Senior Business Development Executive

Watson Farley & Williams was established in London in 1982 and is an international law firm dedicated to client care, legal excellence and investment in its people.  The firm has offices in Athens, Bangkok, Dubai, London, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome and Singapore.

The firm has seen rapid expansion in size and geography.  Having started as a maritime law firm, in which it remains pre-eminent, the firm is today recognised for its specialist focus on five core sectors: Energy & Infrastructure, Maritime, Natural Resources, Real Estate and Transport in which it provides a full suite of services including finance, corporate, dispute resolution, tax, employment and regulatory.

Acting as the single point of contact for all Aviation and Rail partners in the rapidly expanding Transport group in London to deliver all their business development and marketing needs and in promoting the firm’s services to current and potential clients.  This role will also support our Litigation team in London and on an ad hoc basis the wider Transport team which includes our market-leading Maritime group.

The role will require a self-motivated person who is capable of proactively supporting, engaging and coordinating the partners in the management of existing client relationships and the development of new business opportunities.

The role will additionally require the successful candidate to support partners and the group as a whole in ensuring that that there is effective communication across the group, both at partner and associate level and across the global team, in terms of the current activities of the group and its goals and objectives.

Working with partners in the London Transport and the London Litigation group driving business development activity aligned to the practice strategy.  The Senior BD Executive will be responsible for:

• Identifying opportunities for joint marketing initiatives both within the group and externally.

• Drafting and implementing short business development and marketing plans for each partner.

• Identifying campaigns to grow new and existing business.

• Interpreting wider market trends and events and how to best translate those into opportunities for the team.

• Working with the BD Manager of the Transport sector to develop global initiatives and campaigns across the Aviation, Maritime and Rail sectors.

• Working on pitches and credentials statements, covering the entire process including document preparation and post pitch feedback.

• Coordinating global Aviation and Rail sector pitches where appropriate.

• Preparing partners ahead of client/prospect meetings.

• Managing internal business development communication within the group.

• Supporting associates in terms of their individual BD goals.

• Managing directory submissions, league tables and awards.

• Devising and coordinating events (in conjunction with the Events team) and conference attendance to develop/maintain market positions matched to the business strategy and generate leads for the partners/practice.

• Ensuring credentials and other relevant information is up to date and readily accessible in central databases.

• Drafting and updating marketing materials, including web content and other collateral.

• Raising the profile of the partners/practice via various communication channels including social media and the website.

• Championing the use of our CRM system including ensuring all relevant information is in the system.

• Taking part in firm wide projects as appropriate.

• A strong interest in the transport sector.

• A self-starter; someone who is hard working and ambitious.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• The ability to work effectively with and influence partners and others.

• Excellent writing, editing and presentation skills.

• Professional services or relevant market experience.

• The ability to understand product, sector and service development issues.

• The ability to take responsibility for and lead specific projects.

• Tenacity to see projects and tasks through to completion.

• Good team-working/building skills.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and work to deadlines.

At Watson Farley & Williams we value diversity and promote a culture of respect for each individual. We encourage workforce diversity at all levels and in all aspects from recruitment and selection to appraisal and promotion. All decisions relating to employment practice will be objective and based on merit and ability.