Description:
The Business Development and Marketing Specialist is a key team member within the Marketing Department. The Specialist serves as a liaison to assigned practice and/or industry groups. They work directly with BD and Marketing colleagues and partners in the groups (across various offices) to develop and execute clear strategies and business plans, and manage an aligned range of business development pursuits, marketing campaigns and communications, client events and sponsorships, and key account activity.
The Specialist takes an active role in learning about the service offering, lawyers, and clients of the assigned groups and related practices. They help develop and lead initiatives to enhance the groups’ knowledge about our clients, their business needs, and relevant Sidley capabilities to foster cross-selling.
Duties And Responsibilities
Proposals and Pitches
- Serves as lead project manager for RFPs and pitches, both for the assigned groups and others, as needed
- Spearheads briefing discussions to propose and/or understand the opportunity
- Writes new business proposals, conducts matter research, and produces targeted, tailored responses to RFIs/RFPs
- Supports follow-up, debriefs activities post-pitch, and reports results
Practice and Client Development
- Supports practice/industry team leadership and other partners on development and coordination of marketing and client development plans for the group and individual lawyers
- Attends and contributes to practice/industry group meetings and planning sessions
- Develops and refines the groups’ business development “infrastructure” (e.g., written collateral, experience database/matter lists, contact lists, opportunity tracking, etc.), exercising an acute level of quality control to ensure that all marketing collateral, communications, matter lists, and other materials are consistent, error-free, and up to date; ensures processes are efficient and the best possible use is made of available technology and other resources
- Helps group leaders prepare and manage the group’s BD budget; tracks and analyzes practice/industry initiatives, evaluating the ROI of activities to recommend and plan future efforts
- Coordinates with the Market Intelligence team to conduct industry, client, and competitive research to support practice development initiatives
- Facilitates the planning, implementation, and follow-up of new business or cross-marketing opportunities
Marketing and Profile-raising Activities
- Leads the drafting and submission of rankings, awards, surveys, league tables, and other recognitions for assigned groups
- Works with Regional BD and Marketing team members to plan client programs and Sidley-sponsored events
- Works with the Communications and PR team to identify thought leadership topics and Sidley lawyers to engage in media commentary, article publication, podcasts, etc.
- Recommends and facilitates the involvement of Firm lawyers in professional organizations that will enhance the visibility of the lawyers and the Firm in relevant practice/industry platforms