Senior Specialist: Business Development & Marketing

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.

We are a collegial, collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realize their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.

If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Commercial department in our Chicago office, as a Senior Specialist: Business Development and Marketing.

The Senior Specialist: Business Development and Marketing is an established and productive contributor who is responsible for advancing and supporting the business development and administrative initiatives of Mayer Brown’s Global Product, Industry and Client Teams groups which are strategic priorities of the Firm. This role is ideal for driven and flexible candidates who have an interest in business development and marketing in a global, fast-paced and intellectually stimulating organization. This role will support our Technology Transactions and Intellectual Property product areas and provide other support for initiatives that align with the Firm’s strategic plan and will require working closely and collaboratively with the rest of the Global Business Development and Marketing team. Additionally, this role will support planning and execution of business development activities for the Chicago office’s broader litigation practices as needed.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Business Plans & Infrastructure
  • Assist and support business development team members and lawyers in executing on business plans and client strategies, and with tracking implementation and progress against the plans
  • Communicate successes of assigned groups internally, as well as best practices and group activities to ensure that best practices are leveraged and that support initiatives are coordinated across Business Development & Marketing Department groups and offices

• Business Development & Profile Raising Initiatives
  • Support thought leadership publications and offerings including project management and mining of data for business-development opportunities; ensure robust distribution internally across the Firm’s offices, practices and client teams and other platforms and promotion outside the Firm on LinkedIn and elsewhere
  • Support direct marketing and business development programs including planning and executing podcast and video recordings, seminars, sponsorships, and other events pursued by the firm including serve as central resource for logistics (e.g. meeting rooms, telephone and video conferencing needs, event set-up, delivering materials etc.); manage communications including invitations and RSVPs, meeting invites, internal socializing and external communications; leveraging appropriate teams within the Firm to support various tasks including RSVPs, CLE credit, catering, etc.; and attending meetings and events to provide support on-site
  • Support initiatives related to research, data collection and analysis, directory submissions (i.e., Chambers), matter coding, economic reporting, intranet site development and maintenance and internal meeting support
  • Collect matter data for technology transactions and intellectual property practice globally and manage matter database to ensure data quality and the availability of matter data firm-wide
  • Develop and maintain industry survey and directory ranking content and results for assigned products & practices; and respond to industry surveys requests or directory ranking submissions
  • Tracking of global pipeline activities
  • Engage in research and analysis and competitive intelligence-gathering for strategic planning, competitive firm positioning, and business development activities for assigned practice(s), and identify speaking opportunities
  • Periodically review and consult with lawyers in products & practices regarding their profiles (or bios) and practice descriptions to ensure that they are kept current
  • Leverage the Firm’s CRM database (InterAction) for business development purposes (e.g., pulling activity reports, contact lists for invitations; maintaining contact lists; etc.)

• Pitches, Proposals & Marketing Materials
  • Support the development and tailoring of proposals and presentations to clients and marketing material development by gathering relevant information and materials; drafting language, handling edits, proofreading and supporting initiatives through delivery ensuring attorney and client deadlines are met
  • Develop and maintain group-specific marketing content, including group and matter descriptions, brochures, PowerPoint presentations, website/blog content, social media posts and biographies

• Local Office Support
  • When relevant, provide support for seminars, sponsorships, and other events and initiatives pursued by the firm in the Chicago office

• Other
  • Manage projects/processes, working independently with limited supervision
  • Provide guidance, coaching and mentorship to junior members of the department
  • Ensure processes, best practices and Firm policies as they relate to graphic design are communicated and understood by stakeholders and colleagues
  • Perform other duties as assigned or required to meet Firm goals and objectives
    

Qualifications

Education/Training/Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, marketing, communications, English or other discipline that requires analytical and advanced writing and research skills

Professional Experience

• Six years in a business development, marketing and/or research-related position in the professional services arena (e.g., law, accounting, or consulting) with a preference for law

Specific Technical Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products.
• Proficiency with scheduling and participating on video conferences in a professional setting
• Familiarity with accepted research techniques and databases typically used for competitive intelligence in a professional services company (e.g., Manzama, Capital IQ, Mergermarket, LexisNexis, Lexology, etc.)

Performance Traits

• Strong written and oral communication skills, able to communicate effectively, proactively and in a professional manner with all levels of the Firm and outside vendors
• Excellent interpersonal skills – must have a mature, professional and personable presentation and demeanor
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Demonstrates good judgment and problem-solving capabilities (including determining solutions that are difficult and sometime complex), a team-first and client-service orientation, and stamina
• Ability to work in an environment with shifting priorities and deadlines and ability to work well under pressure
• Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative who works independently with the ability to make informed judgments and decisions and to advise internal “clients” on the appropriate/optimal solution to meet their needs
• Ability to work well in a team as well as independently
• Flexibility to work additional hours, as necessary
• Ability to work in a diverse team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the Firm
• Strong customer service skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment (for exempt roles, when applicable)
• Strong attention to detail
• Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion
• Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to adopt new technologies and resources to increase productivity and efficiency

Physical Requirements

• Normal office environment requiring extensive use of typical business equipment (e.g., computer, telephone and copiers)
• Ability to move between floors and buildings on a regular basis, to attend meetings and travel to other offices
• Constant sitting; frequent standing; occasional walking and bending; constant typing and reading
• May require occasional lifting of up to 20 lbs.
• May require travel to other offices as needed

The typical pay scale for this position is between $69,000 and $127,000, although the actual wage or salary could be lower or higher if the candidate’s education, experience, skills and internal pay alignment are different from those specified.

The above is a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.

The Firm may modify and amend this job description at any time at its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment.

We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance, 401(k) savings plan, back-up childcare and eldercare, generous paid time off (PTO), as well as opportunities for professional development and growth.

Thank you for your interest in Mayer Brown. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities and disabled veterans. To request a reasonable accommodation related to the application process and/or job interview, please email [email protected] . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.