JOB DESCRIPTION
The Senior Business Development Coordinator position joins a dynamic national team responsible for the coordination and successful execution of a variety of marketing and business development, practice management, and communications initiatives.
Duties, among others, include tracking practice experience in the firm’s knowledge management database, preparing pitch materials, overseeing client advisories and presentation development, running with internal newsletters, coordinating with the firm’s events team, and monitoring / tracking various business development budgets.
This is an attorney-facing position, and therefore all activities entail a high level of lawyer contact and exposure to Alston’s high-profile corporate transactional practice groups.
This individual should be a highly motivated self-starter with solid project management skills, and the individual should have experience working in a law firm environment.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
- Working collaboratively with and reporting within the MBD / Practice Management Team, including director and manager-level team members.
- Work with the team’s director and managers to track practice budgets and generate financial reports.
- Develop customized materials for prospect / client presentations; respond to requests and initiate projects. Includes drafting, editing, and proofreading materials, recommending changes, and supervising marketing operations personnel to execute projects in a timely and professional manner.
- Supervise external survey, directory, award, and ranking submissions by drafting narrative descriptions and nominations, as well as collecting matter descriptions, client permissions, and references from lawyers.
Track and capture credentialing activities; prepare drafts for survey responses.
Contribute to RFP responses by drafting, collecting, and organizing content. Involves formatting, editing, and submitting by a deadline.
Includes post pitch follow-up.
- Manage mailing lists related to practice group events and office marketing efforts.
- Support integration of new associates and lateral lawyers, including drafting biographies and assisting with orientation planning.
- Collaborate with the firm’s PR team to advance profile-raising efforts within the market.
- Conduct research and competitive analysis inclusive of lateral activity, thought leadership, events, news / experience, and league tables, and work with the Managers to prepare presentations re : the firm’s competitive positioning in the market.
- Plan and coordinate internal and external practice group and office events. This may include travel to other firm offices or off-site locations.
- Work with finance and accounting departments to analyze client relationships and trends. Develop presentations based on results.
- Ensure quality, accuracy, and timeliness of practice information on all the firm’s external channels social media, firm website.
- Monitor, track, and collaborate with attorneys on the practices’ knowledge / experience management efforts, using the firm’s Foundation database.
- Monitor the use and updating of client contacts / client team activity information within the InterAction software system.
SKILLS NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL
- A high level of energy and the ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment is essential.
- A high degree of responsiveness, follow-up / follow through, and organization.
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize; demonstrate superb project management skills.
- Demonstrate a high level of attention to detail and excellent oral and written communications skills.
- Ability to create strong relationships with attorneys; knowing how to communicate effectively with attorneys.
- Well-developed and professional interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to interact effectively with people at all organizational levels of the firm.
- Display the ability to work in a team environment with a customer service focus.
- Entrepreneurial by nature. Willingness to own a project. Resourceful.
- Superior proficiency in online research and internet resources.
- Developed knowledge of marketing principles, procedures, concepts, and practical applications; proven ability to carry and achieve marketing goals.
- Experience with a CRM a plus.
- Experience with Foundation a plus.
- Advanced-level proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Required : bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, marketing, management, communications, or other business-oriented degree.
- Required : Previous experience in marketing / business development and / or practice management in a law firm (or professional services firm).
- Required : Experience with budgets, financial reporting, and aptitude with numbers and spreadsheets.
- Preferred : Specific experience working with transactional or corporate legal practices (corporate, finance, real estate, private equity, funds, investment banking, tax, etc.).