Business Development Strategist

Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff; Baltimore (MD); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, a leading AmLaw100 firm with over 1,300 lawyers, seeks a talented Business Development Strategist to lead strategy and execution across transactional practices in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, or Southwest offices, with hybrid work arrangements (at least three days in office).

The role partners with Practice Group Leaders to shape strategy, translate vision into execution, and drive growth with BD teams and centralized resources.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years in business development or marketing, preferably in a professional services organization.
• Self-directed and proactive with strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong client focus and exceptional communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, matrix environment and manage competing priorities.
• Proficiency with AI tools and daily use.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute strategic business development plans aligned with the firm's strategy.
• Collaborate with communications, digital, events, design, pursuits, and practice group management teams.
• Promote cross-selling, service integration, and expansion efforts.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key clients and industry organizations.
• Manage sponsorships at industry conferences and local market events; provide on-site support.
• Lead initiatives in marketing programs, including proposals and content creation.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Client focus

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Execution excellence

AI proficiency

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or related field

MBA (plus)

Tools

CRM systems

AI tools

Job description

Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, an AmLaw100 firm with more than 1,300 lawyers based in 40 US and UK office locations, seeks a talented and experienced Business Development Strategist to be based in our Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, or Southwest offices, with preferred locations including Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville, SC; Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park (Durham), and Winston-Salem, NC; Houston, TX; and Phoenix, AZ with hybrid work arrangements available (at least three days in office).The Business Development Strategist is a senior, practice-aligned growth leader responsible for driving strategic business development while also maintaining accountability for execution of those strategies within the firm’s transactional practice areas, including Corporate & Securities; Finance, Bankruptcy and Restructuring; and Real Estate. The Business Development Strategist partners closely with Practice Group Leaders to shape the strategic vision for the practice, translate that vision into a focused execution plan, and ensure sustained forward momentum against agreed growth priorities.

The candidate will be a member of our BD leadership team, reporting to the Director of Business Development and working closely with the Senior Director of Business Development and other firm leadership. The ideal candidate will have a proventrack recordof success in developing and executing strategies to drive revenue growth, expand market share, and increase client satisfaction in the transactional space.This position requires excellent organization and interpersonal communication skills and an ability to strategically manage multiple projects, internalclientsand priorities.

This roleoperatesacross both strategy and execution. In addition to providing strategic oversight at the practice group and vertical level, the Business Development Strategistis responsible fordriving the execution of those strategies, personally leading key initiatives while also directing and coordinating efforts across practice-aligned BD team members and centralized firm resources.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create and execute strategic business development plans that align with the firm's overall strategy and goals, including leading teams through the strategic planning process,identifyingnew business opportunities and engagement strategies, and tracking and analyzing performance to provide regular reports to management.
• Work closely with other client development and firm administrative teams, such as communications, digital, events, design, pursuits, and practice group management, to ensure that all business development efforts are coordinated and aligned with the practice group’s strategic business development plans and the firm's overall strategy, while actively driving execution of key initiatives.
• Promote cross-selling, serviceintegrationand service expansion by aligning and working with cross-functional attorney teams toidentifyand pursue strategic targeting opportunities.
• Develop andmaintainrelationships with key clients, industry organizations, and other stakeholders. Work with attorneys to develop targeted lists for client alerts and business development pursuits and support execution of those efforts as needed.
• Manage firm sponsorships at industry/trade conferences and local market events, including providing on-site support and building relationships with clients and prospects, and ensuring alignment with strategicobjectivesand measurable outcomes.
• Execute the firm’s strategic initiatives and brand deployment through marketing programs, including developing materials such as presentations, proposals, and content. Directly lead priority initiatives as needed to ensure quality and effective execution.
• Monitor industry trends andcompetitivelandscape to inform business development strategies and identify potential areas for growth.
• Lead and participate in pitch and proposal development processes, including identifying opportunities, developing proposals, and presenting to clients, taking an active role in high-priority pursuits to ensure strong positioning and successful outcomes.
• Capture, manage, andleverage the expertise and experience of firm attorneys practicing in the transactional space.
• Facilitate and/orparticipatein business developmenttrainings, including contributing to curriculum. Conduct 1:1 coachingsessionswith attorneys.
• Provide strategic direction on business development investment and budget allocation, prioritizing initiatives based on growth objectives and expected return on investment..
• Maintain and log key activities in CRM systems and reinforce data discipline across aligned teams.
• Define, monitor, and report on business development metrics, including revenue growth, market share, and client satisfaction, to inform decision-making and assess progress against strategic priorities.
• Oversee, coordinate, and delegate business development tasks and projects, aligning resources with strategic priorities and ensuring effective delivery.
• Identifyand support opportunities toleveragetechnology and emerging tools (including AI) to enhance business development workflows, scale execution, and improve efficiency, in collaboration with BD leadership and IT.
• Assiston firm-wide or special projects, as needed.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or other related field; MBA is a plus.
• 10+ years previous business development and/or marketing experience, preferably within a professional services organization.
• Self-directed and proactive,demonstratingdependability and initiative.
• Skillfulat cross-functional collaboration and consensus building.
• High degree of focus on the client and the client’s needs.
• Great listener and communicator, and organizationally agile.
• Pragmatic judgment, applying knowledge and experience to select effective courses of action.
• Flexible and able to react to change in a positive, constructive manner.
• Ability to solve complex problems, manageinterestsof diverse stakeholders, and resolve conflict.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build trustworthy relationships internally and externally with all levels of people with demonstrated poise, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage competing priorities.
• Capable ofinfluencing ina complex and decentralized matrix environment.
• Ability to think strategically and execute tactically.
• Well-developed business acumen.
• Ability tooperateas both a strategic leader and hands-on contributor, balancing planning, coordination, and execution.
• Proficiency with AI tools and technologies is expected. This role requires someone who already integrates AI into their workflow and is comfortable using it daily.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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