Senior Business Development Manager - Dispute Resolution

Freshfields; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager to drive the business development strategy for their Dispute Resolution practice. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in professional services and a proven track record in client engagement and strategic collaboration. This role offers opportunities for professional growth within a people-first culture in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Opportunities for professional growth

Supportive environment

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• Significant experience in professional services (legal, accountancy, technology, consultancy).
• Proven ability to develop effective go-to-market strategies.
• Strong project management and multi-tasking capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the UK Dispute Resolution business development strategy.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to deliver compelling pitches.
• Manage and mentor a high-performing team.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Client engagement

Collaboration

Project management

Communication

Data analysis

Education

Degree-level education

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Salesforce

Job description

We’re looking for a strategic and collaborative Senior Business Development Manager to join our globally recognised Dispute Resolution practice. This is a high-impact role, ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, client-focused environment and brings deep expertise in business development within professional services.

What you’ll do

• Lead the UK Dispute Resolution business development strategy, driving client engagement and market visibility.
• Partner with senior stakeholders to deliver compelling pitches, campaigns and thought leadership.
• Manage and mentor a high-performing team, fostering growth and collaboration.
• Leverage data and insights to identify opportunities and measure success.
• Champion cross-border initiatives and global BD excellence.

What we offer

• A people-first culture where diversity is celebrated and inclusion is embedded in everything we do.
• Opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and global collaboration.
• A supportive environment that values fresh perspectives, creativity and continuous improvement.
• The chance to shape the future of one of the world’s top-ranked litigation practices.

Key requirements

• Degree-level education with significant experience in professional services (legal, accountancy, technology, consultancy).
• Proven ability to develop effective go-to-market strategies for proprietary content.
• Strong affinity for tools and platforms to reach broad and targeted audiences.
• High emotional intelligence, independent thinking, and sound professional judgement.
• Excellent collaboration skills and ability to build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Strong project management and multi-tasking capabilities, with resilience under pressure.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail and quality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with Salesforce and marketing tech is a plus.
• Adaptability and flexibility in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities.
• A natural curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, with a commitment to mentoring and team development.
• Additional language skills are welcomed.

If you’re passionate about strategic business development and want to make a global impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered on the basis of their merit alone. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK in the role in question and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only if and when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case-by-case basis and take a number of relevant factors into account (e.g. the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.