Head of M&BD

The Head of M&BD will be responsible for implementing (and evolving) a forward-thinking business development and marketing strategy and, alongside other senior stakeholders, managing the firm's new business pipeline. This person will be required to have a clear and detailed understanding of the different services offered by the firm, the competitive landscape in which it operates, and the client base that it targets. The Head of M&BD will capitalise on the firm's particular USPs to create opportunities in our key sectors and markets. They will also help to identify gaps in the firm's existing offering and approach, and will be influential in developing strategies to address these.

The firm has an excellent existing M&BD team supporting its objectives of maintaining its position as the leading UK firm for Life Sciences and Technology. The Head of M&BD will be responsible for overseeing the firm's business development efforts, as well as the firm's branding, digital and communication activities, internally and externally. This role will include building external relationships to generate new business, managing stakeholder relationships internally, and managing a team of business development and marketing professionals.

Responsibilities

• Implementing and, over time, evolving the firm's long-term BD and marketing strategy, as well as producing yearly BD and marketing plans and budgets.
• Leading the BD and marketing team in delivering strategically sound, targeted and well-executed BD and marketing campaigns.
• Developing strong and effective relationships with partners and practice/sector group heads, based on deep understanding of the firm, the practices/sectors themselves, and the competitive markets in which the firm operates.
• Identifying new/adjacent markets and services for the firm to exploit.
• Strengthening the business development capability of the firm's lawyers and raising their awareness of the help and value the BD team can provide.
• Overseeing the design and delivery of the firm's marketing, digital media, PR, key client and profile-raising programmes.
• Driving the engagement and development of partners and associates across the firm in marketing and BD activity.
• Participating in and driving key stakeholder meetings such as weekly management meetings, ad hoc BD&M&D committee meetings, business group meetings and ad hoc partner meetings.
• Responsibility for internal communications related to firm BD activity and strategy.
• Managing and reporting regularly on M&BD budget expenditure.
• Providing a coaching resource to partners and senior fee-earners, to help them focus on the right opportunities, develop their marketing and selling skills, and play an integral role in the execution of the firm's BD strategy.
• Developing and managing a client care programme that is tailored to the firm and its client base.
• Enhancing the reputation of the BD and marketing team within the firm for its professionalism and for the strategic and distinctive value it provides.
• Working closely with the firm's M&BD partner, the Joint Managing Partners and CFO to align the firm's BD and marketing activities with the firm's overall strategy.
• Providing oversight and direction to all M&BD team members using coaching, mentoring and other development techniques.
• Proactively managing the team to ensure that the firm's M&BD strategy and priorities are well understood and that long term projects are progressed alongside more urgent day-to-day demands from the business.
• Empowering team members to take responsibility for achieving their goals. Delegating tasks at the appropriate level and providing regular feedback.
• Maintaining transparent communication with all team members using departmental and team meetings, as well as regular one-to-ones. Taking the initiative to identify and tackle underperformance or other issues using the appropriate informal/formal channels.
• Effective at building relationships with all relevant stakeholders - collaborating, networking, and sharing skills and knowledge.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Able to be at ease in a relaxed, friendly and non-hierarchical organisation, while maintaining a rigorously professional approach to work.

Values, culture and environment

With around 300 staff and partners in total and one UK location, we are able to maintain a friendly atmosphere where everyone is able to get to know each other and many policies and practices can operate on a trust basis. We are based in modern offices at Blackfriars and value face to face collaboration and the social element of working relationships. We have introduced a Remote Working Policy which enables staff to work in an agile way. We do not monitor attendance but ask that everyone spends more time in the office than out of it, typically three days a week for full-time staff. Our firm values, which we very much "live", are Ambition, Bravery, Curiosity and Friendliness. These underpin all that we do across both our client work and our internal strategic decision making. None of our lawyers have billing targets which means we can focus on doing the best for our clients while also having the time and capacity to assist each other in a genuinely collaborative working culture.

Training & career progression

We aim to have a coaching culture with regular informal feedback to supplement the formal appraisal process. Mentoring schemes are available for fee earners while members of the HR team can provide personal coaching and guidance in non-legal and personal management skills. Personal and professional development is much valued at all levels so we have a generous budget which enables us to meet most ad hoc requests for additional training.

Rewards & benefits

Our salary and bonus structure reflects our absence of billing targets and collaborative culture and any bonus is paid as a simple percentage bonus across the whole firm. We have a flexible benefits package that is kept under regular review and is designed with the wellbeing of our staff and their families.

Diversity & inclusion

At Bristows we are committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion for all, and we are a proud signatory of the Law Society's Diversity and Inclusion Charter. We have an active, partner-led Diversity & Inclusion group which runs awareness raising and educational initiatives in addition to ensuring that our policies and procedures remain inclusive.