Houston - Business Development Manager - Winston & Strawn

Description

Houston - Business Development Manager at Winston & Strawn LLP

About Us

For Business Professionals, Winston & Strawn presents an exciting opportunity to be a part of a leading global law firm. With our commitment to excellence, diversity, a collaborative work environment, and an emphasis on professional growth, Winston offers a platform for individuals seeking to advance their careers in a dynamic and rewarding environment. Winston is known for its collaborative and collegial culture. We believe teamwork is an essential component in providing high-quality legal services and we value the talents and skills of our entire business professional team.

Position Summary

The Business Development Manager (BDM) plays a key role in helping the firms partners drive revenue by supporting and facilitating targeted business development (BD) initiatives, including strategy development and target identification. Each BDM is assigned a portfolio that may include practice groups, industry groups, and client teams ("portfolio"), and serves as a primary point of access to the full range of services offered by the BD Department. This position is part of a collaborative BD team within a firm where attorneys actively engage with team members to pursue growth opportunities. The BDM is well-positioned to contribute to innovation within the BD Department, whichalong with the firm as a wholeplaces a strong emphasis on professional development. The BDM role will manage BD and marketing initiatives for the Antitrust/Competition, Product Liability and Mass/Toxic Torts, and Sports Law Practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning: Collaborate with the Practice Operationsand firm, practice, and Industry leadershipto proactively develop and implement strategic initiatives for portfolio as well as strategic plans. Ability to quickly understand the firms goals, services, culture, and strategic goals and objectives and to develop aligned initiatives.
• Pitch, RFP Response, & Presentation Support: Provide thorough and initiative-taking presentation and pitch/RFP response support and coaching to the lawyers within their portfolio. Assist with identifying firm talent for an opportunity; help steer the strategy and content for written pitch, RFP response, and presentation materials; scope research; draft and define pitch meeting scripts and roles; vet and craft questions for the audience; ensure coordination of other firm operational departments contributions; and more.
• BD & Client Opportunity Spotting: Actively monitor industry, client, and legal developments and trends for portfolio to identify and communicate potential opportunities within the firm for evaluation and pursue opportunities when appropriate.
• Practice/Industry Knowledge: Further develop industry and practice group knowledge to exceed expectations of BD support, including asking questions and actively listening to lawyers to bolster knowledge of practice and industry nuances and provide added strategic value in pitches, RFP responses, presentations, and other projects.
• Client Development Coaching & Strategy: Guide lawyers in identifying and pursuing BD prospects along with maintaining and fostering growth of existing client relationships, including providing insight on relationship expansion opportunities and overseeing conflict issues and other BD challenges for portfolio.
• Intelligence Gathering & Metrics: Oversee collection of competitive intelligence following each pitch, RFP response, presentation or other marketing or BD opportunity and initiative, including gathering lawyer-solicited client feedback on success, shortcomings, and improvement. Track opportunities via both subjective feedback and objective metrics for portfolio.
• Research & Analysis: Work with the BD Research team to proactively deliver client, prospect, competitor, and industry research to meet the portfolios BD needs as outlined in BD and strategic plans. Develop and maintain an understanding of the portfolios market for legal and associated services and the relevant competitive landscape.
• Management & Leadership: Oversee, manage, and mentor junior team members in drafting and editing pitches, RFP responses, and client presentations; producing and managing events; supporting the development of thought leadership; managing sponsorships; executing BD and client opportunity spotting; prioritize work, manage deadlines and customers; exhibit strong analytical and creative reasoning skills.
• Lateral Integration: Serve as primary contact for new lateral partners who join portfolio, managing BD onboarding and integration, drafting and implementing an integration plan. Coordinate efforts with Talent and Firm Development.
• Marketing Collateral & Lawyer Biographies: Determine needs and oversee to completion creation and maintenance of print and digital collateral and content (website) for portfolio. Collaborate with Marketing Communications team on messaging, design, and visual storytelling.
• Directories & Surveys: Manage teams response to directories and surveys such as Chambers and Legal 500, among other select awards and rankings. Make recommendations as to directory, survey, and award competitions to which the portfolio should respond.
• Value-Additive Content & Events: Lead creation and distribution of client alerts and newsletters, and the production of webinars, podcasts, and other value-additive programs for portfolio, ensuring alignment with firm branding and seamless execution in collaboration with lawyers and marketing communications and technology teams.
• Knowledge Management: Oversee teams collection of information for use in BD systems and reporting tools, including key experience, client and target BD opportunities and results, lawyer biographical information, lawyer and group honors and awards, and other useful practice area and lawyer information, including metrics for portfolio.
• Budgets & Expenses: Develop and manage BD budget for portfolio, processing expense approvals, ensuring compliance with firm guidelines and processes, and making recommendations for approval of new and unexpected expenditures.
• Internal & External Communications: Collaborate with Marketing Communications team to raise the visibility of portfolio, identified speaking, sponsorship, seminar, expert commentary, article placement, and other profile-raising opportunities. Utilize strong written and verbal communication skills and present a credible and confident presence in performing all job responsibilities.
• Practice Operations: Serve as primary point of contact for the Director of Practice Operations supporting portfolio, advising the DPO on how they may support execution of BD and marketing initiatives and sharing relevant information.
• Special Projects: Assist supervisor(s) with special projects (e.g., lateral recruiting pieces, firmwide materials, internal trainings, etc.) as requested.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors degree required, preferably in a discipline requiring writing, research and analysis, strategic planning, and/or marketing or business development. J.D. or M.B.A. or other relevant masters degree a plus.
• 7+ years of marketing, business development, or client service experience required.
• Must live within a commutable distance to the firm office with the ability to come into the office 3-4 days per week.

Competencies

• Experience with strategic/business planning, conceiving and implementing BD and marketing initiatives, and budgeting/ROI analysis. Ability to build strong client relationships.
• Strong project management skills; experience developing persuasive pitch materials and RFP responses; experience drafting directory and award submissions; understanding of CRM/databases; focus on operational efficiency and process improvement. High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience analyzing multiple, competing factors to make sound decisions and the ability to work independently and creatively to solve complex business challenges.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a focus on building and maintaining strong client relationships and fostering a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to mentor, coach, and develop junior staff and foster a positive and inclusive team environment.

Benefits

Winston offers comprehensive benefits that provide a full spectrum of coverage and support for our full-time employees and their families. Additional information about benefits and rewards can be found here.

Salary

Illinois based applicants only: The target annual salary range for this role is currently $123,000 - $160,000 based on a regular, full-time schedule. The amount of compensation offered will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to experience, qualifications, market data and internal equity. Total compensation includes a comprehensive healthcare benefits package, yearly retirement contribution, and may include an annual discretionary merit bonus.

New York based applicants only: The target annual salary range for this role is currently $135,000 - $175,000 based on a regular, full-time schedule. The amount of compensation offered will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to experience, qualifications, market data and internal equity. Total compensation includes a comprehensive healthcare benefits package, yearly retirement contribution, and may include an annual discretionary merit bonus.

San Francisco based applicants only: The target annual salary range for this role is currently $146,000 - $190,000 based on a regular, full-time schedule. The amount of compensation offered will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to experience, qualifications, market data and internal equity. Total compensation includes a comprehensive healthcare benefits package, yearly retirement contribution, and may include an annual discretionary merit bonus.

Washington, DC based applicants only: The target annual salary range for this role is currently $129,000 - $167,000 based on a regular, full-time schedule. The amount of compensation offered will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to experience, qualifications, market data and internal equity. Total compensation includes a comprehensive healthcare benefits package, yearly retirement contribution, and may include an annual discretionary merit bonus.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.