About Clifford Chance
We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.
Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating — full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.
Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies that matter most to them.
You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. That’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.
Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part of an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.
Job Description
The Role
Clifford Chance has an ambitious global strategy which puts clients at the very heart of everything the firm does. The Business Development (“BD”) function is pivotal in making the firm strategy a reality. BD teams collaborate strategically with partners, lawyers and other business professional functions to drive sustainable growth. The BD function supports conversion of key client and market opportunities through the development and delivery of targeted business development and marketing plans.
This role is part of a global BD team supporting our Corporate Global Business Unit, with a primary responsibility for Global Funds & Investments Management (GFIM) in the UK, which spans funds across a broad range of asset classes: Private Equity, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Energy, Credit, Emerging Markets, Venture Capital, Secondaries, GP M&A and Retail products.
This is a hands‑on and proactive role where you will work primarily with key stakeholders across the Global Funds & Investment Management (“GFIM”) Group in the UK and the wider GFIM BD team in other regions.
This role is business critical and is an opportunity for a business development professional to make a huge impact.
Purpose of Role
You will work directly with key stakeholders across the GFIM Group on their client and market development initiatives, and with the wider GFIM BD team and wider Private Capital BD leads in driving the implementation of GFIM BD strategy.
This role collaborates closely with the fee‑earning population globally to support identification, pursuit and winning of revenue generating opportunities. It connects Partners and lawyers to the full spectrum of BD services and expertise available across the global function.
This role works alongside counterparts in other regions, as well as being a key member of the BD community globally.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy and Implementation
Support the implementation of GFIM BD and marketing plans, ensuring alignment with firmwide strategy.
Track progress against plans to achieve overarching goals, focusing on ROI on a periodic basis.
Support research initiatives on regional product and market trends, clients, prospects, and competitors to inform strategic marketing decisions.
Manage the quality of output, ensuring Partner expectations are being met.
Provide onboarding and BD support for secondees.
Revenue Generation
Provide tailored input into GFIM pitches and capability statements (including supporting on GFIM elements of global panel opportunities). Own and maintain pitch and capability statement tracker. Maintain appropriate post‑result feedback channels.
Work with relevant stakeholders to develop/shape BD product offerings and initiatives.
Promote GFIM BD offerings and initiatives with the Corporate practice and the firm more widely.
Proactively spot market trends and opportunities for GFIM across the region and globally.
Maintain the UK GFIM client + target list and support the development of tailored value‑add initiatives for key clients / asset class groups.
Reputation Management and Marketing Communications
Ensure a best‑in‑class approach to experience capture across asset classes.
Assist in identifying opportunities to position and raise the profile of the GFIM product area and its individual lawyers.
Involvement in the organisation of relevant BD client events, seminars and conferences, sponsorships, PR, etc, including organising key set‑piece proprietary events (with support of the central Events team where appropriate) and monitoring industry event opportunities. Drive ROI across events and sponsorships.
Support multiple marketing communications projects, including the delivery of relevant directory/awards submissions and co‑ordination with PR and Private Capital Delivery Group teams. Help to drive matter capture in associate population to support complete submissions to league tables.
Support in the creation and distribution of thought leadership material.
Client and Market Development
Apply depth of GFIM product knowledge to support firm‑wide client and sector programmes.
Leverage awareness of competitor, client and marketplace analysis to identify new and emerging client and sector opportunities.
Business Development Function
Work closely with the global BD team to execute on strategically important BD function projects.
Support the implementation of the new BD Operating Model by assisting with the alignment of activity to teams (within and outside of BD), in line with technology roadmaps and transition plans.
Qualifications
Your Experience
Previous experience in professional services business development (preferably in a law firm)
A strong interest in and understanding of the work types(s) relevant to this role
Sound commercial awareness of legal market development, particularly in relation to work type(s) relevant to this role
The ability to develop advisory relationships with partners
Strong project management and organisational skills
Excellent oral and written communications skills
Ability to work as part of a team and with lawyers of all seniority levels
Commitment to quality and attention to detail
Additional Information
Hybrid Working
This role follows our ‘balanced’ hybrid working approach and, as long as business needs allow, you will be supported to work in a hybrid way with the expectation of working from the office for a minimum of 50% of your time.
What We Offer
When you join Clifford Chance, you will have access to a broad range of benefits to support you across many aspects of your personal and professional life including financial, wellbeing, lifestyle, and family‑friendly benefits. For more information on what we offer specifically in the UK, please visit our What We Offer page on our career site.
Equal Opportunities
At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.
We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.
We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.
Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.
Find out more about our inclusive culture here.
