Senior Business Development Manager - Transactions

McDermott Will & Schulte; New York (NY); On-site; USD 183,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott Will & Schulte seeks a Senior Business Development Manager for Transactions to drive client targeting, RFPs, and cross-sell opportunities across markets and geographies. You will coordinate with Marketing and senior lawyers to advance strategic initiatives and manage budgets and team performance.

The role emphasizes leadership, strategic research, and effective communication in a fast-paced, revenue-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 10 years of related work experience.
• Experience managing a direct team of business development professionals.
• Excellent project management skills with ability to juggle multiple tasks under tight deadlines.
• Independent and collaborative work in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and CRM software.
• Strong presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong leadership and analytical abilities.
• Willingness to travel and adapt to flexible hours.

Responsibilities

• Organize and drive client targeting program across supported areas, including pursuit monitoring and results reporting.
• Lead and draft content for practice RFPs and pitches, coordinating with BD teams.
• Lateral onboarding: guide hires through client-onboarding and firm priorities.
• Identify cross-selling opportunities across the firm’s private equity practice and coordinate go-to-market strategies.
• Conduct strategic research on potential clients, competitors, and practice developments.
• Prepare materials, agendas, and manage follow-up actions for meetings and pitches.
• Coordinate firm-hosted BD events and manage attendee lists, materials, and follow-ups.
• Manage sponsorships, conferences, memberships, and role-based profile opportunities.
• Oversee BD budget and supervise direct reports; track performance and budget for the practice group.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Analytical skills

CRM software

MS Office

Communication

Team leadership

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CRM software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Build your big career with the firm that does Big Law, Better. McDermott Will & Schulte is a leading global law firm that brings together more than 1,700+ lawyers and 1,400 business professionals. We celebrate excellence, collaboration, and community and have been recognized as a top workplace by USA Today, Fortune, The American Lawyer, Vault and others. We are also certified by Great Place to Work. At McDermott, we don’t just invest in your future, we accelerate your career – wherever it may lead. That includes supporting you both in and outside of the office.

With Us, You’ll Find

• A firm where everyone belongs: Our award-winning culture prioritizes warmth and authenticity — we encourage you to be yourself!
• Enthusiasm for all perspectives: We’re smarter and stronger when everyone has a voice and a seat at the table. We welcome unique viewpoints and ideas, and we make opportunities for you and your career to thrive.
• Support to feel your best and do your best: Wellness is integral to building a successful career and a rich life. That’s why our benefits program supports your physical, emotional, mental, and financial health, with an emphasis on work-life balance.
• Real rewards for real work: We offer generous compensation packages that recognize hard work and excellence.

Job Description

Position Summary

The Senior Business Development Manager for Transactions works in various corporate advisory sectors and practices. This position supports the overall business development and marketing efforts of the Firm by helping to create and execute strategic activities related to the practice across multiple markets, clients, and geographies. The manager relies on extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.

Essential Functions And Responsibilities

• Organize and drive client targeting program for supported areas, including prompting and monitoring pursuit activities, and tracking and reporting on results
• Lead and draft content for practice RFPs and pitches, including coordination with other business development teams
• Lateral onboarding: guide lateral hires through the protocols of bringing in clients and integrating themselves into firm priorities
• Identify and facilitate cross-selling opportunities for the private equity practice across the firm, including crafting and executing a range of go-to-market strategies around these opportunities and collaborating with other practice areas and industry initiatives
• Conduct strategic research on potential clients, competitors, and practice developments to identify business trends and opportunities and ensure optimal positioning to grow market share
• Build effective agendas for team meetings, prepare materials and speakers, and project manage actions coming from meetings and create and maintain materials to support pitches and proposals
• Coordinate firm-hosted business development events, including receptions, client entertainment outings, substantive presentations, webinars, etc., working closely with participating lawyers and Marketing Dept. colleagues on invitation list development, event materials, participant tracking, engagement, on-site management, and targeted follow-up activities
• Identify and facilitate participation in sponsorships, conferences, memberships and other key profile-building opportunities for the practice, office and individual lawyers in each
• Manage legal directory and league ranking submissions, and assist the PR team in the generation of matters and other information for awards submissions
• Manage workflow and performance of direct reports and the creation of relevant proposal collateral; provide ongoing performance feedback
• Manage, review and track the business development budget for the designated practice group

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• At least ten (10) years of related work experience
• Previous experience managing a direct team of business development professionals
• Excellent project management skills, with keen attention to detail and an ability to prioritize and execute multiple ongoing tasks often under tight deadlines
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word)
• Knowledge of client relationship management (CRM) software
• Superior presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to handle and maintain confidential information
• Flexible, forward thinking, proactive, energetic and detail-oriented team player
• Professional, yet approachable, demeanor, with comfort and competence both in dealing with senior lawyers and working collaboratively with other lawyers and business services throughout the firm
• An effective change management approach
• “Team player” mentality with great collegiality and who responds well to an evolving environment and is willing to be flexible and lend support where needed
• Ability to travel and work flexible and/or fluctuating work hours

Successful candidates will be provided with outstanding career opportunities and will receive a competitive total rewards package with the opportunity to earn performance-based bonuses.

Target Hiring Range $183,000 - $235,000

Please note that quoted salary ranges are not guarantees of what final salary offers may be. Base pay is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and geographic location. Base pay is only one part of the Total Rewards that MWS provides to compensate and recognize our staff professionals for their work. Full time positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus and a comprehensive benefits package.

Physical Demands And Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, use hands, reach with hands and arms, stoop, talk and hear
• Employee must occasionally lift up to twenty (20) pounds

Work Environment

Typical indoor office environment

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people within this classification. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this job.