Business Development Manager

HGF; Leeds; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading intellectual property firm in the UK is seeking a Business Development professional to support strategic growth by identifying new business opportunities and enhancing client relationships. The ideal candidate has experience in business development within a professional services environment and excellent communication skills. The role offers a transparent career development approach, DEI focus, and attractive benefits including flexible working and an enhanced parental leave policy.

Benefits

Enhanced parental leave policy

27 days holiday

Bonus scheme

Flexible working

Qualifications

• Experience in business development within a professional services or legal environment.
• Exposure to Intellectual Property law or IP-driven industries is ideal.
• Strong communication skills and project management expertise.

Responsibilities

• Support key client programs and manage client relationships.
• Research trends in IP-rich sectors and develop business plans.
• Lead creation of tailored pitches and proposals.

Skills

Business development

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Degree in Business, Marketing, Law, or related field

Job description

Overview

To support the firm’s strategic growth by identifying new business opportunities, enhancing client relationships, and delivering targeted business development initiatives. The role works closely with partners, fee earners, and the wider BD & Marketing team to drive revenue growth and market visibility.

• Client Development: Support key client programs, manage client relationships, and identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities.
• Market & Sector Insight: Research trends and competitor activity in IP-rich sectors, and help develop sector-specific business development plans.
• Pitching & Proposals: Lead the creation of tailored pitches and proposals, maintain business development materials, and track outcomes for improvement.
• Campaign & Event Delivery: Execute targeted business development campaigns and events, support marketing initiatives, and coordinate networking opportunities.
• Internal Collaboration: Serve as a main contact for business development support, coach colleagues on best practices, and ensure alignment within the BD & Marketing team.

About You

You will have experience in business development within a professional services or legal environment, ideally with exposure to Intellectual Property law or IP-driven industries. Your strong communication skills enable you to engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels, while your project management expertise ensures you can deliver initiatives efficiently and collaboratively. You will ideally hold a degree in Business, Marketing, Law, or a related field, and professional qualifications such as CIM are desirable. Above all, you are proactive, commercially minded, and passionate about driving growth and building lasting client relationships.

About HGF

HGF Limited is one of Europe’s largest intellectual property specialist firms offering a fully integrated IP solution, bringing over 200 Patent Attorneys, Trade Mark Attorneys and IP Solicitors together to provide a full-service IP solution.

With 25 offices across the UK, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, France, Switzerland & Austria, HGF’s Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys provide specialist technical and legal advice to blue chip organisations and small to medium businesses across the world. Many of our clients are household names and the work HGF does allows them to protect and exploit their inventions, new products and branding.

Why move to HGF?

• HGF takes a transparent and merit-based approach to your career development and you will have the opportunity to shape your long-term progression.
• We’re a firm with a focus on DEI (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion), with a staff led DEI Focus Group, affinity networks and a DEI Board sponsor
• As a business we have a dedicated Learning and Development team focused on career long development of your skills along with a digital learning platformcovering a wide range of content
• Benefits including our award winning enhanced parental leave policy, 27 days holiday, bonus scheme and flexible working

HGF Values

People – People matter. We treat people fairly, with respect and compassion. We foster a friendly, inclusive and enjoyable culture for everyone to prosper in. We invest in our people and offer appropriate coaching and training to assist with development and learning. We promote a healthy work-life balance. Progression is based on merit.

Excellence – We strive to be the best. We pursue excellence in all our individual roles resulting in outstanding legal and technical advice for our clients. Our people are pragmatic, responsive and commercially minded. We do not presume but listen to understand so we can engage proactively and appropriately.

Teamwork – We stand together. We work with our clients to protect their interests, and with each other as a mutually supporting firm. We value, appreciate and listen to others, regardless of role, recognising each individual’s particular blend of talent, skill and experience. We are individually and jointly accountable and take responsibility for our actions and decisions.

Progressive – We innovate. We continually improve our services and processes through understanding, creativity, and investment. We evolve by taking opportunities and adopting new business procedures, unencumbered by historical structures or out-of-date attitudes. As a firm, we have an entrepreneurial spirit, and encourage new thinking in our people.

Please mention IP Careers when applying to HGF.