Business Development Specialist, Infrastructure and Energy

Firm Summary

White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. Our long history as an international firm means we are perfectly placed to help our clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may be.

With lawyers and staff operating from more than 47 locations, working in virtually every country of the world, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality full-service practice competing at the top of the market. We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in the world’s key financial markets and our strengths in handling complex cross-border work.

It’s not just about our global network of offices and shared services centers; it’s the global interconnectedness of the Firm that our people, and our clients, value most. We work well together across geographic and practice boundaries. It’s one of the reasons we attract and retain cross-border work. And why we attract a diverse group of people.

Our lawyers are globally minded, enterprising, collaborative and committed to excellence. Diversity is a core value of our Firm and it has been recognized with numerous awards and top rankings around the world. Our people represent 90 nationalities and speak 80 languages.

Position Summary

The BD Specialist is an integral part of our centralized BD function. This BD function works across our practice groups, industry groups and client account teams to provide the very best support for the BD activities and initiatives these groups undertake to realize their commercial and marketing goals.

This BD Specialist role is designed to support our Infrastructure, Transportation & Logistics (ITL) Industry Group and EIPAF practice group. The BD Specialist would support the senior BD team members, partners and other lawyers in the respective teams they have responsibility for.

Our Business Development, Marketing & Knowledge Team

Our Business Development, Knowledge and Marketing Team is at the forefront of our realizing our vision of profitable growth, engaged people and outstanding client relationships.

We are committed to growing and developing relationships with some of the worlds most respected and well-established institutions and businesses, as well as startups, governments and state-owned entities. What unites our global team is our focus on understanding our clients’ businesses, priorities and ambitions and proactively anticipating challenges as well as opportunities. With a keen understanding of the commercial drivers influencing both our sector, as well as that of our clients, we draw on the Firm’s history of pioneering work and agile problem solving to navigate the complex environments in which we operate.

Along with colleagues across the world, especially those in our Communications and Creative teams, we work together to deliver significant growth across a core group of large client accounts, both in terms of global revenue and breadth of relationships. We know how to bring the best of the Firm's global experience, local insight, practice expertise and industry knowledge to our clients.

Notably diverse and multicultural, our team members share an international outlook, and are collaborative and energetic. You will be joining both a high performing but also collegiate team and can expect to contribute to projects on a projects and initiatives with global impact from day one.

ITL and EIPAF

ITL: In an era of unprecedented change, the Infrastructure, Transportation & Logistics (ITL) industry faces numerous and constantly evolving global opportunities. Global priorities to decarbonize and digitalize economies to address climate change as well as build resilience for critical infrastructure are driving the need for lawyers to structure and implement solutions for developers, government agencies and capital providers to address the changing global demand. The ITL Industry Group is a global, cross practice group that covers clients in all infrastructure and transportation asset classes, including Digital Infrastructure, Infrastructure Funds, Water and Wastewater, Transportation Infrastructure and Assets and Industrials.

EIPAF: We are the preeminent global law firm for project development, project finance and asset finance transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Our global project development and finance group possesses the foresight, flexibility and experience to deliver results under the most challenging conditions. We have an outstanding worldwide reputation for delivering on complex domestic and cross-border transactions, and regularly advise sponsors and developers on matters that span the full life-cycle of projects. Our clients benefit from our deep understanding and experience in all of the major sectors such as power generation and transmission, oil and gas, infrastructure, mining and metals, water and wastewater treatment, and telecommunications.

We are the current recipients of the ‘Global Law Firm of the Year’ award from IJ Global, and ‘Legal Advisor of the Year’ from Project Finance International.

Duties And Accountabilities

Business Development Specialist – Global ITL and EIPAF, Americas

Work Closely With The Senior Business Development Teams In The ITL And EIPAF Groups To Help Deliver Their Objectives As Laid Out In Their Business Plan, Including

Develop an in-depth understanding of the Infrastructure, Transportation & Logistics industries and the group as well as the EIPAF group and each of their priority areasSupport specific industry, priority area, regional or practice related business and client development initiativesSupport client programs within the industry or practice as appropriate, including supporting relevant practice, industry and client team members, as well as partners and associates on key priority client targetsDrafting and working with the legal teams on timely and focused RFP responsesUndertake analysis and support industry and practice meetings and updates as appropriate including with the preparation of agenda, circulation of documentation and actioning of follow upsRegularly review and use financial reports to help support industry, practice and client development effortsConduct client, market and industry research and analysis as required, working with the Firm’s Research Team as appropriateHelp share information with and build relationships with colleagues across the Firm to ensure an integrated industry and practice offering including the preparation and dissemination of the ITL Group Newsletters Assist in the production and maintenance of relevant credentials and related materials about the capabilities and experience across relevant practice groups, including lawyers’ biographies, deal lists, brochures and capability statements Help update and maintain the internal intranet, relevant external pages on the Firm’s website, pitching database including the biographies systemEnsure accurate and timely recording of all pitches, proposal and business opportunities in the Firm’s CRM system (InterAction), including pitch win/loss and reasons for success/failureMaintain and promote the use of the Firm’s matter experience database to maintain credentials and business development activitiesAssist with the collection of accolades and the building of a precedent library for use in proposals, awards and ranking submissions and other settingsLead the submissions process for legal directories (Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and others), respective league tables and award bodies. Including coaching lawyers for directory interviews, providing feedback and reporting on rankings and awardsWork with the Firm’s Creative Services and Marketing Technology teams to coordinate the production, distribution and evaluation of client alerts, newsletters and other White & Case publications, including creation, development maintenance of relevant mailing lists

Qualifications

Graduate with relevant and in-depth business development experience in a professional services firm (at least three years)Relevant law practice, including marketing experience or a post-graduate qualification in law would be a distinct advantageUnderstanding of, experience with and active interest in, the energy and infrastructure industries would be a distinct advantage

Essential Job Requirements

Experience working in a professional services environment, ideally a partnershipExperience dealing with senior stakeholders and working both as part of a team and autonomouslyExcellent communication skills – written and oral – and ability to work at all levels, including the ability to write BD and marketing text tailored to a specific client/opportunity Research and analysis skills to obtain relevant information to support the senior BD and partners and the strategy of the groupsAble to project manage multiple initiatives concurrentlyFlexible, committed and enthusiasticAttention to detailOrganised, with strong time management skillsExposure to client relationship management would be advantageousInfluencing and negotiating skillsGood systems and database skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and CRM applicationsTeam playerClient-focused approachCreative and strategic mindsetAbility to work on own initiativeAbility to work under pressure and to tight deadlines

Location & Reporting

This is a full-time role based in our New York officeThis role reports to Manager, Marketing Operations, London