Osborne Clarke have a newly created Business Development Manager role within our Technology, Media & Telecoms sector in our London office. Reporting to the Senior Business Development Manager for the sector, the role is responsible for setting and driving the BD strategy for our platforms practice, a significant growth opportunity for the firm. Building on established client relationships and a strong market position, this role will play a key part in delivering our revenue diversification and market positioning goals.
The platforms practice currently serves a portfolio of leading global technology platform clients, including Very Large Online Platforms, across social media, user generated content, marketplaces, e-mobility, SaaS, and gig economy. This role will build on existing client relationships while driving expansion into new platform segments.
Working with Partners, Marketing and Knowledge teams, you will develop and execute BD strategies to grow revenue, win new mandates and strengthen our cross-border European reputation.
This is a global role offering the intellectual challenge of working at the intersection of law, technology, and policy on issues shaping the digital economy. It requires occasional European travel. You will manage the platforms BD budget and be supported by a shared BD Executive, shared BD Assistant and the Bids team for major Requests for Proposals.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Business Development
- Develop and execute the platforms sector BD strategy, with a primary focus in Year 1 on diversifying revenue streams within existing platform clients, and working closely with the Marketing team to build a stronger market identity.
- Identify new business opportunities and build relationships with key referrers in the platforms ecosystem
- Take accountability for commercial impact, interpreting financial and pipeline data to inform strategy
- Manage key client relationships for Tier 1 platform clients, coordinating with the Client Relationship Development team on account management
- Propose, manage and report on the platforms sector BD budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources to deliver strategic priorities
Client and Market Intelligence
- Develop deep understanding of digital platform business models, regulatory developments, market dynamics and emerging risks
- Build and maintain intelligence on target clients, competitors and market opportunities; analyse pipeline data, win/loss information and client feedback to identify trends, refine strategies and improve conversion rates
Collaboration and Coordination
- Collaborate across European, APAC and US offices to align BD efforts with international platform businesses
- Work with Marketing and Knowledge teams to deliver initiatives strengthening market reputation and leverage insights for BD purposes
- Build relationships with BD, Marketing, PAs and support teams; work with BD Executive on execution of activities
Bid and Pitch Management
- Lead preparation of high-quality pitches and proposals for platforms sector opportunities
- Manage end-to-end pitch process with support from Bids team on major RFPs
Events and Profile-Building
- Plan and execute targeted client events and networking activities to deepen relationships
- Design event agendas and content that provide timely, relevant insights and strengthen client relationships
- Support the development of thought leadership initiatives including publications, webinars and conference speaking opportunities
- Identify and pursue opportunities to enhance the firm's profile in the platforms market
Reporting and Analysis
- Provide regular reporting on BD activity, pipeline development, win rates and ROI
- Analyse performance data and present insights and recommendations to sector leadership
- Success in this role will be measured against key performance indicators agreed with your line manager, which are expected to include revenue growth from existing platform clients, new client acquisition, and cross-border collaboration metrics aligned to the responsibilities set out above.
About You
Experience and Skills
- Proven BD, marketing or sales track record in technology/media sectors within a professional services setting
- Understanding of digital platform business models and general thematic trends
- Experience developing and executing BD and marketing strategies that deliver measurable commercial results
- Experience managing client relationships and coordinating with senior stakeholders including Partners
- Demonstrable experience interpreting financial data and market intelligence to inform strategy
- Experience of collaborating on pitches
- Budget management or oversight experience, including planning, allocation and reporting
- Experience in working with legal tech and generative AI tools
Personal Attributes and Behaviours
- Proactive, commercially focused and results-driven approach with confidence to challenge established approaches
- Ability to influence at Partner level with excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills; self-motivated and able to work autonomously across teams and geographies
Desirable
- Knowledge of European legal/professional services market and cross-border experience
- Existing network of contacts within the technology sector
Salary and benefits
We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.
Our recruitment process
Please note that although we include closing dates for our roles as a guide, we review and progress applications on a rolling basis. At Osborne Clarke we do not make any recruitment decisions using automated decision-making.
We are committed to providing an environment where you can perform to the best of your abilities at every stage of your recruitment experience and beyond. If you require any adjustments to be made during the application stage, interview process, or when working with us, please let us know in confidence.