Business Development Manager – RGA

WilmerHale; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 162,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Schedule

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match and profit‑n

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

WilmerHale is seeking a strategic Client Development lead in the Regulatory and Government Affairs (RGA) Department. You will guide business development initiatives, coordinate with attorneys, and drive marketing projects to raise visibility for practice groups and individual attorneys.

You will work on pitches, RFP responses, and thought leadership programs, maintaining client relationships and ensuring efficient delivery of services across the department. A hybrid schedule is offered.

Qualifications

• Eight to ten years’ experience in legal, technology, management, or market analysis environment is preferred.
• At least three years of demonstrated people management experience is required.
• BA/BS required; Advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Work with practice groups to implement client development projects and initiatives to support new business development goals.
• Leverage the firm’s experience and industry knowledge to develop pitches and presentations tailored to client needs.
• Provide strategic advice to lawyers preparing to engage potential clients and expand relationships.
• Use business intelligence and client development tools to identify opportunities for new work from existing clients.
• Manage archiving of business development activities and experiences for the RGA Department.
• Update web and print marketing collateral, including practice group descriptions and biographies.
• Lead on onboarding of lateral partners and practice group strategic planning.
• Develop technical understanding of clients and industries to proactively identify opportunities.

Skills

Independent thinking

Project management

Analytical skills

Oral communication

Written communication

Microsoft Suite

Education

BA/BS

Advanced degree

Tools

Microsoft Suite

Job description

WilmerHale is a leading, full-service international law firm with 1,000 lawyers located throughout 12 offices in the United States and Europe. Our lawyers work at the intersection of government, technology and business, and we remain committed to our guiding principles of providing quality, excellent legal and client services; developing diversity among our lawyers and staff and cultivating an environment that promotes an ambitious spirit, collaboration and collegiality by drawing on the extraordinary talents and dynamic experience of our lawyers. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities in which we practice.

About the Role

This position helps drive the client development initiatives of the Regulatory and Government Affairs (RGA) Department and its individual practice groups. He/she serves as a Client Development “customer-service” contact for attorneys by either providing strategic guidance and support directly, or coordinating with other Client Development Department team members to ensure services are provided efficiently and effectively.

This position acts as a go-to RGA lead for practice group business development and marketing projects and initiatives including, but not limited to, the implementation of strategic business development activities, responding to pitches/RFPs, and driving marketing initiatives like thought leadership and social media projects, increasing practice group and individual attorney visibility and marcom infrastructure projects like maintaining mailing lists and practice group descriptions.

What You Will Be Doing

Client/Business Development

• Work with practice groups to implement client development projects and initiatives to support new business development goals.
• Leverage the firm’s experience and industry knowledge to develop pitches and presentations that are responsive to companies’ specific needs.
• Use his/her experience to offer strategic advice and options to lawyers preparing to approach potential clients and in looking to expand relationships.
• Use business intelligence, client development tools and research to identify opportunities for new work for existing clients.
• Manage the RGA Department’s archiving of business development activities and experience.
• Work with the Client Development Department infrastructure to regularly update web and print marketing collateral, including practice group descriptions, matter/case lists and biographies.
• Lead on various aspects of lateral partner onboarding and practice group strategic planning.
• Responsible for developing technical understanding of clients and industries served by RGA practice groups to help proactively issue spot, leading to identification of business development opportunities.
• Develop and maintain “trusted advisor” partner relationships.
• Sees and deploys collaboration with colleagues and other departments as a critical factor in service excellence.
• Take lead responsibility in day-to-day management of a Client Development Specialist and Coordinator who will support the wide range of work that the Regulatory and Government Affairs Client Development team provides.
• Contributes to the firm’s Service Excellence initiative to consistently improve its image internally and externally. Displays professionalism, quality service and a “can do” attitude to internal members/departments of the firm as well as external clients and vendors via electronic and print correspondence, over the telephone and in-person.
• Assumes additional responsibilities as assigned.

Research

• Work with practice groups to analyze research on existing and prospective clients to aid in the development of customized pitches, presentations, and proposals.
• Work with practice groups to identify industry sector and market trends against competitor activity to company identify business development opportunities.
• Stay on top of clients’ business/industry news and keep Partners informed to facilitate frequent interactions and proactive client service.

Thought Leadership/Events

• Execute practice groups’ visibility strategies with thought leadership and client-facing events.
• Use research on industry trends to make recommendations on thought leadership and in-house programing. Work with practice groups to develop event concepts and create programing that demonstrates our ability to “look around corners” and inform clients on forward-looking issues.
• Work with all members of the Client Development Department to build profiles for practice group and individual attorneys (internally and, as appropriate, externally) by publicizing victories, news items, events, and articles leveraging social media and other distribution platforms.
• Oversee the management of sponsorships and memberships for the RGA Department, including evaluating sponsorships and opportunities to participate in various organizations.
• Contributes to managing the internal Client Development team. Provides guidance to more junior team members and manages a Client Development Specialist who will, among other general marketing projects, implement webinars and seminars, client-facing events and sponsorships, including marketing the event/program, mailing list creation, internal and external promotion (including social media if relevant) and follow-up activities.

Required Skills

What You Will Bring to This Position

• Strong independent thinking and execution, and mature professional judgment.
• Strong multitasking and project management skills and demonstrated capabilities to manage multiple deadlines and changing project criteria.
• Demonstrable analytic skills, organizational skills, initiative and vision.
• Superior oral and written communications skills, including professional presentation abilities, with demonstrated excellence in grammar and proofreading.
• Extensive working knowledge Microsoft Suite software.

Required Experience

Education:

• BA/BS required.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Experience:

• A minimum of eight to ten years’ experience in legal, technology, management, or market analysis environment is preferred.
• At least three years of demonstrated people management experience is required.

Why Join Us?

• A values‑driven firm that fosters collaboration and respect
• The hiring range for this position is $162,160 – 202,700 annually, with final compensation based on experience, qualifications and internal equity.
• This position is eligible for a Hybrid Schedule.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match and profit-sharing options
• Paid time off and holidays

Our Commitment

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable laws prohibiting employment discrimination. It is our policy to take all employment actions and make all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, citizenship status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, disability, military status, status as a disabled or other protected veteran, or any other protected status under applicable law. WilmerHale will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and otherwise as required by applicable law.

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This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by employees in the position. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills for positions. The firm reserves the right at all times, in its sole discretion, to add or subtract duties and responsibilities, as it deems necessary.