Director of Business Development - Ropes & Gray LLP

About Ropes & Gray:

Ropes & Gray is a preeminent, global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top-three on The American Lawyer's prestigious "A-List" for seven years and is ranked #1 on Law.com International's "A-List" in the U.K. - rankings that honor the "Best of the Best" firms.

The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.

The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.

Overview:

The Director of Business Development will work with lawyers and business support professionals across geographies, practice groups and industry groups to develop and implement marketing and business development programs for the Technology, Consumer & Retail and Sports industry groups and the Tax, Employment, Executive Compensation & Benefits, Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity practice groups, with the goal of winning new business and expanding existing work with clients. The Director will also lead and develop a team to support them.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain and execute integrated marketing and business/client development plans for their aligned industries and practices that grow the firm’s share of wallet and client relationships, increase visibility and align to firm strategy and messaging.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to partners and recommend appropriate marketing and business development tactics that build the firm’s reputation and revenue.
• Actively participate in knowledge marketing planning sessions related to goals and preferences. Recommend cross-channel thought leadership and content marketing plans that leverage and complement practice, industry, client and other firmwide activities.
• Customize marketing tactics to business goals and oversee execution of all related marketing and business development initiatives (e.g., proposals, RFPs, sponsorships, hosted events, speaking opportunities, publications, emails, web pages, videos, social posts, awards, PR, etc.).
• Identify marketing and business development best practices and drive adoption within aligned industries and practices, including through use of the department project management system.
• Monitor competitors in the market, share insights about their commercial efforts and apply learnings in real time in line with best practices.
• Maintain detailed marketing and business development budgets and drive efficiency.
• Connect themes and target audiences via coordinated campaigns within aligned industries and practices and across the firm.
• Grow the firm’s reputation in aligned industries and practices in line with strategic plan and through improved brand definition and rigorous messaging repetition:
• Improve sophistication and consistency of branded materials.
• Develop processes to promote and leverage important qualifications.
• Promote firm wins, novel strategies and expertise, both broadly and systematically.
• Oversee and maintain content of the firm’s aligned industries and practices web pages and ensure timely and relevant information is easily accessible and shared.
• Develop and implement efficient processes for regularly updating all external materials.
• Fully utilize systems to engage, grow and track interactions with target audience. Measure impact.
• Create and disseminate regular updates for partners:
• Collaborate with the firm’s financial analysis team on metrics reporting to track business generation year over year.
• Maintain and share details of successful new business.
• Develop metrics to measure ROI and constantly identify opportunities for enhancements.
• Provide data analytics on client engagement and engagement initiatives.
• Drive pitching, targeting and new business generation efforts:
• Advise on new business opportunities and on the development and implementation of product-targeting initiatives.
• Oversee and provide quality control on pitches, RFPs and other materials.
• Work with finance to develop compelling fee arrangements.
• Work with attorney teams to prepare for pitches and in-person meetings.
• Identify opportunities to conduct post-pitch debriefs, post-matter reviews, firm leadership visits and annual meetings with targets and clients:
• Prepare partners for feedback calls or visits.
• Where appropriate, conduct debriefs directly with clients and prospects, and report back to partners as relevant.
• Manage and develop the aligned business development teams:
• Ensure a structured approach for maintaining up-to-date business and client information, knowledge and experience, including background for pitches.
• Track and manage all relevant business development activity using the project management system.
• Encourage full and effective use of the firm’s CRM database (InterAction).
• Delegate effectively, set and communicate goals, measure accomplishments and give developmental feedback.
• Work with Partners and business development team to prioritize opportunities, advance business plans and coordinate with relevant industry groups, practices or offices.
• Work with the client operations services/legal project management team on client service delivery.
• Lead consultative business development coaching and training, ranging from individual coaching to practice group trainings and workshops that produce measurable results; lead, motivate and inspire a client-focused philosophy within the firm.
• Build a strong working knowledge of adjacent practice and industry groups’ services and a clear understanding of each group’s strategy, priorities and clients, as well as market trends and client value propositions.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES:

• Executive-level presence and poise, as well as the ability to secure the buy-in and support of partners and colleagues.
• A commercial mindset and strategic thinking
• Ability to offer a vision, identify goals and implement the best plan to achieve them.
• Crisp execution, meeting or exceeding industry benchmarks for every execution.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills; ability to effectively influence and motivate.
• Ability to build effective relationships with internal and external constituents.
• Subject-matter expertise.
• Strong organizational, project management and business analysis skills

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• MBA or JD preferred.
• Director-level experience, including team leadership, with a minimum of 12 years of progressive business development experience in a large professional services firm or corporate environment, with a focus on capital markets and M&A.
• Demonstrable experience hiring, developing and managing a team.
• Experience in business development within the legal industry preferred.
• Extensive experience working on large pitches and proposals, including working with a team to develop a winning strategy, identifying ways to differentiate from the competition, helping to write aspects of the pitch and coaching lawyers on pitch delivery.
• Experience developing and leading business development coaching, workshops and training sessions for lawyers.
• Ability to work effectively in a culturally diverse multi-office environment.

Compensation and Total Rewards Package:

Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below and represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

 

New York $240,000 - $380,000

 

Working Conditions:

This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.