Senior Business Development Manager – Global Sponsors Group

We are recruiting for a dynamic and experienced Senior Business Development Manager to support our Corporate practice, with a particular focus on leading and driving business development initiatives for our fast-growing and dynamic Global Sponsors Group. For more information and to view the job description, please click here.

Full job description (attached PDF)

Role overview

We are recruiting for a dynamic and experienced Senior Business Development Manager to support our Global Sponsors Group, with a particular focus on generating new ideas and driving business development initiatives for this fast-growing offering.

The Global Sponsors Group sits within our wider Corporate practice, and the Senior Business Development Manager will be a member of our Global Client Development team (GCD), which forms part of the Business Development function within the wider Commercial team.

The GCD team works with partners, counsel and knowledge lawyers to win new business and deliver campaigns and initiatives that support the objectives of the firm and of the Global Sponsors Group. GCD takes an integrated approach to client development, bringing together practice and sector expertise to maintain and grow client relationships.

We are looking for a strategic, client-focused professional who can enhance our market presence, deepen client relationships, and collaborate closely with partners to drive growth in this area. You will work as part of an integrated team with lawyers and the broader Business Development (BD) and Marketing teams to identify opportunities, develop targeted strategies and articulate our proposition in the market.

Key responsibilities

The role holder will support dynamic and high-achieving partners. It offers the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of business development activities and will provide a platform for the right candidate to demonstrate their depth of knowledge of the sponsor landscape, as well as their expertise as a seasoned business development professional. In addition, we would welcome candidates who have a strong network across the private capital space and who are keen to attend conferences and events where they can represent the firm and engage in direct BD.

The key responsibilities of this role are set out below, but there may be others which are not listed.

• Strategic Planning: Develop and implement comprehensive business development and marketing strategies that support the growth of the Global Sponsors Group, including working with partners to implement goals from practice reviews, as well as reviewing performance against these goals.
• Client Relationship and Development: Continue to develop the client programme, working closely with partners to strengthen relationships with existing clients to increase share of wallet and identify opportunities to cross-sell.
• Opportunity Spotting: Proactively look for opportunities to win new mandates to grow and diversify the Global Sponsors practice, bringing advanced and well-thought-out ideas to partners.
• Lead Generation: Using data from a variety of sources, identify new leads for the Group. Where appropriate, follow up personally with prospects, take initial meetings and facilitate introductions for partners.
• Market Knowledge: Maintain and extend knowledge of the private equity market, as well as your understanding of the sponsor landscape, for the benefit of the firm and to inform BD approaches.
• Network and Contacts: Utilise your existing network within the private capital industry, while continuing to develop relationships with fund managers, financial advisers and other professionals aligned to the sector.
• Pitching and Proposals: Lead on pitches, proposals and presentations, working closely with partners to ensure tailored and compelling messaging for prospective clients.
• Thought Leadership and Client Issues: Identify pertinent client issues and themes affecting our sponsor audience, making suggestions on topics and hooks for client conversations and/or campaigns.
• Client Development Initiatives: Manage and coordinate client development programmes, including client events, seminars and thought leadership initiatives, to increase visibility and reinforce the firm's reputation in the private capital market.
• Market Research and Analysis: In conjunction with our Research and Insight team, conduct in depth market research to identify trends, opportunities and competitive activity within Private Equity and the wider Private Capital space. Provide insights and recommendations to partners on emerging business opportunities and trends

Corporate

• Partner Relationships: Develop strong individual relationships with corporate partners, supporting their personal BD activities in relation to our sponsor clients.
• Clients and Cross-selling: Identify cross-selling opportunities and the hooks we have across the firm to facilitate introductions and position the firm for work in new areas, e.g. real assets and infrastructure investment.
• Client Relationship Management: Ensure partners' client relationships benefit from our marketing ecosystem, are included on appropriate distribution and targeting lists, and receive our value-added offering.
• Associate BD: Develop relationships with senior associates in relation to the Global Sponsors offering, supporting their BD activity, encouraging engagement and providing guidance on best practice.
• Communication: Act as a BD leader and a strong voice within the Corporate practice, proactively updating corporate partners on BD and marketing activities across the Global Sponsors Group.

