Senior Business Development Consultant - 6-12 month FTC in Bristol

Exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the business development and marketing strategy for the CMS Bristol office. Working closely with the MD for Bristol, the Bristol partners and in collaboration with Practice Group Managers and Senior BD Managers across the firm’s practice groups, the role will focus on articulating a clear vision for growth and developing a robust marketing plan. This is an initial fixed term contract – either 6 months full-time or 12 months part-time, but there is a possibility that this will lead to a permanent opportunity for the right person.

About us

CMS is a Future Facing firm with more than 80 offices in over 45 countries and 5,800+ lawyers worldwide. We combine deep local market understanding with a global perspective. We are passionate about building strong relationships with our clients, our people, and the communities we work in. We take a bold, dynamic, and agile approach to ensure our clients are able to face the future with confidence. We are driven by emerging technologies such as generative AI and readily embrace the possibilities it opens up for developing new and better ways of working. Our aim is to inspire, impact and support our clients and our people, helping them to maximize their potential and thrive.

About the role

This role offers an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on the growth and profile of the Bristol office, working at the heart of a collaborative and forward-thinking team. In this role, you can expect to get involved in a variety of work including:

• Strategic planning and vision
  • Work with the MD for Bristol and the Bristol partners to articulate a clear and coherent BD and marketing strategy for the office, aligned with firmwide objectives and local market opportunities.
  • Facilitate engagement with Practice Group Leaders (PGLs), Heads of Practice Group Management, and Senior BD Managers in relevant practice groups to ensure the Bristol strategy is aligned to wider group plans.
  • Conduct in-depth analysis of the Bristol market, key industry sectors, and competitor activity to inform strategic recommendations.
• Collaboration and stakeholder engagement
  • Act as a central point of contact between the Bristol office and the wider BD and Talent teams, ensuring alignment and knowledge sharing.
  • Build strong working relationships with Bristol partners to understand their business plans, priorities, and growth ambitions.
  • Liaise with the BD Managers aligned with strategic clients to identify opportunities for client development and brand visibility.
• Marketing and events management
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan for the Bristol office, including recommendations for local events, sponsorships, and hosted activities to raise the firm’s profile in the region.
  • Manage the planning and execution of internal and external events, ensuring coordination with practice group BD teams and leveraging firmwide campaigns where appropriate.
  • Oversee the office’s participation in key industry and community events, working with the wider BD team to maximise impact.
• Client development
  • Review the firm’s top client list to identify those with a presence in the Bristol region and recommend strategies for deepening relationships and cross-selling services.
  • Support the development and implementation of client plans in collaboration with Client Relationship Partners (CRPs) and the wider BD team.
• Brand and employer proposition
  • Work with the Talent team and local recruiters to enhance the employer brand in the Bristol market, including input into social media campaigns and local recruitment initiatives.
  • Ensure consistency with the firm’s overall employer brand strategy while tailoring messaging to the Bristol market.
• Day-to-day BD activities
  • Provide hands-on support for BD and marketing activities, including the preparation of marketing materials, management of mailing lists, and coordination of communications.
  • Monitor and report on the effectiveness of BD and marketing initiatives, providing regular updates to the Head of Business Development, the MD for Bristol and Bristol partners.

About you

We will invest in your ongoing training and development to support your professional goals and help you to thrive in your role from day one. Our opportunities are open to all suitably qualified applicants, so to be considered for this role, you must meet the following skills and experience:

• Significant experience (ideally 10+ years) in business development and marketing within a professional services environment.
• Proven ability to develop and implement BD strategies and marketing plans.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with experience working across multiple teams and practice groups.
• Knowledge of the market/sectors in the south-west region.
• Possesses excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Demonstrated experience in event management and client development.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret market data and provide actionable insights.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

What’s in it for you?

We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, therefore we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name a few, these include:

• Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
• Flexible, hybrid working policy
• Generous bonus scheme
• Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
• Holiday exchange scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced parental leave

If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits, please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.

Equal opportunities

At CMS, we place diversity and inclusion at the centre of our culture and the heart of our organisation. As a firm we recognise, celebrate, and embrace the diverse talent our society has to offer because we know that to solve big problems, we need the best and brightest minds available to us. In support of this goal, we commit to actively breaking down barriers which stand in the way of those from diverse backgrounds and play our part in levelling the playing field.

As a Future Facing Firm, we strongly believe that a career in law should be open to people from all walks of life, because not only does diversity of thought and experience make our firm a stronger and more sustainable business, but it also makes it a more rewarding place to work.

When recruiting, we prioritise attracting talented people and we actively promote a flexible working environment which enables all our team members to thrive. If you see a role you are interested in, but don’t feel you meet 100% of the criteria we encourage you to still consider making an application. We also welcome applications from those who may be looking to return to the workforce after a career break.

We are proud to say our leadership in creating an inclusive working culture has been celebrated and recognised externally, including being listed for a number of years in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women and the Social Mobility Index. We are a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer, and we actively encourage applications from people with disabilities, whether visible or invisible. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity throughout our recruitment process and in every element of the employee life cycle. If you require assistance, or if you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements or adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please contact a member of the Talent Acquisition team at TalentAcquisition@cms-cmno.com who will be happy to support you.

Ready to apply? Here are the next steps.

We look forward to receiving your application online via the CMS careers site. Please contact our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions.