Job Description

Purpose

This BDM Manager will actively support and work alongside the partners on all aspects of BDM principally to devise, implement and measure BDM plans aligned to the region, supporting partners in profile-raising and achieving profitable revenue growth across chosen markets, clients and targets.

Key to the successful execution of this role will include:

• Working with the partners to drive, challenge and own the execution of their business plans in line with the firm and regional strategy
• Leading and executing local BD initiatives and campaigns, the role will be responsible for directly managing those for two practice groups in Asia: Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations and Banking
• Ensuring high quality management of the BDM fundamentals, including implementing infrastructure to maintain accurate and up to date collateral, capability summaries, credentials etc.
• Overall responsibility, along with the Asia pitch team, for ensuring the high-quality delivery of all pitches (informal, project, panel).
• Horizon scanning and regular discussions with partners of relevant market and client intelligence. Sharing information, proactively suggesting use/application with partners or clients, other BDM colleagues and client/sector teams globally
• Ensuring we are doing the right type of marketing to raise the understanding of the practices and brand of Linklaters to our identified audience
• Project managing BDM requests, identifying ways in which requests can be most effectively executed, sharing experience to drive improvements/assist efficiency
• Working with our other specialist teams to successfully complete BDM requests and connect the team to the wider business, ensuring your team benefits from expertise available elsewhere in the firm across practices and Business Teams

Key responsibilities and challenges

Overview:

BDM plans

• Support and work alongside the practices and sectors to devise and implement BDM plans to support the strategy, profile-raising and profitable revenue growth for chosen markets, clients and targets
• In conjunction with the relevant Business / Finance Manager, set the BDM budgets and monitor & report on spend
• Manage and regularly feedback to key stakeholders on progress and ROI, working alongside partners to address any issues

Horizon-scanning and identifying products and campaigns to take to market

• Horizon scanning and the regular discussion of relevant market and client intelligence. Sharing information with key stakeholders, proactively suggesting use/application with partners or clients, other BDM managers and client/sector teams globally
• Working with Partners and Knowledge Lawyers on K&L to increase provision of forward looking and tailored/packaged hot topic/training/briefings menus for the team to proactively suggest to partners and clients
• Raising the profile of the practices internally. Identifying ways to cross-sell the practices and tap into the existing client opportunities presented in other practices, sectors and other offices to identify the best \xe2\x80\x98internal route to market\xe2\x80\x99

BD/CRM for clients

• Proactive BD / CRM for a number of clients, cross-selling the global firm as relevant through partners and associates
• Preparing partners for effective client relationship and BD meetings. Ensuring partners are prepared for these meetings and supported to deliver a high level of client service
• Preparing tailored client briefing notes and client relationship summaries with suggested BD messaging with targeted agendas aligned with key goals/initiatives/cross-selling objectives etc.
• Championing BD with junior lawyers. Working with MAs and Associates, as relevant, to develop individual BDM plans aligned to clients, actively encourage client/practice/sector partners to allocate and include non-partners in client relationships with accountability.
• Ensuring relationship and matter feedback is captured, shared and acted on

Tailored pitches and credentials

• Overall responsibility, working side by side with the Asia pitch team, for ensuring the high-quality delivery of all pitches (informal, project, panel) led by your practice/sector. Ensure all pitch and data systems are used efficiently.
• Alongside the pitch team, leading kick-off meetings to agree the pitch plan, crafting original, client-focused content with clear key messages. Critically reviewing each pitch that you lead on, and supporting at pitch meeting stage (including planning and running rehearsals). The pitch team will lead on the majority of pitch opportunities. However, the BDM team is expected to pitch, especially when pitch team capacity is limited.
• Ensure there is a considered go/no-go decision, and follow up after a win or loss

Communications, PR, website, events, directories and internal comms

• Overall responsibility for content/messages through the firm\xe2\x80\x99s website, directories, etc
• Working with the partnership to ensure our key messages and positioning are well understood in the market and that we are perceived externally to have a market leading reputation
• Working closely with the Asia comms team on defining the practice/sector brand in the marketplace, updating key messages as required and developing and executing an appropriate positioning and profile-raising plan
• Ensuring the internal and external promotion of specific product areas, e.g. at conferences, sponsorships etc.
• Working with the local Knowledge Lawyers & lawyers to deliver timely client material in an imaginative and efficient way
• Ensuring the successful delivery of client entertainment, client hospitality and client events which enhance our perception and standing
• Working with the partners, lawyers and secretaries to encourage and support the full utilisation of our CRM database and other marketing systems.
• Ensuring delivery of, end-to-end, the directory and awards submissions for the practices

Mentoring

• Helping to coach and develop other more junior members of the BDM team, acting as role model

Characteristics, Skills & Experience required:

Location: Singapore

Character

• Able to build trust and respect among colleagues
• Confidence and ability to advise at partner level
• Can-do attitude
• Highly self motivated & self starter
• Proactive in moving forward work and taking ownership for delivery
• Robust - ability to bounce back when challenged
• Highly flexible
• Outstanding influencing skills \xe2\x80\x93 must take all parties with you
• Resourceful
• Driven
• Collaborative, teamwork mentality understanding that delivery can happen through other people and will reflect positively on own reputation

Education / Qualification

• University Degree
• Relevant professional qualifications (desirable)

Languages

• English
• Mandarin (desirable)

Practical experience

• Relevant experience in business development /account management experience
• Pitching
• Experience in Litigation, Arbitration and Investigations / Dispute Resolution, Banking (desirable)
• Prior team management experience (desirable)

Office skills

• Excellent time management
• Highly PC and IT literate
• Excellent communicator & presenter
• Ability to run meetings effectively
• Good resource manager \xe2\x80\x93 upward, across and below
• Outstanding account management skills

Commercial Skills

• A high degree of commercial acumen
• An understanding of how businesses operate and makes decisions
• Ability to think strategically
• Asian cultural and market awareness

Technical Skills:

This list of duties and responsibilities above is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for, the performance of this job. As such, the role may also include the undertaking of additional tasks as required.

Linklaters