Manager: Business Development (Structured Finance and Global Trade Finance)

Overview

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.We are a collegial, collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realize their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Commercial department in our New York, or Chicago office, as a Manager: Business Development.

We are seeking a Business Development Manager to help shape and accelerate strategic growth across our market-leading Structured Finance and Global Trade Finance practices. Based in New York or Chicago, this highly visible role sits at the intersection of client strategy, market intelligence, and revenue generation, supporting lawyers on some of the most complex and innovative transactions across asset-backed finance, CLOs, structured credit, derivatives, private capital markets, and global trade finance.

Working closely with practice leadership and senior lawyers, the Business Development Manager will develop and execute go-to-market strategies, identify high-value client opportunities, and lead strategic pursuits that deepen relationships with leading financial institutions, sponsors, and investors. The role spans the full lifecycle of business development—from proactive client targeting, cross-practice initiatives, and market planning to leading complex pitches, thought leadership campaigns, and client engagement programs that reinforce the firm's position at the forefront of structured finance and trade finance innovation.

This is not a traditional support role. The Business Development Manager will operate across jurisdictions and practices, influence senior stakeholders, and contribute directly to revenue growth in a fast-moving, highly competitive market. Success requires a strong understanding of structured finance and global trade finance markets, a combination of strategic insight and hands-on execution capabilities, and a proactive, commercially driven mindset focused on converting opportunities into tangible results.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions: 

• Business Plans & Infrastructure
  • Develops and supports annual marketing and business development business plan development focused on priorities outlined by firm leaders and/or assigned teams, including thought leadership platforms, communications, and client outreach
  • Collaborate with Business Development & Marketing department leadership and group leaders to develop annual budgets to support initiatives outlined in business plan(s) or as outlined by leadership, including specifying key strategic and tactical objectives and means to achieve annual goals
  • Manage day-to-day responsibilities to ensure that assignments and projects are properly managed and in alignment with the firm’s overall strategic efforts, and that service to clients is exceptional
  • Support the onboarding and integration of lateral lawyers

• Business Development & Profile Raising Initiatives
  • Develop and support the implementation of key BD initiatives, including priority client targeting and campaigns, client satisfaction, client seminars and networking events, as well as other initiatives to enhance business development efforts
  • Engage in research and analysis and competitive intelligence-gathering
  • Support the collection and maintenance of CRM-based contact and other data for marketing planning and for mailing lists
  • Support in the collection and reporting of matter experience
  • Partners with BD&M colleagues to facilitate the completion of directory submissions; regional surveys; league table/industry survey content; specific lawyer and practice awards and accolades; and other profile-raising initiatives on behalf of the industry group
  • Support coordination of business development training for lawyers

• Pitches & Proposals & Marketing Materials
  • Manages responses to RFPs, and pitch, presentation, and other opportunities via the develo