Senior Business Development Executive/ Junior Business Development Manager

Farrers is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service. We guide our clients through their most turbulent moments, and we help them capitalise on golden opportunities. Our people have the skills, insight and experience to be able to deliver the best results. They are passionate about what they do, enjoy working together and are driven to do the best for clients.

We look to be the market leader in our chosen areas of expertise, advising clients on the contentious and non-contentious legal, business and personal issues they face.

Our clients tell us they value us for our integrity, good judgement and professional excellence, as well as our broad perspective, practical solutions and value for money. They describe us as 'a likeable bunch' too.

The Marketing Team at Farrer & Co is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm’s marketing strategy, including profile and reputation, marketing communications, and business development.  This also extends to all aspects of marketing planning, brand management, communications, events, CRM, business and market analysis, and business development, including pitches and tenders.

This is a new role within the business development and marketing team. The role will provide the full business development mix for one of the firm's core client & markets groups, Individuals & Families, Businesses, Financial Services, Education and Not-for Profit.

It will be an opportunity for an experienced business development executive looking to take the next step in their career with a firm that is growing and investing in its marketing and business development team. The current team includes a Senior BD Manager and two BD Managers. We are looking to recruit two new BD team members. As a small team it is essential that you perform as a team player but with the confidence to act under your own initiative. You will have the ability to take full ownership of BD support for the relevant client & markets group you are allocated to.

This role will be challenging as the firm is ambitious to develop growth and client relationships. However this is matched with support at team level, investment in training and good grace from partners.

Planning & Budgets

• Support the development, implementation and monitoring of sector BD plans.

• Monitoring and reporting on budgets

Research & Information Management

• Proactively provide market intelligence and client/prospect research.

• Review and analyse financial performance reports to support the monitoring of progress against plan.

• Monitoring competitor activity, keeping on top of industry trends through desk research and attendance of strategic industry events.

Tenders and capability statements

• Managing the tender process. This will include the full range of support from evaluating the opportunity, supporting the lead partner identify the pitch team, leading on the development of relevant tender documents/online portal response, coaching the team at the presentation stage and conducting an independent debrief.

• Working with knowledge management lawyers and fee earners to ensure significant deals and case studies are being captured in the firms pitch database.

• Reporting on pitch statistics, including analysis of any key themes and example best practice approaches.

Events and seminars

• Identify flagship events/seminars to support the business plan.

• Responsible for planning, delivery and attendance of flagship events for the relevant sector. This would include setting ROI objectives, conducting a post event analysis, creating the appropriate methods for capturing intel and BD opportunities.

Thought leadership and new marketing campaign

• Working with the partners to identify client issues for briefings/thought leadership.

• Working with the marketing communications team to manage the briefing/thought leadership process, including:

  • Identifying target audience

  • Recommendations for appropriate format for distribution, including social media

  • Ensuring BD opportunities are captured

  • Reporting back on effectiveness of briefing/thought leadership

  • Identifying cross-selling opportunities

• Identifying new marketing campaign opportunities, including testing market opportunity with appropriate external research and coaching on development of key messages and positioning

Profile raising

• Identifying speaker opportunities with key organisations/trade bodies.

• Assessing ROI for external speaking opportunities, including any negotiation on costs associated.

• Providing recommendations on best practice approach to directory submissions.

• Working with the marketing team to identify good news stories for internal or external communication opportunities.

• Critical thinking – ability to challenge and analyse.

• Strong research and analytical skills.

• Highly organised and ability to work well under pressure.

• Team player.

• Outstanding command of written English and demonstrates attention to detail with a high level of accuracy.

• Confident, with good communication skills.

• Strong IT skills with experience of CRM systems (preferably InterAction), Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

• Curious by nature and willingness to develop and continue to learn.

• Strong interpersonal skills including confidence, positivity, diplomacy and the ability to gain credibility quickly.

• Educated to degree level.

• CIM (or other equivalent) Marketing qualification.

• At least 2 years' experience in a business development executive (or equivalent) role within a professional services environment, preferably a law firm.

Our standard office hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm but a degree of flexibility is required to support the needs of the business.