Senior Manager, Client Development – Pitch and Proposal

Friedman Williams; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Friedman Williams is seeking a Senior Manager, Client Development – Pitch and Proposal in New York, NY. This role leads high-stakes pitches, proposals and RFP responses from evaluation through delivery, partnering with firm leadership and cross‑functional teams to guide decisions and position the firm competitively in complex opportunities.

The successful candidate will own strategy, planning, and delivery across departments, shaping messaging and content to resonate with sophisticated client

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Ten or more years working in a business development role in a large, multi-office law firm or other professional services firm.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic pitch and proposal development.
• Drive end‑to‑end execution of complex, high‑value pitches and RFPs, defining win themes and messaging.
• Advise senior stakeholders and influence outcomes with confidence and clarity.
• Function as a trusted advisor to leadership across the firm.
• Navigate competing priorities and stakeholder dynamics to maintain momentum.
• Own project strategy, planning and delivery, including cross‑department plans.
• Elevate messaging and narrative development for client audiences.
• Integrate pricing, analytics, and firm capabilities with proposal messaging.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in processes, tools and content strategy.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Senior Manager, Client Development – Pitch and Proposal New York NY

The Senior Pitch and Proposal Manager is a strategic advisor and operator within the Client Development team, responsible for leading high stakes pitches, proposals and RFP responses from initial evaluation through final delivery. Going beyond execution, the Senior Manager partners directly with firm leadership and cross functional stakeholders to guide decision making and position the firm competitively in complex, high value opportunities.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Lead strategic pitch and proposal development
• Drive end‑to‑end execution of complex, high‑value pitches and RFPs. Define win themes, shape messaging and ensure alignment with client priorities, firm strategy and competitive positioning.
• Advise senior stakeholders and influence outcomes
• Function as a trusted advisor to leadership throughout the firm, communicating recommendations with confidence and clarity.
• Navigate competing priorities and stakeholder dynamics
• Manage multiple inputs across senior stakeholders. Align teams around a cohesive approach, mediate discussions and ensure progress without loss of momentum.
• Own project strategy, planning and delivery
• Develop and execute complex project plans across departments. Anticipate risks, remove roadblocks and ensure delivery against aggressive deadlines without compromising quality.
• Elevate messaging and narrative development
• Create clear, compelling and tailored content that resonates with sophisticated client audiences. Distill complex information into concise, persuasive narratives that reinforce the firms value.
• Integrate pricing, analytics, and firm capabilities
• Partner closely with Pricing and other business teams to align commercial strategy with proposal messaging.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, tools and content strategy. Leverage data, past opportunity insights and market trends to refine approach and increase win rates.
• Manage US Pitch team
• Directly manage and develop the US Pitch team, setting clear goals, delegating work effectively and holding team members accountable for outcomes. Build team capability through ongoing coaching and feedback, elevate quality standards across all deliverables and foster a high-performing culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Contribute to long‑term function strategy
• Bring perspective on how the pitch function should evolve. Proactively identify trends, tools and capabilities needed to maintain competitive advantage.

The Client Development team works collaboratively to execute cross-sector, cross-practice group projects and initiatives; the Senior Manager is expected to participate actively in these activities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Education:

A Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university is required.

Experience:

Ten or more years working in a business development role in a large, multi-office law firm or other professional services firm is required.