Senior Business Development Specialist

Baker McKenzie•New York, NY

6d•$120,000 - $142,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Development Senior Specialist will be instrumental in advancing the office's strategic growth objectives through the development and execution of strategic business development and client engagement initiatives. Serving as a trusted advisor to New York partners, this position is responsible for driving market-facing activities and client development efforts that support the office's priorities while aligning with the Firm's broader strategic goals. The role is an integral member of the Firm's In-Market Client Development team. The Senior Specialist will lead and execute client development initiatives that strengthen the Firm's market position, support key client relationships, and drive measurable outcomes, including major sponsorships, client programs, events, marketing collateral, and pitches and proposals.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree is required, preferably in marketing, communications, marketing, business, or a related field
Strong experience in business development and marketing, or another relevant field preferably in a law firm environment and with partners/senior executives
Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, with the ability to lead high-level client calls and present to senior stakeholders and partners
Self-motivated and independent, able to work with minimum supervision
Well-developed and sophisticated organization, communication, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to relate to and gain the confidence of people at all levels within an organization, as well as an ability to build strong relationships and work in a collaborative environment
Organized, detail-oriented individual with strong project management skills, and the ability to work on multiple tasks with competing deadlines and coordinate competing priorities
Excellent computer skills (including Outlook, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, or similar)
High level of discretion, diplomacy, and a commitment to maintaining the highest level of confidentiality
High level of energy and persistence, and understanding of the importance of delivering exceptional customer 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.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with the client team, practice groups, events team, and others to develop, organize, coordinate and execute seminars, receptions, and special events taking place in the local market
Responsible for creating and managing critical dates and timelines concerning local events and sponsorships
Draft and manage all internal and external communications for programs, liaising with the NA Communications team
Oversee maintenance of the office's client mailing list. Analyze and track event effectiveness and return on investment
Evaluate, recommend, and manage key sponsorships and networking opportunities with professional organizations and associations in the local market
Execute all deliverables associated with office-identified key sponsorships
Leverage the Firm's involvement to strengthen client relationships, and create client and attorney connections across the organizations
Support the New York office by working independently and with the broader BD team to identify new business opportunities
Work with the industry and practice groups to develop cross-selling opportunities with key clients, and to implement strategies to capture those opportunities
Conduct sophisticated market, competitor, and client research to identify emerging opportunities, industry trends, and strategic targets
Work with the client team to support strategic client development projects, including the Firm's global client program and regional targeting initiatives, to identify opportunities for revenue growth, cross-selling, and deeper client engagement
Provide overall support for activities that focus on target clients in the local market, including monitoring and reporting on client development activities and outcomes
Responsible for the development and maintenance of office-specific marketing collateral, capability statements, pitch materials, and other client-facing content
Responsible for obtaining and verifying that information is readily available for use in Directory submissions, marketing materials, CVs, and proposals
Work with the Global Client Pursuits team, and provide input into the development of proposals including collecting relevant content such as practice area descriptions and case lists
Ensure the Firm's brand and that of the office is maintained, and implement the various activities supporting the brand of the Firm and that of the office
Create advertisements as required in support of Firm-sponsored activities and purchase promotional items for use at client events
Develop business cases for budget requests based on business planning
Monitor annual budget expenditures for the office and seek funding from global sources where appropriate
Manage the allocation of tickets to the Firm's various sporting and sponsored events and other opportunities in the local market
Work closely with attorneys to maximize relationship-building opportunities and client engagement outcomes
Work as part of a project team on strategic projects/marketing opportunities as identified by leadership
Other duties as assigned to develop and drive the Firm's strategy