Job description

We are recruiting for a Senior BD Manager to job our Life Sciences & Healthcare sector group on a 12 month FTC,

Department purpose
The business development, marketing and communications team is integral to the setting and achievement of the firm’s global client strategy, which includes guiding the partners and associates in their pursuit of becoming the clients’ trusted advisers, building and maintaining long-lasting, deep institutional client relationships, winning new clients, increasing the visibility of the firm globally, and positioning the firm as the thought leader and most advanced law firm among the global elite law firms. The function works as one team across the globe with very close collaboration between the central groups, such as communications, and the professionals working in local offices, practice groups, sectors and clients.

Role purpose
To work alongside the Life Sciences & Healthcare lead partners to deliver the work of the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector group. The group has three key objectives.

• To develop and deliver a marketing and business development strategy that improves business performance through an improved market profile and enhanced approaches to targeting and winning new business.
• To identify and oversee the firm’s relationships with a small number of high-potential clients that sit within the life sciences and healthcare sectors.
• With the Life Sciences & Healthcare partner leads, to develop a community of lawyers interested in these areas.

The role provides “expert” counsel to colleagues in the BD, marketing and comms team on our positioning across the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector.

Role and responsibilities

• Work with Life Sciences & Healthcare leadership team to help them articulate the strategic direction of the group, identify key priorities and lead on the development and implementation of the business plan.
• Manage priority client programme for Life Sciences & Healthcare (eg facilitate regular check-ins between sector leads and RPs, gather data to support the review of RPs etc).
• Take specific account management responsibilities for an agreed number of priority clients:
  • Support relationship partners in the management of priority client relationships.
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the structure, operations and strategic direction of these clients and build an understanding of how and where the firm can best position itself in relation to these clients and their position in the wider context of their relevant sectors.
  • Develop and execute client account plans to give structure to the relationship building efforts, and to map out the opportunities and coverage.
  • Produce client-related business analysis including client strategy, client structures, revenue and profitability (including gap analysis), relationship mapping, market share, competitor activity, developments in the client's markets and client needs analysis. Oversee the maintenance of a flow of market/client intelligence (including key client contact moves and developments) to partners and associates in order to help identify client talking points and engagement opportunities.
  • Work on client listening programmes as appropriate; carrying out pitch debriefs, matter reviews, relationship reviews and market studies to inform our client and BD strategies. Assimilate the feedback into reports for the relevant partners, and proactively work with the partners to ensure that the feedback in the report is actioned appropriately.
• Keep current on commercial and legal issues affecting the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector, to help identify specific opportunities with clients and inform overall direction of marketing collateral and campaigns/thought leadership.
• Lead the development of sector campaigns, content and knowhow including through feeding back client intelligence and perspectives on key hot topics, priorities and strategies. Work with relevant partners, BD colleagues, knowledge lawyers and content team as appropriate to assess and implement suitable campaigns to build the firm’s profile in Life Sciences & Healthcare.
• Identify and manage A&O Shearman’s engagement with appropriate market facing opportunities for Life Sciences & Healthcare including conferences and industry associations with the overall goal of boosting market-standing and raising profile.
• Take responsibility for the global BD budget for Life Sciences & Healthcare sector, ensuring that all external marketing and business development activities are delivered in the most cost-effective manner and within budget.
• Work with Life Sciences & Healthcare leadership team to create opportunities within the firm for sector focused lawyers to come together as a community to share information and insights.
• Take line management responsibility for more junior members of the team as agreed.

Key requirements

• Extensive professional services marketing and business development experience.
• Strong understanding of the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector, or a willingness to develop such understanding.
• CRM experience and client focus with the ability to cultivate direct client relationships.
• Self-motivated, proactive and tenacious; able to work under pressure.
• Commercially astute with a good understanding of financial metrics and profit levers.
• Strategic and creative thinker.
• Business analysis and desk research experience.
• Strong influencing skills coupled with the ability to challenge appropriately.
• Politically astute – can make tough decisions and follow through; anticipates future areas of risk for the practice and takes appropriate action to address these.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Proactive, creative, tenacious and resilient; adopts a growth mindset and encourages others to do the same.
• A team player and highly collaborative.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

We recognise the value of flexible working and embraces hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do however remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together.

Additional information - External

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.