At Addleshaw Goddard we not only provide technical excellence and experience but, crucially, demonstrate real insight into our clients and what really matters to them. A natural choice for FTSE100 clients and for the best talent, our people fulfil their potential in an environment where they are developed and valued. We put ourselves in our clients' shoes, as part of a team of effective business people as well as efficient lawyers.

The Business Development team is a centralised function advising and supporting the Firm in its marketing, sales support and business development activities. The key drivers for the team are to ensure we support the development and implementation of the firm's strategy and in particular help:

► Drive profitable revenue growth (through the Client Universe and new clients)

► Develop and deliver a clear brand proposition through our sector focus

The Role

The BD Operations & Project Manager is responsible for overseeing all key BD systems and BD process projects within the BD team and their implementation across the wider firm.

This role holder will have the experience, skill and aspiration to help initiate, lead and drive project delivery best practice across the firm. Working closely with the Head of Bids, this role will help to drive business development projects to ensure optimal efficiency (reducing time and cost of inputs from both BD and the wider business) in terms of service delivery and, ultimately, aid in increasing profit. This role will help to identify key projects, systems and process in order to enhance internal and external client experience.

The role reports to the Head of Bids and will work closely with the other Heads of in wider BD team, the Business Development Director and other Business Services leaders. You will be expected to travel to other UK offices as and when required.

Duties

• Attend regular meetings with teams across BD and the wider firm to understand ways of working, help to identify operational inefficiencies and help to develop, shape and implement solutions.
• Work closely with Senior Management Team in the delivery of specific projects across all areas of the BD team.
• Track and measure results, and report on return on investment on any projects delivered to improve productivity and drive efficiencies
• Work with rest of the BD team to develop strategies to promote strategic operational priorities for BD across the wider firm.
• Lead and manage all aspects of projects including planning and implementation (including training and development of people on new systems and process through the IT Training or L&D teams).
• Take ownership of the BD site on the firm's intranet.
• Work with the wider BD team to develop a BD taxonomy and continuously improve the structure for centrally storing all BD content in the firm's document management system.
• Act as an advisor to the BD team, to guide them in the best use of the systems, instilling best practice so that the information stays up-to-date and relevant.
• Driving key projects and outputs around bids systems and processes (e.g. proposal automation, content management systems and pipeline / proposal repositories of data).
• Oversee virtual team members and people in other locations.
• Build relationships with lawyers and support staff across the firm to ensure understanding and buy-in for BD systems and processes.
• Be the BD lead contact for business development systems and tools at an oversight level.

Knowledge, skills and experience required (bespoke to role)

• Strong understanding of the legal and professional services market and how people, process and technology work together to deliver improved results for our clients and our lawyers.
• Proven track record in planning, managing and implementing projects and programmes, preferably in a professional services organisation, including a previous, demonstrable experience of managing BD, marketing and/or communications projects in relation to systems and process improvement.
• Interest and awareness of business development in the legal market.
• Desire to deliver excellent service for our internal and external clients with a focus on business benefits and results
• Ability to embrace and promote a culture of excellence and service delivery for our internal and external clients
• High degree of commerciality and a commitment to driving high standards.
• Good understanding and empathy of the various pressures legal staff work under.
• Excellent business writing and communication styles, adaptable to various situations, with the ability to communicate concepts and processes succinctly.
• Promoting cultural and organisational change to support the firm's vision
• Good persuader and confident presentation skills with the ability to influence at Partner level and to challenge thinking
• Ability to develop energetic, enthusiastic and positive teams, with good people management skills
• Strategic and pragmatic; committed to 'trusted adviser' status yet practical and hands on
• Highly organised and able to prioritise workloads, manage multiple projects and negotiate deadlines; collaborating with and managing people cross site and in virtual teams
• Comfortable working to short deadlines, with variable dependencies and in a non-directive environment
• Exceptional team player, not afraid of being visible on a project
• Enthusiastic, positive and can-do attitude
• Commitment to profitable growth by finding more efficient ways of working
• Adhere to the firm's core values through working relationships, attitude and behaviour
• Highly computer literate with excellent systems skills, ideally including experience of Office software
• Excellent attention to detail