BD Manager - Funds & Asset Management and Real Estate
A&O Shearman

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.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world's leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

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
AO Shearman is one of the world's leading corporate advisers. Working alongside some of the world's most successful companies, commercial and investment banks and private equity firms, the corporate work we do breaks new ground and sets precedents.

Our clients know us as an ambitious, creative and enterprising team of individuals who embrace the most complex and cutting-edge commercial ventures. We find innovative new ways to deliver our services and exceed expectations on public takeovers, private M&A, equity capital markets, private equity, joint ventures and commercial partnerships, disposals and corporate reorganizations.

Combined with our transactional expertise, we also cover the full range of specialist areas including antitrust and competition, commercial, employment and benefits, environmental, intellectual property, tax and corporate governance.

Driven by our clients' needs, we combine US, English and local law expertise within one single, integrated firm as well as the broadest network of any of the leading global elite law firms, with more than 40 offices worldwide. Our global insights, local depth and creative thinking assist us to get deals done and find solutions in complex cases.

ROLE PURPOSE
This role is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience working for one of the largest law firms in the world and to learn the unique approach that a truly global firm utilizes towards business development and marketing. Our U.S. team works with our colleagues located in more than 40 offices throughout the world as one integrated team. We have enhanced our offering in funds and asset management (FAM) and Real Estate groups steadily over the past year.

The business development manager (BDM) will provide business development support to the U.S. FAM and Real Estate groups as a whole and will work closely with other related business development professionals, focusing primarily on partners across the U.S. offices. The BDM will work with business development teams across the firm to help support and integrate the group worldwide. This includes responding to client requests for proposals, coordination of the FAM and Real Estate practices' involvement in firm-wide initiatives, ongoing education of the wider firm on the practice's expertise, sponsorship, memberships and event management, collateral creation and management, client targeting exercises, coordination of media opportunities with the U.S. PR & Communications team, thought leadership and legal directory submissions. This position reports to the business development director for our Finance Department, who will continuously look to grow the BDM through project involvement and ownership beyond the FAM and Real Estate groups.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Corporate Practice
• Financial Services Regulatory Practice
• Finance Practices
• Real Estate Practice

JOB DESCRIPTION

CONTEXT
This role is partner facing and involves serving as the go-to for fee earners for all BD and marketing within the U.S. FAM and Real Estate groups. The BDM is crucial to the group's execution of its strategy and to 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

• The BDM will support BD programs and initiatives for the firmwide FAM and Real Estate practice areas as well as lending a hand where there are shortages elsewhere in the team.
• Working closely with the attorneys to implement the business development strategy and plans for each partner and their practices, including global initiatives, development of target client lists and practice and client development.
• Working directly with attorneys to create competitive proposals, credentials, pitches, and presentations for work originating in the FAM and Real Estate practice and for work from the AOS network, involving the FAM and Real Estate related areas.
• Using an understanding of the firm's international partner and BD network, coordination of existing projects and development of new opportunities. Sharing ideas with colleagues to enhance quality of work and developing best practices.
• Conducting market research on existing and prospective clients and market issues which may impact clients' businesses and providing advice on effective marketing strategies to address these issues.
• Arranging meetings with the practice groups to review progress on marketing projects and key client targeting; ensuring relevant information from these meetings is circulated to other relevant internal groups.
• Working with our PR & Communications team to spot opportunities to profile the practice and its partners and maintain effective press coverage.
• Draft submissions and nominations that tell a story for legal and industry awards and directories based on high profile-matters and issues of the FAM and Real Estate groups.
• Identify and coordinate firm sponsorships of conferences and together with the U.S. Events team, planning client events and seminars.
• Maintain records of FAM and Real Estate proposals and matters and ensure that information is appropriately documented and disseminated to other relevant internal groups.
• Membership coordination - (ABANA, and MFA JFYI); oversee membership registration, organization and maximization of activities and events related to the organization.
• Mentor and collaborate with junior team members.

TEAM
This position reports directly to the Director, Finance, but also works closely with other members of staff, including but not limited to the wider BD team, HR, Finance etc.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Culturally astute with a strong ability to work with colleagues from other countries on cross-border activities.
• 5 to 8 years of professional services experience working in a high-profile, fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to develop an understanding of markets in which your practice areas operate.
• Operate as a self-starter with the ability to prioritize, multi-task, and drive forward multiple projects from concept to delivery, using limited partner availability in the most effective way.
• A tenacious approach to achieving results and with a demonstrable track record of helping to successfully grow a practice group.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills-with partners, associates, and business development colleagues.
• High attention to detail and strong client focus.
• Bachelor's degree required.

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