About Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm. The firm has been ranked in the top three on The American Lawyer's prestigious A-List for eight consecutive years and #1 on Law.com's UK A-List twice in the past three years - rankings that honor the "best of the best" law firms.The firm has approximately 2,500 lawyers and professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.Ropes & Gray is an equal opportunity employer.
Overview
The Business Development Specialist (BDS) will be an integral member of the Business Development Team. Working closely with the DBD and members of the PCT BD team, the BDS will support the implementation of the practice group’s strategic and commercial priorities. This includes working with relevant partners who have BD responsibilities to provide strategic, commercial, and practical business development and client development support.
In particular, the BDS will work closely with the PCT BD team, lead partners, other lawyers, and business support colleagues to support the execution of business development and marketing efforts designed to generate new business and improve market visibility for the PCT Practice Group.
A significant aspect of this role will be supporting and advancing the West Coast PCT group, collaborating directly with West Coast PCT partners to identify and target new clients, develop relationships with existing and new clients, and deliver practice group products and knowledge marketing to the appropriate client and market audience.
Responsibilities
- Work with the DBD and PCT BD team, lead partners, and practice development colleagues, to develop and execute the business and client development strategy for the practice group, with a focus on growing revenue and relationships
- Develop an understanding of the practice group’s ambition, helping to identify, assess, and pursue new clients
- Support the BDM in maintaining internal reporting and communication frameworks to track progress and share outcomes. Communicate best practice business development activities and successes across the group.
- Support the development and implementation of AI-enabled business development practices and be proficient at leveraging AI tools to support business development activities, particularly related to research, pitches and RFP responses.
- Help to drive the development of existing client relationships in collaboration with other relevant business support colleagues including:
- organizing, participating in and maintaining business development meetings and being responsible for certain aspects of client and target development efforts
- developing a strong knowledge of the PCT practice, including by commissioning and conducting business research to keep abreast of industry/market intelligence and to support the BD strategy
- Work directly with the West Coast PCT partners to coordinate and implement BD projects and events
- Support pitching and new business generation by:
- contributing to the executing large pitches, proposals and RfPs, including collaborating in a team to develop a winning strategy, helping to identify ways to differentiate from the competition and helping to write aspects of the pitch
- maintaining up-to-date pitch content, materials and client information
- participating in scoping and preparation for in-person meetings and pitches
- Work with the DBD and PCT BD team, marketing team and other business support colleagues to:
- identify opportunities to create and implement integrated branding and profile-raising campaigns
- assess market conference opportunities, advise the lawyers on selection, participation in and execution
- identify the appropriate client and market targets for the delivery of knowledge marketing
- Build a good working knowledge of adjacent practice and industry group services and a clear understanding of relevant group's strategy, priorities and clients
- Communicate best practice business development activities and successes across the group
Qualifications
- An undergraduate degree is required
- Three to five years’ experience in business development within a professional services firm or corporate environment
- Requires a professional, highly motivated individual capable of functioning in an international, fast-paced legal environment Superior client service orientation
- Quickly able to establish credibility with DBD, PCT BD team and key stakeholders with a knowledgeable approach
- Work effectively and efficiently as a team player with an enthusiasm for developing relationships. Able to engage with and support colleagues and stakeholders across all aspects of the business
- A self-starter, when required, in a dynamic environment
- Commercially minded and solutions orientated
- Excellent organization, communication and project management skills
- Attention to detail and accuracy in all aspects of role and responsibilities
- Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with all levels of attorneys and business professionals. Experience writing in a professional services environment
- Able to work to clear goals and priorities, multi-task and meet multiple deadlines
- Creative and flexible when managing individual workload and priorities, taking colleagues’ time into account, to respond quickly and positively to shifting demands and opportunities
- Able to demonstrate creativity and initiative by continuously looking for areas to improve and ways to implement positive change to all aspects of role and responsibilities
- Work effectively in a culturally and educationally diverse multi-office environment
Compensation and Total Rewards Package
Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below and represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.
San Francisco - $115,800 - $176,600
Working Conditions
This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.