BD Manager - M&A

Marketing team - London

Our Marketing team helps the firm win and grow the right clients and work. We drive client development across the firm - deepening priority relationships, increasing share of wallet and converting strategic opportunities into profitable revenue. We equip partners with effective go-to-market strategies, tactics and processes, differentiated insights and disciplined execution. Alongside this, we strengthen the firm’s market profile and reputation to support client acquisition, retention, and growth. We work as one integrated global team, aligning central support and expertise with local knowledge and execution to maximise impact across offices, practice groups, sectors and client programs.

What you will do

You will provide strategic and day-to-day business development support across a varied portfolio spanning FIG, insurance and Energy & Infrastructure M&A as well as Sports sector coverage. You will convert practice and sector priorities into focused, practical plans and deliver them in an efficient, disciplined and collaborative way. The role combines opportunity-led support, including pitches, credentials and client targeting, with longer-term responsibility for market profile, campaigns, events, directories and priority client relationships.

This role will be supported by our corporate Core Pitch Team and Marketing Solutions Team, based in Belfast. You will coordinate with these central teams and leverage their ability to assist with junior tasks and pitches to enhance your ability to act strategically.

You will also coordinate relationship activity for selected priority clients, working across practices, offices and central teams to provide joined-up support and maintain momentum against agreed actions.

Strategic planning and execution

• Translate business plans into focused BD activity across relevant practices, sectors and clients.
• Develop and maintain BD plans with partners and wider teams.
• Manage budgets and track spend and ROI.
• Support planning discussions, maintaining clear priorities and actions.
• Use CRM, pipeline and market insights to inform BD activity and reporting.

Client development

• Coordinate relationship activity for priority clients across offices and practices.
• Develop client plans, contact maps and reporting, maintaining accurate CRM data.
• Coordinate client meetings, briefings and events, ensuring effective follow-up.
• Support client listening, research and relationship development initiatives.
• Respond to client and partner requests while progressing agreed priorities.

AI and technology

• Use approved AI tools in line with firm policy.
• Complete required AI training and develop practical AI capabilities.
• Apply AI effectively to improve individual and team outputs.

Pursuit excellence

• Coordinate proposals, capability statements and credentials across priority practices, sectors and clients.
• Work with BD, pricing and legal teams to deliver compelling, client-focused submissions.
• Tailor credentials and materials to individual opportunities.
• Maintain accurate pipeline data and support pitch processes and debriefs.
• Develop reusable content to improve pitch quality and efficiency.

Market profile, content and campaigns

• Deliver profile-raising activity and campaigns aligned to agreed strategy.
• Manage directories, awards submissions and relevant content.
• Coordinate events, memberships, sponsorships and hospitality opportunities.
• Maintain high-quality website, marketing and client-facing content.
• Ensure consistent, evidence-based external messaging.

Practice and sector portfolio

• Support FIG and Energy & Infrastructure M&A BD activity, including pitches, credentials and practice development.
• Coordinate BD activity across the Sports team and wider global network.
• Support cross-practice and cross-border opportunities.
• Contribute to wider strategic BD initiatives.

Collaboration, integration and change

• Collaborate across regions, practices, sectors and central teams.
• Build strong relationships with lawyers and specialist colleagues.
• Promote consistent use of firm systems, templates and processes.
• Support change initiatives and identify practical improvements.

Team leadership and development

• Support resourcing across competing priorities and time zones.
• Share best practice and contribute to team resources and onboarding.
• Take ownership of professional development and relevant training.
• Seek regular feedback to support continuous development.

What you will have

• Proven business development experience within professional services.
• Strong commercial curiosity, with the ability to translate market and client insights into effective BD activity.
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills, with clear and persuasive written communication.
• Confidence working with data, research, CRM systems such as Dynamics, and experience and pipeline systems.
• Excellent organisation, attention to detail and follow-through, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Strong client focus and the ability to work effectively with busy stakeholders and demanding deadlines.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience working across regions and time zones is advantageous.
• Flexibility to travel occasionally as required.

What we can offer you

To learn more about the culture and benefits available at A&O Shearman, please visit: Culture and benefits | A&O Shearman careers

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Our approach to hybrid working seeks to combine and maximise the benefits of effective remote working with the benefits of being in the office. Our current hybrid working arrangements require office based working for a minimum of 60% of your time (i.e. three days per week for a full time role) in accordance with our hybrid working policy.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE - A&O Shearman does not accept unsolicited CVs. For further information, please see our UK Recruitment Agency Policy and our commitment to direct sourcing here.

A&O Shearman is a global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in nearly 30 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.