Senior Client Growth Manager

At Barnes & Thornburg, change is relentless and so are we. In an evolving business landscape, we stand ready at a moment’s notice, adapting with agility and precision to achieve the highest goals for our clients. Similarly, our Client Growth and Marketing team serves its clients — 850+ legal professionals across 50 practices in 26 markets — with the same energy and commitment.

Our Client Growth team focuses on establishing, enhancing and enabling meaningful client relationships, significant sector visibility, and optimal market share for the firm and its attorneys. The team contributes to client retention and expansion by proactively initiating, supporting and driving business development activities. In collaboration with Client Growth and Marketing Department leadership, this role will be responsible for identifying key practice priorities, crafting and aligning client development strategies, and executing those plans.

Primary duties and responsibilities necessary for successful job performance include:

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  Lead and supervise a high-performing client growth team, fostering collaboration across assigned practice areas and with other Senior Client Growth Managers to develop, implement, and share business development and marketing best practices.

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  Serve as the primary business development and client growth resource for the Litigation Department Chair, practice group leaders, and other department leadership. Partner closely with the Department Operating Officer and other firm stakeholders to identify, prioritize, and execute strategic initiatives requiring department and firmwide support.

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  Develop and execute business development strategies that strengthen existing client relationships, generate new business opportunities, expand client engagements, and drive cross-selling initiatives across assigned practices and industry sectors.

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  Participate in the development of department and practice-specific business development plans and lead the execution of identified goals, objectives, and key results.

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  Maintain a deep understanding of the firm's practices, services, industries, geographic markets, and business operations to effectively position the firm's capabilities, identify growth opportunities, facilitate cross-practice collaboration, and connect clients and prospects with the appropriate legal resources.

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  Provide strategic business development counsel, coaching, and guidance to attorneys and practice leaders, including support for individual opportunities, client relationship expansion, and broader market positioning efforts.

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  Guide attorneys in developing and executing visibility strategies that enhance market presence and support business development objectives, including conference participation, speaking engagements, thought leadership programs, client events, and other profile-raising opportunities.

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  Support lateral integration and growth initiatives by assisting with the recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and business development planning of lateral attorneys to accelerate successful integration and revenue generation.

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  Lead the collection, maintenance, organization, and dissemination of practice experience and credential information, ensuring data is current, accessible, and effectively leveraged in business development, marketing, and proposal efforts.

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  Oversee the development of pitches, proposals, RFP responses, presentations, and related business development materials in collaboration with Proposal, Legal Operations, Communications, and Client Growth colleagues, ensuring deliverables effectively communicate the firm's experience, differentiators, pricing strategies, and value proposition.

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  Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including communications, media relations, events, business intelligence, proposals, and creative services, to develop compelling market-facing content and campaigns that elevate practice visibility and support client growth objectives.

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  Manage and advise on marketing and business development investments, sponsorships, and related expenditures, evaluating return on investment and recommending strategies to maximize impact and efficient use of firm resources.

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  Coordinate industry, professional, and strategic relationship-building initiatives, including thought leadership programs, sponsorships, conferences, client events, CLEs, webinars, networking opportunities, and other business development activities.

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  Oversee the preparation and submission of lawyer rankings, awards, and related recognition opportunities that support the strategic positioning of the department and its attorneys.

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  Utilize business intelligence, market research, and business development technologies to identify opportunities, analyze trends, evaluate prospects, and provide actionable insights to attorneys and practice leaders.

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  Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

• The position requires at least eight years of increasingly responsible, directly related experience during which the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities were attained. Experience in an AmLaw matrixed marketing and BD department is highly preferred.

• The position requires a bachelor's degree, preferably in a writing-intensive or research-heavy discipline.

• Strong oral and written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to interact successfully with a broad range of individuals at all levels of the organization, effectively liaise with clients and prospects, and develop strong relationships with attorneys, colleagues, and professionals at key outside organizations.

• Must possess and demonstrate a high-level service orientation, consistent resourcefulness, an ownership mentality, and agility in managing shifting and multiple and sometimes shifting priorities in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment. High level of responsiveness, robust work ethic, and commitment to accountability are crucial.

• Ability to produce quality work product and “think beyond the ask” is required. Candidates possessing intellectual curiosity and ability to connect the dots within the practices and across the firm as well as the external business landscape in order to issue spot and horizon scan will be a good fit for the role.

• Must be fluent in MS Office Suite and have standard technical proficiency expected within legal marketing and BD (eg, experience and/or understanding of CRMs, ERMs, CMS systems, and basic database platforms) is desired.

• Demonstrated project management experience is an asset to this role.

• Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships across all levels of the organization and work effectively both independently and with others in a cooperative, enthusiastic, and friendly manner to accomplish position functions and participate in team efforts.

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and maintain a productive and committed work effort, meeting deadlines, and managing workload.

• Ability to leverage research and competitive intelligence to identify business opportunities and support go-to-market strategies.

• Strong knowledge of, and familiarity with, legal and business environments.

The above is intended to describe the general content and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements

Barnes & Thornburg is committed to equal employment opportunity in both principle and as a matter of policy. We will recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate and provide benefits to all applicants and employees without regard to ancestry, sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, religion, religious creed, mental and/or physical disability, medical condition, military and/or veteran’s status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies to all recruiting, hiring, promotions, upgrades, layoffs, compensation, benefits, terminations and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment. The firm complies fully with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws.