Client Development Manager in City of London

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, commercial, ambitious Senior Client Development Executive looking to take the next step up or a Manager looking for a new challenge. This role will play a key part in supporting the Senior Client Development Manager and wider Business and Client Development team to build out a structured international client development programme across the firm as part of our refocused sector strategy. Some work has started, but there is much to do and the ambition is significant. The role is highly visible and a crucial part of our ambition around accelerating revenue growth through institutional client development across the firm. It is front and centre in the new Managing Partner’s strategy for profitable growth.

Key responsibilities include:

• Commercial Client Development Programme
  • Support the Senior Client Development Manager in the development and execution of a market‑leading key client programme across the firm.
  • Support the establishment of key reporting to include financial data, performance metrics, CRM, opportunity development, internal communication.
  • Support implementation, management and coordination of the client development programme across the firm.
• Client Relationship Management
  • Take responsibility for day‑to‑day account management with specific priority clients across the firm, ensuring actions are progressed, collaborating and communicating effectively with key stakeholders.
  • Work alongside the Business and Client Development team, Marketing, CRM, Knowledge team and other key stakeholders to support the day‑to‑day implementation of the key client programme, tools and process across the firm.
  • Conduct and support client listening interviews with clients, where relevant.
  • Assist client relationship managers in ensuring client plans, client team meetings and actions are progressed for our priority, growth and potential clients.
  • Assist BD and client teams in organising and delivering coaching and training to enable client teams to successfully manage clients consistently across the firm.
  • Work closely with Client Development colleagues, support our client listening and secondee programmes where necessary.
• Internal Communications
  • Support creation and communication of regular reports to business development colleagues, client teams and firm leadership on progress against targets, adopting continuous improvement methodologies.
  • Support preparation and organisation of internal communications on our intranet and online/in‑person events and meetings to increase awareness of – and collaboration within – the client development programme.
• Marketing Communications
  • Support the wider BD team to develop marketing materials, website content, knowledge resources and activities to meet, support and anticipate client needs.
  • Work with client teams and the wider BD and Marketing teams to support to manage priority client events and corporate hospitality.
  • Work with our Knowledge team to ensure regular client research is delivered to client teams to enable them to understand client issues, trends and changes to help them develop client relationships and opportunities.
• Pitching
  • Work with Partner and Associate stakeholders, the Proposals Team and Senior BD Managers to support responses to opportunities with clients from the client development programme.
• Wider team support
  • On occasion you will be required to support wider firm activities either on discrete projects or contributing to the larger strategic aims of the practice.

The team

This role sits within our Client Development team, reporting to the Senior Client Development Manager within a team of six. The team has responsibility for building and implementing our firmwide Client Development Programme. This team is a key part of our Business and Client Development Team, working collaboratively with BD colleagues to drive profitable growth across our priority, growth and target clients. The Business and Client Development team is part of our broader Brand, Clients and Markets team.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Experience

• Client development and/or account management experience is essential as much of the role will be coaching and supporting BD colleagues and lawyers around client account management. The role is likely best suited to a Client Development professional operating at a Senior Executive or Manager level with a minimum of 5 years’ experience within professional services.

Skills and experience ideally to include:

• A strong understanding of business‑to‑business client development and client relationship support within professional services, ideally the legal sector.
• Experience of developing client‑focused key account plans and a track record of delivering financial results aligned to objectives.
• Strong project management and planning skills.
• Excellent analytical skills, particularly when looking at financial/natter intelligence.
• Develops effective internal and external client relationships and adopts a client‑centric approach to deliver strong results and innovative solutions.
• Manages resources, budgets and projects efficiently and commercially.
• Effective relationship builder – can interact with and influence individuals across the business.
• Effective and adaptable business writing and communication skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.

The candidate

• A team player, with proven experience of a willingness to do what’s needed across the board to contribute to growth.
• Shows initiative, curiosity and willingness to suggest new ideas.
• Good emotional intelligence, empathy and flexibility.
• An enthusiastic self‑starter who has the ability and confidence to run with things.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Effective at building networks, fostering collaboration, and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships to drive change within the business.
• Professional, credible and impactful, confident with persuading and influencing where appropriate.
• Committed to being a part of a supportive, inclusive and collaborative firm culture.
• Willing to roll up their sleeves to help others when required.
• Demonstrates a growth mindset and is committed to lifelong learning to build knowledge and expertise.