Business Development Executive - Dispute Resolution

The role

This is an excellent opportunity for a Business Development (BD) & Marketing Executive to join our well respected Business Development team. Reporting to the Senior Business Development Manager (SBDM), you will support the Commercial Dispute Resolution, Business Crime & Regulatory, Restructuring & Insolvency and International Construction practices in their business development activities. The role covers the full mix of business development and marketing activities including: pitching, directory submissions, client targeting initiatives, budget management, events, social media, CRM and supporting on campaigns and content creation. 

Role responsibility

Business as usual Business Development support

• Providing day to day BD and marketing support to the Commercial Dispute Resolution, Business Crime & Regulatory, Restructuring & Insolvency and International Construction practices.
• Assisting in the drafting and delivery of BD plans.
• Overseeing and monitoring business development budgets and expenditure.
• Providing meeting support, preparing agendas, circulating notes and action points. Following up as needed.
• Creating and manipulating reports in advance of GTM group meetings.
• Assisting with developing the monthly Board report.
• Using our CRM system to log pitches, maintaining and updating Dispute Resolution contact types, develop and maintain marketing lists and report on mailing and invitation stats.

Marketing Collateral and Pitching

• Preparing first drafts of pitches, capability statements, credentials documents and client presentations.
• Working with the SBDM on developing collateral and reviewing key messages as needed.
• Updating and maintaining the credentials database.

Events, Conferences and International Trips

• Leading on event planning and idea generation, ensuring events are in line with the department's BD objectives.
• Managing event logistics, liaising with the Senior Events Executive and the Catering and Hospitality team as required.
• Managing the invitation process, using Vuture and CRM as needed.
• Liaising with lawyers and third parties on content as necessary.
• Communicating with internal stakeholders and third-party suppliers as needed.
• Creating and managing the calendar of events and activities, ensuring that the team is aware.
• Maintaining awareness of early bird deadlines, ensuring tickets are purchased and travel organised in a timely manner to prevent unnecessary overspend.
• Managing the marketing strategy to maximise impact of events, conferences and international trips, working closely with the central MarComms team to execute marketing tactics and ensure all key channels are used.
• Proactively managing follow-up, ensuring the completion of trip / conference reports as necessary and reporting on / supporting lead generation.

PR, Content and Campaigns

• Supporting the development of departmental content and campaigns, providing ideas on topical news and issues.
• Regularly reviewing what competitors are doing in terms of key campaigns and initiatives and reporting back to the SBDM.
• Undertaking ad-hoc research requests related to legal topics, people, clients and prospects or markets. For example, competitor websites, LinkedIn searches, marketing opportunities such as sponsorships and internal CRM system searches.
• Working closely with the SBDM to develop a marketing strategy on key campaigns and liaising with the central MarComms team to execute marketing tactics and ensure all key channels are used to maximise impact.
• Providing advice to lawyers on how to raise their profile via social media, at speaking events and internally.
• Managing/monitoring the publishing process of Passles to ensure they are in line with BD strategy and maximise engagement / coverage. Report on statistics as required.
• Managing the process for delivering client-facing newsletters, supporting the lawyers to produce relevant legal updates, bulletins and blogs.
• Supporting the SBDM on PR strategy and liaising with the firm's PR agency in generating PR stories.

Directories and Awards

• Managing the annual directory submission process. Working with lawyers to draft and submit directories, regularly reviewing strategy to maximise opportunities to improve rankings.
• Supporting the lawyers with directory related interviews, including drafting interview prep notes.
• Monitoring the annual industry awards calendar and highlighting opportunities to make submissions. Supporting the SBDM in the creation of compelling award submissions.
• Managing the marketing strategy to maximise impact of any award short listings and successes, working closely with the central MarComms team to execute marketing tactics and ensuring all key channels are used.

About you

Ideally you will be able to demonstrate;

• Proven experience working in professional services, preferably within the legal sector.
• Experience working within Dispute Resolution.
• The ability to think strategically and commercially.
• Initiative and proactivity, being able to anticipate stakeholders needs.
• An analytical, tenacious and self-motivated approach to your work.
• Strong organisational skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Strong attention to detail.
• The ability to interact with and build relationships with individuals at all levels across the business.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual holiday
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Interest free Season Ticket Loan
• Private Healthcare
• Pension Scheme
• Staff Introductory Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

About us

With almost 200 lawyers in one location, we ensure our clients have the right team to help them get from where they are to where they want to be. We advise major corporates and institutions as well as entrepreneurial, ambitious enterprises which are often privately or family owned, or private equity backed. As well as our significant business law capability, we are one of only a few London-based law firms with a large private wealth offering. Our clients find our straightforward approach a compelling alternative to larger, less personal firms.

Whether you are an ambitious and talented individual wanting to hit the ground running from day one, or an established professional looking for a new opportunity, Howard Kennedy is the firm where you can really make it happen.

We have earned a strong reputation for our exceptional and uniquely talented people who between them deliver outstanding results for clients. In a firm of our size, our strong team dynamic creates a thriving culture of creativity and entrepreneurialism. Howard Kennedy is a pragmatic and non-hierarchical environment where success is shared, and you are proactively encouraged to thrive at your own pace.

Our distinctive culture is built on fairness and respect. Guided by the firm’s values of talk straight, think smart and be yourself, everyone in the firm holds equal value, and everyone plays their role in supporting, encouraging and inspiring colleagues to do their best work.

At the same time, we recognise and reward individualism, celebrating the diversity of our people and supporting them to grow their practice and drive their own career advancement.

As well as client work, there is opportunity to broaden your horizons at the firm with fulfilling pro bono and charity projects. We have a regular social calendar full of wellbeing activities, charitable and social events too.