About Ashurst:

Ashurst is a leading global law firm with a history spanning almost 200 years, and clear strategy for our future growth. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing exceptional standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law.

Our people are our greatest asset. We bring together lawyers of the highest calibre with the technical knowledge, industry experience and regional know-how to provide the incisive advice our clients need.  How we share our knowledge across our business, and with our clients, is critical in delivering value to our clients.

We currently have 26 offices in 16 countries and a number of referral relationships that enable us to offer the reach and insight of a global network, combined with the knowledge and understanding of local markets. With 420 partners and a further 1,450 lawyers working across 10 different time zones, we are able to respond to our clients wherever and whenever they need us.

Our clients value us for being approachable, astute and commercially minded. As a global team we have a reputation for successfully managing large and complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, disputes and projects, and delivering outstanding outcomes for clients in innovative ways.

Ashurst regards an inclusive and diverse environment as critical to its business success.  Accordingly, the firm encourages applications from candidates representative of all talent pools.  Find out more about our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy on the "About Us" section of our website.     

In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks.  These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations

Job Overview

Business Area - Business Development & Marketing (BD&M)

Role: BD Practice Team Assistant (6 Month Contract)

Location: London

Reporting to: Senior BD Manager, [Projects or FFR]

Hours of work - 9.30am – 5.30pm

You may be required to work additional hours to facilitate deadlines 

Department/ Role Overview:

This role will be part of our global BD&M team providing operational support to help the team execute the firm's business development strategy.

The role will assist with the creation of pitch documents and the arrangements required for the pitch process.  This will require liaison with a number of different departments and at various levels of the organisation.  Work will involve collating data, writing and formatting content and submitting documents.  This often requires working to very tight and demanding deadlines and creating documents to a very high standard.

This role will also be responsible for end-to-end event co-ordination for practice specific and internal events.  This could involve seminars, conferences, dinners and other events which are not organised by the BD&M events team. 

Client reporting is an important part of our engagement with our clients.  This role will be collating information into an agreed format for distribution to internal stakeholders and clients.

Main responsibilities:

• Pitch support
  • Add new credentials to practice deal sheets, partner CVs and credentials database
  • Work with BD or Partner on creating capability statements
  • Create and update bid records on Bids database
  • Conduct quick conflict check for all new pitches and create bid matter if requested
  • Run InterAction reports to support pitch creation
  • Attend pitch kick-off meeting and minute if required
  • Create pitch document and pre-fill with standard pitch content
  • Project manage the drafting and finalising of the pitch material, and communicate timelines to all appropriate parties
  • Manage deadlines and flag issues as they arise
  • Update document with amendments made by multiple parties
  • Send to Design for document creation if appropriate and manage
  • Proof read pitch document and finalise document
  • Submit final document as per instructions and circulate final document to pitch team
  • Prepare presentation for client meetings Attend and document post-pitch feedback and distribute as appropriate
• Event Management
  • Work with events team and BD to qualify and identify events to be managed
  • Research possible venues (including in-house) and make bookings as required
  • Create InterAction invitation list and add contacts
  • Work with BD & Design to create invitation and send to invitation list
  • Manage RSVPs and report on same
  • Agree and manage theming for event
  • Manage budget for event
  • Agree and book catering
  • Print name badges and other material if required
  • Attend event and manage attendees, troubleshoot any onsite issues
  • Manage bump in and bump out for event, including clean up
  • Work with BD or nominated party to develop any require materials (presentations etc) for the event
  • Book any travel or accommodation require for the event
  • Manage any special guests and requirements for same
  • Post event support and reporting
• Client reporting
  • For identified clients and in standard template, create regular client reporting
  • Run reports from the financial system (3e) and source other information for inclusion
  • Prepare in an agreed format and distribute to internal and external clients as appropriate.
• Other
  • Assist with ad hoc projects, as directed.
  • Form positive working relationships; particularly with partners, BD team, Practice Executives and other support services teams.

Risk and Control: Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with our regulatory requirements and internal policies.

Essential skills and experience:

• Excellent written communications skills
• Demonstrable experience writing and collating business documents, with the ability to format content from different sources to a high standard
• Ideally, exposure to business development activities – specifically, pitch creation, event management and client reporting
• Strong planner with ability to work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels
• Organised and able to prioritise diverse workload and meet deadlines
• Able to work collaboratively and effectively with teams remotely in a global context
• Good attention to detail
• A logical thinker, clear communicator and possess strong interpersonal skills
• Very proficient in use of MS Office tools (especially Word, PowerPoint & Excel)
• Tactful and diplomatic when in pressured situations
• Uses initiative – 'can do' approach
• Client focused

Desired skills and experience

• Familiarity with some or all of the following:
• Workflow applications
• Client Relationship Management systems
• Practice Management systems
• Case Management systems
• Document Management systems