Business Development Associate Director, Debt Finance (Global)

Who we are

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, which 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. And 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 an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

 

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 leads a global BD team supporting our Debt Finance teams across a range of Debt Finance sub-product areas including but not limited to Leveraged & Infrastructure Finance, Direct Lending, Corporate / Acquisition Finance and Islamic Finance.

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 leads a global team supporting all regions and works alongside counterparts for other global product groups.

 

Purpose of role

• You will play a pivotal role in shaping and driving a growth strategy for our Debt Finance product offering.
• You will work with relevant partners, lawyers and BD team members across groups to join the dots, drive collaborative growth and broaden client relationships.
• You will be the primary interface for the Global Product Group leaders and manage the global Debt Finance BD team.

 

Key responsibilities

Strategy and Implementation

• Establish and oversee the development and implementation of business development and marketing plans, ensuring alignment with firmwide strategy.
• Track progress against plans and refine approach accordingly to achieve over-arching goals, evaluating ROI on a periodic basis.
• Commission in-depth research on global product and market trends, clients, prospects, and competitors to inform strategic marketing decisions.
• Work closely with leadership to implement and execute lateral hiring, onboarding/integration and succession planning strategies for key product area(s).
• Oversee and manage the quality of output from the global BD team for Debt Finance, ensuring Partner expectations are met.

Revenue Generation

• Act as the primary contact for information about the product offering, related global and regional BD and marketing activities and campaigns.
• Lead client targeting exercises, maintain oversight of priority clients and prospects. Embed a strong culture around client listening.
• Facilitate "go/no go" decisions (working with our Global Proposals Team) and work on must-win cross-border proposals (as needed). Ensure relevant global marketing materials are aligned to brand, kept up to date and fit for purpose.

Reputation Management and Marketing Communications

• Work closely with partners and counterparts in the Brand, Communications and Public Affairs (BCPA), Knowledge & Training (K&T) and Thought Leadership (TL) teams to identify and build successful marketing campaigns and thought leadership pieces.
• Oversee key directory submissions for flagship product areas, with the support of our central directories team and the wider BD team.

Client and Market Development

• Facilitate the flow of information to drive collaboration and cross-selling of client relationships and products across practice.
• Conduct competitor, client and marketplace analysis to identify new and emerging client and sector opportunities.

Team Leadership and Development

• Line management responsibility for a global BD team of around ten that supports all Debt Finance sub-groups in each region.
• Responsibility for people development and talent management for BD team that supports the Debt Finance product areas in each region.
• Actively promote innovation, technology and AI to drive operational efficiency across the team, constantly reviewing processes to ensure the Debt Finance teams benefit from the latest and most effective solutions.

Business Development Function

• 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.

 

Your experience

• Extensive experience in business development, preferably within a law firm or professional services environment.
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful business development and marketing strategies and initiatives.
• Excellent relationship-building skills, in particular ability to develop advisory relationships with Partners.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong technical proficiency and familiarity with tools like CRM.

 

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 including our broad range of benefits and working environment

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