Proposal Center Manager, Chicago

Proposal Center Manager, Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Commensurate with experience

Director of Strategic Business Development Support (NYC)

The position is primarily responsible for management of and global oversight for the firm’s processes, resources and related capabilities for producing effective responses to formal proposals and targeted pitch materials. The position is responsible for managing a team of two proposal/business development professionals, designing and implementing global proposal processes and protocols, selecting and implementing proposal automation systems and collaborating with partners and other senior staff.

The position also includes responsibility for and active participation in the firm’s client team program and other initiatives to develop new business and expand client relationships. This includes direct responsibility for one or more of the firm’s high-visibility, global client teams.

Primary relationships, in addition to the Director of Strategic Business Development Support, are the firm’s CMO, other marketing and business development staff/team members, and firm lawyers, including practice, industry and other firm leadership. The position also has responsibility for coordination with and process development (as needed) with other departments including accounting, business intake/conflicts, internal and external research providers, and other support departments of the firm.

The candidate for this position will be a senior member of the Strategic Business Development Support group and the marketing/BD department – supporting and facilitating global coordination with the other regional marketing/BD business development staff.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Providing strategic thinking and ideas on structuring, managing and enhancing the firm’s proposal/pitch approach – as well as deploying improvements as identified and agreed upon by management

• Directing the proposal process at the global level; as such, provides oversight pertaining to the development and management of all proposal center tools and content, and communicates and documents processes, responsibilities and deliverables

• Reporting on the proposal team’s performance at the global level

• Overseeing the daily operations of the US proposal team, including the drafting, editing and production of pitches, proposals and other marketing materials

• Serving as the project manager for significant pitch and proposal initiatives, and working closely with lawyers and members of the marketing/BD team to ensure that relevant materials are high-quality, strategic, reflective of best practices in the marketplace for legal services and appropriately differentiated from those of the firm’s competitors

• Ensuring that all lawyers responding to formal requests for proposals or generating similar materials benefit from strategic research, analytical, writing and production resources

• Collaborating with global marketing/BD directors/assistant directors/managers and other key stakeholders in the marketing/BD department on shared projects and areas of responsibility such as proposal process and strategy, and client research and analysis

• Identifying opportunities for and facilitating proposal/business development education and training for members of the Marketing and Business Development department and firm lawyers

• Providing support to firm lawyers for client expansion and new business development activities associated with assigned clients in the firm’s client teams program by:

-Directing strategic market research, internal intelligence (accounting and matter reports) and competitive intelligence initiatives and analysis related to assigned clients in the firm’s Client Teams program
-Analyzing potential business development or expansion opportunities in coordination with client team leaders
-Preparing and maintaining account plans with client team members
-Managing client team meetings and operations, including communication channels and meeting schedules, agendas, meeting notes and follow-up initiatives
-Maintaining an agenda of CRM initiatives and reports (including who-we-know reports and mailing lists) associated with assigned client teams

• As assigned, supporting the Director of Strategic Business Development Support with strategies and processes designed to enhance team-based marketing effectiveness, service delivery to firm clients, measurement of client win rate and client satisfaction, and other special projects as assigned by the CMO or firm leadership

Undergraduate degree in marketing, business, research, or communications-related field, and preferably a graduate or law degree. A minimum of 7 years of demonstrated success in a marketing and/or business development-related position, either in the professional services arena (e.g., law, accounting, or consulting) or in a comparable position in the corporate, trade association, or academic sectors. Law firm experience a plus.

Strong MS Office experience (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is required. Experience with proposal generation system and/or desktop publishing a plus. Strong research skills and familiarity with public and proprietary data sources.

• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience
• Demonstrated good judgment, a team-first orientation, and stamina
• Assertive, self-motivated and able to work independently and take initiative
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to deal professionally with both internal and external clients on all levels
• Strong presence; capable of engaging credibly and effectively with partners internationally
• Exceptional project management capabilities; ability to work effectively under tight deadlines and to manage numerous competing priorities
• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment
• Organized, diligent and follows through with commitments

Schmidt Marketing has been retained to conduct this search. Interested and qualified candidates should e-mail their resume, in strictest confidence, to Lindsay Hokenson.