Business Development Manager

Baker McKenzie•New York, NY

20d•$142,000 - $174,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Development Manager advances the New York office's strategic growth objectives by developing and executing business development and client engagement initiatives. The role serves as a trusted advisor to New York partners and leads market-facing activities and client development efforts that support office priorities and the Firm's broader strategic goals. The position is part of the Firm's In-Market Client Development team and leads initiatives to strengthen the Firm's market position, support key client relationships, and achieve measurable outcomes through sponsorships, client programs, events, marketing collateral, pitches, and proposals. Big Law firm experience is highly preferred. The position collaborates with client teams, practice and industry groups, events staff, communications colleagues, attorneys, and global business development teams. Its work spans local events and sponsorships, external engagement, business development and client relationship management, marketing collateral and proposals, brand management, budget oversight, client entertainment, and strategic projects. The role also requires flexibility to travel to meetings and events and work long hours during peak training and meeting periods. Baker McKenzie provides comprehensive legal advice to clients operating in the global economy, drawing on local knowledge and international expertise. The Firm is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity, inclusion, and an accessible candidate experience. This full-time, hybrid position is based in New York. It is bonus eligible and includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) benefits based on hours worked. The expected New York base compensation is $142,000 to $174,000 annually or hourly, with individual pay depending on work location and other factors.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, preferably in marketing, communications, business, or a related field.
Strong experience in business development and marketing, or another relevant field; law firm experience and experience working with partners or senior executives are preferred.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to lead high-level client calls and present to senior stakeholders and partners.
Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships, gain the confidence of people at all organizational levels, and work collaboratively.
Strong project management and organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks, competing deadlines, and priorities.
Excellent computer skills, including Outlook, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat or similar tools.
Discretion, diplomacy, and commitment to confidentiality.
High energy and persistence, with an understanding of the importance of exceptional service to internal and external clients.
Familiarity with the internet and web-based platforms.
Flexibility to travel to meetings and events when needed and work long hours during peak training and meeting periods.

Nice To Haves

Big Law firm experience is highly preferred.
Experience in a law firm environment and working with partners or senior executives is preferred.
A bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or business is preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with client teams, practice groups, and events staff to develop, organize, coordinate, and execute local seminars, receptions, and special events.
Create and manage critical dates and timelines for local events and sponsorships.
Draft and manage internal and external communications for programs in coordination with the North America Communications team.
Oversee the office client mailing list and analyze and track event effectiveness and return on investment.
Evaluate, recommend, and manage local-market sponsorships and networking opportunities with professional organizations and associations.
Execute deliverables for office-identified key sponsorships and use the Firm's involvement to strengthen client relationships and connect clients and attorneys.
Identify new business opportunities independently and in collaboration with the broader business development team.
Work with industry and practice groups to develop cross-selling opportunities with key clients and implement strategies to pursue them.
Conduct market, competitor, and client research to identify emerging opportunities, industry trends, and strategic targets.
Support strategic client development projects, including the global client program and regional targeting initiatives, to identify revenue growth, cross-selling, and client engagement opportunities.
Support local target-client activities, including monitoring and reporting on client development activities and outcomes.
Develop and maintain office-specific marketing collateral, capability statements, pitch materials, and other client-facing content.
Obtain and verify information for directory submissions, marketing materials, CVs, and proposals.
Work with the Global Client Pursuits team and contribute to proposals by collecting relevant content such as practice descriptions and case lists.
Maintain the Firm's and office's brands and implement related brand activities.
Create advertisements for Firm-sponsored activities and purchase promotional items for client events.
Develop business cases for budget requests and monitor annual office budget expenditures, seeking global funding where appropriate.
Manage allocation of tickets to Firm sporting, sponsored, and other local-market events.
Work with attorneys to maximize relationship-building opportunities and client engagement outcomes.
Participate in project teams for strategic projects and marketing opportunities identified by leadership.
Perform other duties as assigned to develop and drive the Firm's strategy.