Senior Client Development Manager – 12 Months Fixed Term Contract

Office Location: London

Department: Marketing and Business Development

Role Overview

In summary, the Senior Client Development Manager manages the firm's day-to-day relationship with a portfolio of allocated clients within the Financial and Real Estate sectors, acting as a key point of contact both within the firm and for the client, and proactively leads on aspects of the relationship beyond legal work. Works closely with the Client Relationship Partner (CRP), Client Development Associate (CDA), broader Client team, relevant Sector M&BD team(s), and business teams (as appropriate). Facilitates the smooth-running of the team, helping to build a dynamic and inclusive team spirit. Proactively identifies and pursues cross-selling opportunities across practices, sectors, and regions to develop and strengthen client relationships with a focus on profitable growth and works with the CRP(s) to drive these forward. Strives to bring new ideas and improved ways of working to the management of their client relationships, and shares these ideas and best practices with the broader Client Development team. Develops a deep and thorough understanding of the client's business, and acts as the internal voice of the client within the firm. Supports the overall delivery of strong client relationship management and is an advocate for client feedback. Is dedicated to evolving our Client Account Manager (CAM) Program to focus on driving strategic growth. Acts as a mentor for others on the Global Client Development team and wider Client Account Manager team in best practices for engaging and growing clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Works closely with the CRP(s) to build effective and diverse Client teams.
• Proactively helps to identify potential new team members and CDAs, and leads onboarding processes.
• Plans and leads client team meetings, and ensures that actions are completed.
• Creates a robust internal communication infrastructure to share opportunities, information and intelligence.
• Acts as the key point of contact for those involved in the client relationship on day-to-day queries.
• Coaches and advises Client team members on best practice.
• Identifies opportunities for new business by monitoring and analysing client news and needs, ensuring that information is shared with the Client teams, and other relevant parties.
• Is proactive and makes considered recommendations to the Client team for ways to enhance the relationship.
• Takes a leading role, in conjunction with the CRP(s) and the Client team to develop a client plan to expand the relationship.
• Acts as a driver to ensure the plan is successfully implemented, including taking ownership of delivering certain aspects.
• Works with the CRP and the Client team to actively identify new ideas and business opportunities (products; solutions; industry knowledge; value added services, training, etc.) to take to the client, as well as new partners and lawyers, to help deepen and develop the relationship.
• Ensures that relationship meetings with our key contacts across the client's business and legal teams happen frequently.
• Plans and prepares for client meetings with Client team members.
• Attends and actively participates in meetings.
• Leads and project manages legal panel reviews for their allocated client(s) in conjunction with the Global Pitches and Pursuits team.
• Consults on formal and informal pitch opportunities for their allocated client(s), including preparing teams for presentations reflect key relationship messages.
• Monitors and analyses financial performance, and brings this information to the attention of the CRP and Client team.
• Supports the CRP in ensuring compliance with client requirements, such as the delivery of discounts, financial reporting, adherence to client engagement terms, etc.
• Manages the preparation of reports required by the client (e.g., financial information, secondee commitment, and tracking our overall relationship investment).
• Understands the drivers for profitability, and associated challenges, for the client.
• Proactively develops ideas for engaging with clients in a more innovative way through the provision of value added services (including secondments, training, alternative legal services delivery, responsible business and inclusion initiatives).
• Supports the Client team to provide value added services, and in many cases managing their delivery, such as the end-to-end lifecycle of the secondment process, and responsible business collaborations.
• Shares ideas and collaborates with other CAMs, including helping to replicate initiatives that have been well received by clients, across other parts of the Client Programs.
• Develops tools and templates to facilitate this.
• Helps drive client feedback by identifying appropriate candidates for client interviews, and recommending these to the Client team.
• Gathers regular, independent feedback from the portfolio of clients they manage, via formal and informal relationship reviews, post matter reviews and significant pitch debriefs, with a focus on obtaining actionable feedback.
• Ensures that all feedback is acted upon appropriately by the Client team.
• Leads and supports on aspects of wider Client Program initiatives, as required.
• Helps drive strategy around the Client Programs.
• Proactively identifies and communicates best practices for Client Account Management and BD with the wider Client Development team and Account Managers, including in sectors outside of the core sectors they cover.
• Supports the Sector M&BD teams in understanding and crafting best practices for engaging with clients in the sector.

Skills & Experience

• Previous experience in working in a business, and particularly, Client Development / Client Account Management environment in a city or professional services organisation, preferably in a major law firm.
• Experience of, and comfortable in, a partnership or equivalent professional services environment.
• Prior knowledge and experience of working with clients within the Financial Institutions Sectors, would be advantageous.

Qualifications & Training

• Educated to graduate level and hold a degree, or otherwise demonstrate appropriate market experience.

General Attributes

• Excellent understanding of Client Development, Business Development and Marketing processes.
• Creates a positive impact with colleagues, peers, partners and clients and is able to demonstrate diplomacy, listening and influencing skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with an excellent eye for detail and the ability to write compelling propositions.
• Effective project management skills including the ability to plan ahead, prioritise conflicting demands to meet deadlines for the team.
• Demonstrates a keen interest in self-development and shows initiative.
• Team player who is proactive with a 'can do attitude'.
• Demonstrates consistent excellent service delivery to internal clients.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the firm's business and marketplace.

Equal Opportunities Employment & Agile Working Statement

It is the policy of Hogan Lovells to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion. Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of racial or ethnic origin, religion, sex, gender and gender identity, age, sexual orientation, marital and civil partnership status, pregnancy or disability. Our goal is to embed flexibility across our business by giving everyone the opportunity to work in an agile way, whether as a regular pattern or on an ad hoc basis, and we will be happy to discuss this further.