Clifford Chance’s Business Development (BD) function is central to delivering the firm’s global strategy and driving sustainable growth. BD Operations brings together global capabilities to ensure efficient, high-quality delivery across our core offerings. As Senior Manager, BD Operations, you will lead the BD Operational Support Centre of Excellence, working alongside our Proposals and Events teams as part of the BD Operations Leadership Team. This role provides strategic and operational leadership to a global team, maximising the value of our hubs in Delhi and Warsaw, enhancing service consistency, and embedding continuous improvement.
Job Purpose
Lead the BD Operational Support Centre of Excellence, ensuring efficient, high-quality support to BD teams worldwide. Manage a global team to deliver flexible coordination and process support, oversee BD Process & Data Operations, and drive consistency and continuous improvement. As a key partner to the Global Head of Operations, you will help shape the BD operating model and ensure effective delivery of core services in line with the firm’s business development strategy.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Leadership of the BD Operational Support COE
-
Lead, develop and mentor a team of Coordinators, Senior Coordinators and Managers, primarily based in Warsaw and Delhi.
-
Oversee day-to-day operations to ensure high‑quality, timely and reliable support across all BD Operational Support services.
-
Manage global workflow allocation across products, sectors, practices and client teams, ensuring clarity of remit, service expectations and capacity.
-
Foster a culture of flexibility, responsiveness and continuous improvement, supported by a developing global service catalogue.
2. Operational Delivery Across BD Activities
-
Oversee delivery of a wide range of tactical and operational BD tasks, such as:
-
Client relationship management support;
-
Research and data gathering;
-
Pitch and matter-related coordination activities;
-
Marketing initiatives and campaign support;
-
General operational and administrative support required by BD colleagues globally.
-
Ensure seamless coordination with practice and client teams, acting as a scalable extension of their capability.
3. Leadership of the BD Process & Data Operations Team
-
Provide strategic direction and oversight for the BD Process & Data Operations team, whose remit includes:
-
Legal directory submissions;
-
Awards and league table processes;
-
Matter intake data management (Foundation);
-
CRM data management (InterAction);
-
Other repetitive or process‑driven BD tasks.
-
Lead the repositioning of this team into a broader continuous improvement engine, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, standardise workflows and enhance the use of technology and automation.
-
Encourage innovation, including exploration of new tools, prototype development and scalable process enhancements.
4. Continuous Improvement & Operating Model Evolution
-
Play a key role in the ongoing evolution of the BD Operations operating model, ensuring global consistency, improved efficiency and strong alignment with the BD function’s product‑aligned structure.
-
Collaborate closely with Technology, Knowledge, HR and other Business Services teams to refine systems, enhance data quality and optimise BD operational processes.
-
Contribute expertise to the build-out of the firm’s operational hubs, especially in Warsaw and Delhi, ensuring they are equipped to support BD’s future growth.
5. Strategic Partner to the Global Head of Operations
-
Act as a senior deputy to the Global Head of Operations, providing leadership across broader BD operational initiatives.
-
Support planning and execution of strategic programmes, resource build-out across hubs, and cross‑COE alignment.
-
Represent BD Operations in firmwide or cross-functional initiatives where operational insight and leadership are required.
6. Governance, Quality and Risk Management
-
Develop and maintain quality standards, intake processes and service-level expectations for Operational Support and Process & Data services.
-
Establish effective KPIs, tracking mechanisms and feedback loops to ensure continuous enhancement of service quality.
-
Ensure adherence to operational guardrails, risk controls and data‑related governance requirements.