Global head of finance business development

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide.

Our fluency in English law, U.S. law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimize your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.

Department purpose

A&O Shearman's finance team is renowned as one of the strongest and deepest in the world, with top-tier lawyers located in all the major markets and extensive experience across the spectrum of complex financial transactions. Our Marketing team contributes to the setting and achievement of the firm's business objectives, which include supporting our partners and associates in their pursuit of becoming our clients' trusted advisers, building and maintaining long-lasting, deep institutional client relationships, winning new clients, increasing the visibility of the firm globally, and positioning the firm as the thought leader among the global elite law firms. The function works as one team across the globe with very close collaboration between the central groups and professionals supporting offices, practice groups, sectors, and clients.

Role purpose

This role is centered on driving growth in an area of strategic importance for the firm and requires building relationships with partners and key stakeholders across the business. You will be an agent for change, proactively and positively disrupting the way we go to market.

The role's primary focus will be on (i) global financial markets (derivatives and structured finance, securitization (including CLOs), international debt capital markets and corporate trust and agency) and (ii) Debt Finance (private credit/direct lending, private equity/sponsor side debt, syndicated bank/bond lender side debt, fund finance and trade and commodities/asset-based lending).

The successful candidate will also play a key role in identifying synergies, overlap, and opportunities encompassing (iii) Restructuring (capital solutions, corporate governance, counterparty risk, liability management, distressed M&A and litigation and structuring advice/downside protection analysis) and (iv) Real Estate Finance (construction, senior and mezzanine, A/B structures and preferred equity; distressed loan acquisitions; workouts and restructuring of distressed investments (including loan-to-own strategies); real estate loan and CMBS workouts).

Role and responsibilities

Growth, business origination, and go-to-market strategy

• Drive revenue growth for the global finance practice by targeting high-value opportunities.

• Develop and implement a clear, market-driven strategy to position the practice to win more work, strengthen relationships with key clients, and secure new business.

• Prioritize business origination by identifying and pursuing prospects, ensuring effective collaboration between partners and BD teams to secure mandates.

Collaboration, integration, and alignment

• Foster a unified approach to client engagement and business development by breaking down barriers between products, markets, and practices, and integrating efforts across teams and practice areas.

• Work across internal organizational boundaries to ensure BD activity is aligned, best practices are shared, and any gaps or overlaps in current approaches are addressed.

• Ensure all BD initiatives supplement and complement the work of existing BD managers and senior roles, with clear delineation of responsibilities to avoid duplication of effort.

Client focus and execution

• Take responsibility for executing BD initiatives, freeing up partner time and ensuring all activity directly supports revenue generation and maximizes cross-selling opportunities.

• Lead and facilitate direct, practical conversations with clients and internally to identify and secure new business opportunities.

Market intelligence and commercial focus