Director of Business Development

Cooley is seeking a Director of Business Development to join the Marketing and Client Development team.

Position summary: This role is part of the Business Development Team, which leads the firm’s business development efforts in the market, in close partnership with Marketing, to build relationships, generate opportunities, and support growth across priority clients, prospects, and sectors. Responsible for engaging directly with key clients, strategic pursuits, and firm leadership to drive business growth, strengthen market presence, and translate competitive intelligence into actionable strategies. Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: 

Position responsibilities:  

• Regional Strategic Leadership: Set the business development agenda for each market in alignment with firm priorities, maintaining total oversight of pipeline health, activity levels, and revenue trends across the region. 

• Market Growth & Executive Engagement: Support priority client relationships and strategic opportunities by engaging directly in the market where senior business development involvement is required to open doors or advance complex work. 

• Agile Resource & Strategy Management: Continuously evaluate results and market conditions to adjust strategies and reallocate resources, ensuring the team remains focused on the highest-value activities and growth levers. 

• Integrated Marketing & BD Alignment: Drive total alignment between regional BD and Marketing efforts, ensuring that outreach, events, campaigns, and follow-up activities are executed as a single, coordinated motion. 

• Execution Discipline & Follow-Through: Instill a culture of consistency across the region, implementing the structure and systems necessary to improve follow-through on leads and ensure reliable execution of the growth plan. 

• Team Leadership & Talent Development: Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of BD professionals across the region, setting clear performance expectations and reinforcing rigorous accountability for results. 

• Cross-Firm Connectivity: Partner with firm leaders, partners, and enabling teams to ensure regional efforts are seamlessly connected to broader firm capabilities and global strategic priorities. 

• Market Intelligence & Feedback: Maintain high visibility in the market to stay ahead of competitive developments, sharing real-time client feedback and market insights to inform firm-wide investment and strategic decisions. 

• Collaborative Market Coordination: Act as the primary bridge between regional activity and the firm’s centralized resources, ensuring a unified "one-firm" approach to client engagement and market-facing initiatives. 

• People Leader:  

• Serve as direct supervisor and mentor to direct reports 

• Provide day-to-day supervision of direct reports, ensure compliance with assigned work hours and monitor for compliance with all firm and department policies. Manage staffing coverage, review