Candidate profile

Candidates for this position must have:

• Experience: Minimum 7 years of business development experience, ideally within a professional services environment, with a strong focus on Private Equity and the wider private capital space.
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the Private Equity market, including market dynamics and emerging trends, and experience working with sponsors and investors is essential.
• Strategic Mindset: Proven ability to develop and implement strategic business development plans that align with broader firm objectives and deliver measurable results.
• Client-Focused: Strong client relationship management skills, with a proven track record of developing and maintaining high-level relationships with senior stakeholders and clients.
• AI Skills: Comfortable using AI-enabled tools to support day-to-day work, with the ability to apply sound judgement and critical thinking when interpreting outputs.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling pitches, proposals and presentations, and confidently communicate with senior leadership and partners.
• Collaboration and Leadership: Strong team player with the ability to lead and influence cross functional teams, collaborate across practice areas, and mentor junior staff.
• Proactive and Results-Driven: A self-starter with a proactive approach to identifying opportunities, solving problems, and driving business development initiatives to achieve tangible outcomes.
• Commercial Awareness: Strong commercial acumen and the ability to understand and respond to client needs.
• Education: A degree in business, marketing, law, or a related field is preferred. An MBA or equivalent qualification is a plus.

Our recruitment process

We anticipate this being a two or three-stage process:

1st interview - A Head of Function and a Recruitment Specialist

Practical assessment - To be decided

2nd interview - GSG Partners

Coffee Stage - Possible coffee with other key stakeholders

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are barrier-free and as inclusive as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. If you have any questions or require any adjustments to be made to one or both of the application or interview processes, please contact the Recruitment Team.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and will offer an interview to applicants with a disability or long-term condition who best meet the minimum or essential criteria for our Business Services roles. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident 'Offer An Interview' commitment, please apply via our online application form and not via LinkedIn. You are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. For more information about the Disability Confident scheme, please see the government website here.

We welcome applications irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, belief or marital status.

The purpose of this description is to provide guidance in relation to the general requirements of the position referred to. It is by no means an exhaustive list of the responsibilities that will be involved.

Any offer of employment with us is subject to the firm's receipt of a satisfactory report from its third party screening and vetting provider in respect of the successful candidate. Your adviser will be able to explain how this process works in practice in the event of any questions.

At Slaughter and May, we take the protection of your personal information seriously and we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of the personal information that you share with us, or is collected by us, during the course of our interactions with you. Our Recruitment Privacy Notice ("RP Notice") supplements, and should be read alongside, the firm's Privacy Notice.

These privacy notices are always available to view within the Legal and Regulatory section of our website.

Who we are

Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm, recognised throughout the business community for its exceptional legal service, commercial awareness, and commitment to clients. We advise across the spectrum of legal matters including high-profile, ground-breaking, and complex transactions, contentious matters and all aspects of risk. We deliver innovative and bespoke solutions to our clients, domestically and internationally. We provide clear legal advice that spans the globe whilst tackling the cultural nuances between jurisdictions. Our lawyers understand how to coordinate and manage matters in the jurisdictions most relevant to our clients.

Excellence is central to everything we do, and it remains one of the first words mentioned when others are asked about the firm. We are very proud of that reputation. One reason we are known for excellence is because we have always been guided by a set of values that have been an implicit part of who we are and how we operate.

Our four core values are:

1. The highest standards;

2. Independence of thought;

3. Collective endeavour;

4. Respect for all.

They are not simply a list of characteristics. They are part of a framework, as they demonstrate our commitment to our four stakeholder groups (Our clients; Our people; The firm; Society).

At Slaughter and May, with over 1,400 partners and staff worldwide, everyone's contribution is valued, and we all enjoy an open, friendly and supportive environment. We have an underlying sense of pride in who we are and what we do, and our inclusive culture gives rise to a unique diversity of thinking, which is critical to our success and helps maintain our position as a true market leader.

Business Services Development

We offer a variety of learning and development opportunities to members of our Business Services team, including sessions open to everyone on topics ranging from personal impact and resilience to written communication. We also run a series of development programmes for supervisors and managers, as well as various bespoke team and one-to-one sessions.

Our Network of Networks

The firm has eleven employee networks run by employees and supported by partners. Collectively, we form a Network of Networks, and our aim is to foster a spirit of inclusion, both amongst the networks and the firm more widely. We work collaboratively to create a more open minded and inclusive work environment.

We strive to make people feel comfortable about bringing their authentic selves to work.

Each network offers an informal support mechanism for employees with shared backgrounds, perspectives or interests and hosts a number of exciting formal and informal events throughout the year, which are open to everyone. They're a great way to meet new people in the firm, as well as to celebrate difference and learn about a variety of experiences and perspective