD team provides the operational and strategic hub, supporting the UK-based Global Co-Chairs (Group and Sector) to help deliver the international priorities. These are high profile teams, working across International and in joint co-operation with the US at sub-group / sub-sector level.

The team is responsible for helping partners and senior lawyers to attract and retain profitable client relationships, managing its market profile and developing a sense of community in order to build strong and cohesive client teams. The team forms part of a larger International marketing team based in locations across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, with a strong core team based in London. The team also works closely with US and LatAm based Marketing counterparts.

This role will lead and support a broad range of areas to help the firm and the Group/Sector enhance its profile with clients, in the market generally, and win profitable business.

Occasional travel within the UK and internationally is a requirement of the role.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (across the International firm):

• To be the Global Co-Chairs trusted MBD advisor.  Help support and action the strategic priorities. 
• Work closely with the wider MBD team, the partners and senior lawyers in order to develop and action strategic business development initiatives; including the execution of sub-group/sector implementation plans, maintaining and progressing the infrastructure (regular calls etc.) required to deliver these plans and help lead all supporting activity
• Work on key client relationships and client targeting programmes in particular with a view to cross-selling opportunities across the wider firm
• Develop and build Sector specific key client and industry relationships, participating in client reviews when necessary and providing account management support to the Sector’s growth clients
• Leverage the power of our internal systems, utilising data analytics, to provide a smarter marketing & BD service and experience to the Group and Sector
• Champion our new marketing systems (global credentials database and proposal automation tool) and drive engagement across the Group and Sector
• Bring the best of the firm to the Group and Sector – with so many campaigns, client alerts, events etc happening across the matrix structure, there is a need to identify and share the most relevant opportunities on an ongoing basis and help to plug in the right contributors
• Work closely with Partners and other MBD colleagues (sectors, practice groups and locations) to identify joint client and target opportunities – craft winning pursuit strategies
• Lead and support on key Finance pitch opportunities (from reactive/quick turnaround transaction opportunities to more strategically planned approaches)
• Value Added Services – (working closely with Knowledge on training, alerts and thought leadership) how we bring wider value to our clients, such as: connecting clients to opportunities and engaging on headline agendas
• Support laterals with embedding their ‘book of business’
• Contribute to the development and content of the business development and communications strategy across the international Sector encouraging collaboration, innovation and client service delivery
• Prepare the marketing budget bid and ensure allocated budgets are effectively handled and that investment is targeted at agreed priorities.  Demonstrate advanced analytical skills of financial information and develop budgets in line with firmwide guidelines
• Coach new partner promotions / potential partner talent
• Working closely with the other business services functions to take products, services and campaigns to market in the best possible light
• Work with the Head of Operations for Finance to manage the assigned MBD budget and work on the quarterly International Location Heads agenda – through the eyes of clients/sectors and the external market
• Report on results and ROI
• Organisational support for internal group conferences and subgroup training days with Knowledge and the Head of Operations
• Oversee the development and submission of key directory submissions for the varying workstreams within Finance

In order to deliver the areas of key responsibility identified above, the successful candidate will be expected to manage & execute the MBD strategy:

• Work with the Head of Operations and Global Co-Chairs to ensure a regular communication flow, keeping the strategic priorities front of mind
• With the strategy in place, work with the key workstream leaders to review and refresh their own workstream marketing/BD plans
• Work closely in conjunction with our Knowledge team in the identification of issues affecting clients and consider how to bring related thought leadership to our market place
• Develop products and services with robust route to market campaigns (in collaboration with other Groups, Sectors and/or regions as appropriate)
• Build the profile for the Finance Group and the Financial Services Sector both internally and in the market
• Work with Location Heads, across priority countries, to ensure we optimise go-to-market

Manage the MBD team:

• Provide leadership and direction to support the marketing team, ensuring it is kept fully informed of developments, issues and requirements
• Manage the small marketing team and access to the central marketing functions – web, events, pitching, research, marketing systems, Interaction and PR
• Coach and mentor talent within the team, providing the necessary stretch to develop and prosper for the firm as a whole

The job holder may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time.

ABOUT YOU

The successful candidate must have:

• Senior manager level experience and be looking to expand their role in an international organisation
• A Degree or equivalent qualification
• A high level of written, oral communication and project management skills. In addition you will be expected to have strong probing, consultative listening skills coupled with the ability to negotiate, persuade and manage senior stakeholders
• The ability to display a consistently positive and proactive attitude and demonstrate a collaborative working style; operating both as an individual and as part of a wider team (often based in other international locations)
• A deep knowledge of MBD processes for professional services – a sound understanding of new business processes, digital marketing, CRM and the emerging technologies that will help us win and retain legal work
• An exemplary professional approach and demonstrably high levels of commitment and internal client care
• Ideally a working knowledge of the area of Finance and a familiarity with the terminology
• Demonstrable experience in demanding, partner-led international environments, where success has depended on an ability to:

multi-task and work to deadlines

manage conflicting priorities and expectations in a robust and fast-paced atmosphere

perform at a consistently high standard

remain calm and composed in what are often demanding situations

see delegated tasks through to completion at a high standard

A proven ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information

• High level of literacy in IT and marketing systems – Excel, Word and Outlook is essential; experience of InterAction / CRM and design software would be beneficial
• Sales techniques and coaching skills
• Ability to understand and identify with the firm, its objectives and values

This job description is not designed to be exhaustive and can be varied, as required, to develop, or fulfil, the role on the demands of the Finance Goup and Financial Services Sector.

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.