Senior Business Development Manager

Job Role: Senior Business Development Manager, Health Care & Life Sciences

Location: Boston, MA

Responsibilities:

Strategic Business Development:

• Partner with practice leadership to develop and execute growth strategies that expand client relationships and generate new business
• Create and implement business development plans for practice teams, using market intelligence and data analytics to inform go-to-market approaches
• Manage the complete business development lifecycle, from lead generation through pitch execution and follow-up
• Design targeted marketing tactics including one-on-one outreach, events, thought leadership, and digital campaigns
• Guide attorneys through RFP responses, pitch preparation, and messaging customization
• Coach attorneys and junior business development team members on individual business development
• strategies, pitch behavior, and client-relationship best practices, and provide stretch opportunities that build
• their capabilities.
• Apply structured analysis and data to evaluate business development decisions, diagnose root causes when results fall short, and recalibrate plans based on what the metrics show.
• Anticipate shifts in market conditions, client priorities, and the regulatory environment affecting Health Care & Life Sciences, and adjust business development plans, resources, and timelines accordingly.
• Plan and sequence major business development initiatives across practice teams, anticipating dependencies, balancing competing deadlines, and reallocating priorities as needed.
• Stay current with industry trends, professional networks, and best practices in legal marketing and business
• development; bring relevant insights into practice planning and sponsor pilot approaches before broader rollout.

Marketing Leadership:

• Enhance practice visibility through strategic client events, conference participation, and speaking opportunities
• Collaborate with PR and Marketing Communications teams to amplify attorney profiles and create compelling content campaigns
• Coordinate firm responses to industry rankings and recognition programs
• Maintain accurate cataloging of practice expertise across all marketing materials and digital platforms
• Set and enforce quality standards for marketing materials, pitch documents, and client-facing deliverables produced by or for the practice; review outputs to identify patterns and address recurring quality issues.
• Identify and recommend process improvements that increase efficiency and consistency in how the practice supports business development across teams.

Relationship & Resource Management:

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with attorneys across practice groups and with key external contacts, identifying cross-selling opportunities and advancing shared interests through cooperation rather than positional negotiation.
• Monitor progress against strategic objectives, manage budget allocation, and reallocate resources as priorities shift; surface accountability issues that cross team boundaries and work with peers to resolve them constructively.
• Work collaboratively across Marketing and firm functions to enhance service delivery and innovation; represent the practice in cross-departmental working groups and convey issues and recommendations accurately to leadership.
• Communicate practice priorities, decisions, and changes clearly to attorneys and Marketing colleagues; tailor messaging to the audience, whether briefing practice leadership, presenting to peer departments, or addressing larger groups.
• Approach difficult conversations and competing priorities with diplomacy, balancing candor with respect for the other party’s perspective.

Qualifications

Education Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, English, Communications, or related field required. Advanced degree and business development coaching certification preferred.

Experience Required:

• Minimum of 7 years of marketing and business development experience in a law firm or professional services environment

Core Competencies:

Collaboration

• Builds collaborative working relationships across practice teams, sub-functions, and Marketing colleagues, reinforcing standards of teamwork and mutual support.
• Establishes consistent accountability standards for business development activities under their oversight, tracks performance trends, and reallocates priorities or resources as needed.
• Develops the business development capabilities of attorneys and junior team members through coaching, feedback, and stretch assignments; influences peers across the firm to advance shared priorities.

Opportunity

• Identifies opportunities for growth and process improvement beyond a single practice, brings forward industry trends and best practices, and sponsors pilot initiatives before broader rollout.
• Applies structured analysis and data to diagnose root causes, evaluate options, and reach sound conclusions on business development investments and tactics, including ROI analysis, market trends, and performance metrics.
• Adjusts plans, resources, and tactics in response to shifting market conditions, client priorities, and firm strategy without losing sight of key goals; leads teams through change with clear plans and timelines.

Relationships

• Maintains a strong client-service orientation and a solutions-focused mindset; sets service expectations and resolves escalated issues with attorneys and key external stakeholders.
• Communicates priorities, decisions, and changes clearly and tailors messages to the audience, whether briefing leadership, presenting to peer departments, or addressing larger groups; strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Builds trusted-advisor relationships with senior attorneys and key external contacts; approaches difficult conversations with diplomacy, balancing candor with respect for the other party’s perspective.

Excellence

• Sets and enforces quality standards for business development work across the practice; reviews outputs to identify patterns and address systemic issues.
• Plans and sequences major projects across teams, anticipates dependencies, and balances competing demands when making decisions about priority and sequencing.
• Reinforces professional standards and the firm’s ethical expectations in all dealings with clients, vendors, and colleagues; models composure and sound judgment in high-pressure situations.

Tools And Technical:

• Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, Word, CRM systems, and digital marketing platforms.
• Proficiency in artificial intelligence tools and workflows that empower increased efficiency and efficacy in the client service provided to stakeholders.