Business Development Manager - Real Estate

Mishcon De Reya; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Mishcon de Reya is seeking a Business Development Manager for its Real Estate group. You will drive BD activities, coordinate with senior leadership, and craft strategy across multiple markets, while mentoring junior team members and aligning with firm-wide goals.

You will lead data-driven initiatives, create compelling marketing materials, and play a key role in events and thought leadership to strengthen the firm’s market position.

Qualifications

• Relevant Degree or equivalent experience is required.

Responsibilities

• As a Business Development Manager, you will support Mishcon de Reya Real Estate with BD activities and projects.
• You will guide the core team to connect with the wider firm to enable cross-department growth.
• You will develop marketing and business development plans for cross-firm initiatives.
• You will analyze data, track ROI, and translate insights into strategic guidance.
• You will lead events coordination and create marketing collateral to boost brand awareness.
• You will mentor junior team members and foster a culture of "one team".

Skills

Marketing strategy

Business development

Client development

Pitch/proposals

Team leadership

AI tools

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Mishcon de Reya's Real Estate department brings market-leading skills that span the real estate lifecycle to the newest, most dynamic parts of the economy.

Along with the Innovation Economy and Private Wealth & Private Capital, Real Estate is one of our three strategic sectors. Their purpose? So, we are better aligned to our clients' converging agendas, and they can thrive in this era of transformation.

For such a fast-changing world our real estate expertise is already proven. It is not only reflected in the wide range and size of businesses that we advise, including some of the largest industry players, but the contribution we make to formulating policy in the sector.

We have the scale and range for this new era. Our 140 lawyers make for one of London's most diverse and complete property teams, and our international network is in the right places.

We embrace the latest technology - PropTech, automation and visualisation tools, AI and structured databases - so that we can work faster and more efficiently.

At the same time, we have the necessary human skills, in a sector where who you know has always been as important as what you know. We build relationships that span decades, not just the transaction. We are connected - not only with our clients but the people on the other side. We create the chemistry to get deals done better and faster.

To these 'tools' we add our vision. We understand how in today's world a departmental, siloed approach is no longer what clients need. They want answers to the bundle of converging challenges they face. If these are beyond the boundaries of specialist real estate expertise, we supplement it with deep sector knowledge from across the firm.

As a result, we already work for real estate clients across corporate, employment, IP and disputes matters and for the principals on private matters.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a Business Development Manager at Mishcon de Reya, you will be part of a team providing support to our Real Estate Department. Reporting to the Head of Business Development in Real Estate and working alongside two Senior Business Development Executives, this role will work as part of a collaborative and high-performing team to deliver on a range of BD activities and projects, whilst contributing to the Firm's overall business development strategy.

Whilst this role will principally support the Real Estate department, you will guide your core team to find connections with the wider firm that empower business development at all levels. Flexibility and teamwork are a must, as we strive to maintain and build our culture of "one team".

Summary of the role:

Driving engagement (with the Department and within BD):

• Improve the marketing capability of the Real Estate Department's lawyers and raise their awareness of the role that the business development team can play. Attend regular fee earner practice meetings.
• Provide proactive updates and analysis to the Group's leadership and identify opportunities and threats for the Group's businesses. This may include researching best practices in the industry, benchmarking Mishcon's performance against others, evaluating new emerging market segments and identifying potential business opportunities.
• Work closely with the Knowledge Lawyers to ensure that all members of the department (and Business Development) are aware of key issues and trends in the law.
• Contribute to the development of marketing and business development plans for cross-firm initiatives.
• Contribute to BD: Strengthen the culture of "one team". Be a mentor and coach to more junior members of the team. Maintain a positive approach appropriate to a senior team member.

Growth, strategy and operations

• Develop and progress practice group and sector business plans.
• Understand cross-departmental referrals and encourage connected growth across Vision 2030 markets.
• A strong growth mindset: Identify which are the most appropriate clients and intermediaries for growth (current and past clients as well as future targets) and develop plans accordingly.
• Develop high quality pitch documents, credential documents, and marketing materials working with members of the department and wider Business Development team.
• Conduct analysis: collect and analyse data on a range of strategic and operational questions and translate this into actionable insight and strategic recommendations.
• Capture ROI and lead generation post strategic events and execute appropriate follow up.
• Work with sectors within the firm to develop their activities in the market.
• Identify and develop Practice specific products and services that can be used to position the Practices competitively.

Driving brand awareness and reputation

• Further develop the department's and the Firm's profile through: PR, editorial, thought leadership market research, select conferences, newsletters, and seminars. This will involve working with our Central BD team, Marketing, and Communications teams.
• Guide and support the Practice Groups in the preparation of directory submissions.
• Lead on the coordination and delivery of events.
• Create marketing collateral that furthers the Firm's reputation (including, but not limited to, PowerPoint presentations, brochures, client briefings and other client communications.)
• Use effectively all communication channels for the department/Firm generally e.g. website, e-bulletins, media, sponsorship, conferences, and research and industry networks.

Skills/Experience

We are looking for individuals who are able to act as a true partner to our business. Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

• Relevant Degree or equivalent experience is required.
• Experience as a Business Development Manager or equivalent role (minimum 5-7- years' experience of working in marketing and business development).
• Experience within a professional services environment (law firm or large property agent/company preferred).
• Strategic and creative thinking, with strong commercial nous and a practical approach.
• Client development focus in previous roles as well as experience in pitch/proposal preparation and appropriate coaching to those delivering pitches.
• The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, with energy, enthusiasm, and drive.
• Confidence in negotiating with fee-earners on BD activity; identifying the right mix of activity to balance benefits of individual practices with the wider department and the firm overall.
• Strong proficiency in technology, with the ability to confidently use and experiment with AI to improve efficiency, solve problems creatively, and identify new ways of delivering high-quality work.
• A team-orientated approach, with the ability to demonstrate through experience and from interview that they have a strong commercial and client-led approach to their work.
• A swift, analytical approach to problems.
• Excellent communication skills.
• The ability to build collaborative relationships across the firm.
• Highly organised and takes initiative.
• Proactivity, reliance, and a flexible and calm approach.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

About The Mishcon de Reya Group

The Group is an independent, international professional services business with law at its heart, employing over 1400 people with over 650 lawyers. It includes the law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP and a collection of leading consultancy businesses that complement the firm's legal services.

Mishcon de Reya LLP is based in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Hong Kong and UAE. The firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply.The work the firm undertakes is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, centred around three increasingly entwined and connected sectors: the Innovation Economy, Private Wealth and Capital, and Real Estate. The firm is known as a disputes powerhouse with a formidable capacity firmwide for dispute resolution.

The includes consultancy businesses , (in London, Singapore and Dubai), , and (in Hong Kong). The Group also includes , which invests in the most promising early stage legaltech companies as well as the Mishcon Academy, its in-house place of learning and platform for thought leadership.

In 2024, the Group announced its first strategic acquisition in the alternative legal services market, flexible legal resourcing business Flex Legal. It also acquired a majority stake in Somos, a global group actions management business.

We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.