Associate Director, Client Development – Funds

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP•Washington, DC

3d•$250,000 - $300,000

About The Position

The Associate Director, Client Development – Funds leads the Firm’s global client development initiatives for the Funds practices, serving as the central point of contact for pitches and client acquisition efforts. The role coordinates lawyers and business teams to produce tailored, high-quality materials for new business opportunities and advises partners and practice leaders on client development strategy, market positioning, and growth initiatives. The position shapes and executes event strategy to advance client and sponsor relationships; oversees client development processes, internal relationships, and practice budgets; and uses knowledge of the practices and lawyers, together with research on clients, competitors, markets, and trends, to support excellent work product and communications. It operates with substantial independence and judgment, sets priorities, integrates cross-practice efforts, and ensures the Firm’s capabilities are presented clearly and competitively. The Associate Director is the senior Client Development & Engagement lead for Funds, Sponsor Transactions & Advisory, and Registered Funds. The role also supervises, mentors, and develops team members supporting these practices and contributes to the CDE leadership team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Minimum of 10 years of demonstrated experience in a law firm environment, preferably in a business development role supporting Registered Funds practices and working directly with partners.
Solid foundation in market trends impacting Registered Funds.
Strong project management and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and balance competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present information effectively.
Ability to collaborate with a diverse team across seniority levels and departments.
Strong independent decision-making skills and the capacity to interpret policies and counsel staff effectively.
Excellent relationship-building skills, with a high level of customer service, diplomacy, and discretion.
Ability to produce high-quality work in a rigorous and competitive setting.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
Deep business acumen and organizational awareness.
Exceptional attention to detail and flexibility to adapt to varying work situations.

Nice To Haves

10 or more years of experience at a leading law firm.
Previous experience as a practicing lawyer in a Registered Funds-related role.
In-depth knowledge of the Firm’s substantive practice areas, particularly Registered Funds.
Experience with proposal generation systems or desktop publishing.

Responsibilities

Lead strategic pitches, proposals, presentations, and RFP responses for Funds, Sponsor Transactions & Advisory, Registered Funds, and related specialist areas, determining positioning, messaging, prioritization, and value proposition.
Partner with Firm leadership and attorneys on client plans, relationship strategies, opportunity pipelines, and new business initiatives.
Oversee submissions for legal directories, rankings, awards, surveys, and other professional recognition opportunities.
Guide the creation and maintenance of client-facing materials, including practice descriptions, capability statements, brochures, experience lists, and client communications.
Work with CDE colleagues to maintain accurate engagement, deal, and case experience data across Firm databases, channels, operations, and systems.
Advise practice leaders on client development strategy, market trends, competitive positioning, and growth opportunities, and proactively address business development and client engagement needs.
Integrate private funds, registered funds, fund transactions, regulatory, advisory, and M&A capabilities into a cohesive offering and promote cross-practice collaboration.
Coordinate with Communications colleagues on noteworthy matters, speaking engagements, writing opportunities, and appropriate media coverage.
Develop and drive annual event strategies and calendars aligned with practice priorities, target clients and sponsors, and market and regulatory developments.
Set event objectives, target audiences, formats, investment levels, and success measures; evaluate results and return on investment.
Serve as the strategic business development lead for practice events, partnering with the CDE Events team, which owns planning, production, logistics, and overall execution.
Manage the business development aspects of Firm-hosted dinners, roundtables, seminars, webinars, CLEs, and receptions from concept through delivery and follow-up, attending events where appropriate.
Advise attorneys on event content, speakers, agendas, and audiences, and develop guest strategies that support relationship-building and pipeline goals.
Develop the approach to third-party industry conferences, including sponsorships, speaking submissions, partner participation, side events, and client meetings.
Collaborate with CDE Events, Communications, and Graphics on strategic direction and practice-specific context for invitations, audience development, attendee communications, and event materials.
Lead event-related business development activation, including partner preparation, follow-up plans, CRM engagement capture, and tracking opportunities and relationship activity.
Manage event and sponsorship budgets from a business development perspective and provide investment recommendations and timely budget updates.
Assess CDE workflows for events, pitches, directory submissions, experience management, CRM data, and marketing communications, identifying inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
Design and implement standardized processes, templates, playbooks, and checklists to improve consistency, quality, and turnaround time.
Lead process and tool implementations, defining scope and timelines, assigning owners, managing change, delivering training, and supporting adoption.
Partner with Technology, Knowledge Management, and operational teams on CRM, experience database, event management, and related system enhancements, including requirements gathering and testing.
Establish metrics and reporting to evaluate processes, events, and initiatives; document procedures; and share best practices across CDE.
Develop, manage, and monitor the annual Funds client development and events budget, including forecasting, tracking spend, and reporting variances.
Build trusted relationships with practice leaders, partners, and senior attorneys, serving as their primary CDE contact and coordinating across Registered Funds, Private Funds, Fund Transactions, and Sponsor Advisory.
Partner with Communications, Events, Finance, Knowledge Management, Technology, and other Firm departments on Firm-wide projects and initiatives.
Prioritize competing stakeholder demands, set expectations, resolve cross-team issues, and keep senior partners informed of status, trade-offs, and results.
Oversee research and analysis on clients, prospects, competitors, and industry trends affecting sponsors, fund managers, and regulated fund markets.
Translate market, competitor, and regulatory developments into actionable insights, reports, recommendations, event themes, and content for partners and practice leadership.
Supervise, manage, mentor, and develop CDE team members; set expectations, prioritize and review work, and support professional growth and engagement.
Model senior-level judgment, accountability, innovation, and effective partnership as a member of the CDE leadership team.