Business Development Specialist, Retail / Registered Funds

Kirkland & Ellis; New York (NY); On-site; USD 88,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare

Paid time off

Retirement benefits

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

Kirkland & Ellis is seeking a Marketing & Business Development Specialist for Investment Funds in New York. You will help advance BD, marketing, and client engagement strategies for the Investment Funds Group and related areas such as Registered Funds and Retail Products.

The role collaborates with attorneys and a global team to shape strategy, build client relationships, and enhance the firm’s market presence through data-driven decisions, targeted pitches, and compelling marketing content.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5+ years in business development, marketing, or professional services, preferably in financial services.
• Experience supporting investment funds, asset management, private capital, registered funds, or related practices is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Drive business development plans and strategic initiatives for the Investment Funds Group and related practices.
• Partner with attorneys and practice leaders to identify opportunities, shape growth strategies, and drive initiatives forward.
• Lead pitches, proposals, and RFP responses from strategy through final production.
• Create and refresh client-facing marketing materials, biographies, examples, and practice descriptions.
• Support new business pursuits and client targeting to contribute to revenue growth.
• Plan seminars, conferences, sponsorships, and events to raise the firm’s profile and strengthen relationships.
• Deliver market intelligence on clients, competitors, and industry trends to inform decision-making.
• Manage CRM data, reporting, mailing lists, and BD analytics for stakeholders.
• Track activity and prepare reports for attorneys and leadership.
• Help drive thought leadership and brand visibility through publications and awards.
• Mentor junior BD team members and share best practices.

Skills

Relationship management

Project management

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Business development

Investment funds knowledge

MS Office & CRM

Collaborative mindset

Market intelligence

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Preqin

PitchBook

Capital IQ

Salesforce

Job description

Business Development Specialist, Retail / Registered Funds

Category: Marketing & Business Development

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don’t just meet the standard for legal excellence — we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 24 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers’ commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

Are you a strategic business development professional who thrives on turning market insights into growth opportunities and delivering high-impact client experiences?

Kirkland & Ellis is seeking a Marketing & Business Development Specialist, Investment Funds to support one of the largest investment funds practices in the world. Based in New York, you’ll play a key role in advancing the business development, marketing, and client engagement strategy for the Investment Funds Group and related practice areas, including Registered Funds and Retail Products.

Working closely with attorneys, practice leaders, and an international team of marketing, business development, research, and communications professionals, you’ll help shape strategy, strengthen client relationships, and elevate the firm’s market presence. This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially minded professional who enjoys combining strategic thinking, project management, relationship building, and data-driven decision-making in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

• Drive business development strategy:Support the development and execution of business development plans and strategic initiatives that advance the goals of the Investment Funds Group and related practices.
• Partner with practice leadership:Serve as a trusted advisor to attorneys and practice leaders by identifying opportunities, shaping growth strategies, and driving key initiatives forward.
• Lead pitches and proposals:Develop and deliver tailored client pitches, presentations, and Request for Proposal (RFP) responses from initial strategy through final production.
• Create compelling marketing materials:Maintain and enhance attorney biographies, representative matters, presentations, practice descriptions, and other client-facing collateral.
• Support new business pursuits:Coordinate business development opportunities, client targeting efforts, pursuit strategies, and relationship-building initiatives that contribute to revenue growth.
• Execute client engagement programs:Plan and support seminars, conferences, sponsorships, receptions, speaking engagements, and other profile-raising events that strengthen client relationships.
• Deliver market intelligence:Conduct research and analysis on clients, competitors, industry trends, transactions, and market developments to uncover opportunities and support strategic decision-making.
• Leverage data for insights:Manage Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data, reporting, contact management, mailing lists, and business development analytics to provide actionable insights to stakeholders.
• Track practice activity:Monitor funds, transactions, and other practice-related activity, maintaining relevant databases and preparing reports and analyses for attorneys and leadership.
• Support brand visibility:Coordinate thought leadership initiatives, firm publications, award submissions, directory rankings, and other marketing content that enhances market recognition.
• Mentor team members:Share knowledge, promote best practices, and help develop junior business development professionals across the team.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree; with 5+ years of relevant business development, marketing or professional services experience, preferably within a law firm, financial services institution, investment bank or other professional services environment.
• Relationship management skills:Proven ability to build credibility with attorneys, senior leaders, clients, and cross-functional stakeholders while influencing outcomes and fostering collaboration.
• Strategic project management:Experience independently managing complex initiatives from planning through execution while balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Exceptional communication:Strong writing, editing, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to translate complex legal, business, and financial concepts into compelling marketing content.
• Analytical mindset:Ability to interpret market trends, competitive intelligence, financial information, and business data to generate meaningful recommendations and insights.
• Business development expertise:Experience supporting pitches, RFPs, client development initiatives, thought leadership campaigns, events, sponsorships, and awards submissions.
• Investment funds knowledge:Experience supporting investment funds, asset management, private capital, registered funds, retail products, or related financial services practices is strongly preferred.
• Technology proficiency:Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint, with familiarity with Adobe and market intelligence platforms such as Preqin, PitchBook, Capital IQ, Salesforce, or similar CRM systems.
• Collaborative approach:A proactive, detail-oriented team player who exercises sound judgment, embraces continuous improvement, and thrives in a fast-paced environment.

If you’re excited to combine strategy, client engagement, market intelligence, and business development to support a world-class investment funds practice, we’d love to hear from you!

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in New York City. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range:

New York City: $88,000 - $120,000

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law. #LI-MP1 #LI-Hybrid