BD Manager (Corporate), Greater China

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, nearly 50 offices in 28 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 diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise 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.

BD Manager (Corporate), Greater China
Office Hong Kong
Department Marketing
Reporting to BD Market Lead, Greater China
Role level Manager

Language English and Chinese

Department purpose and structure
Our business development, marketing and communications team is integral to the setting and achievement of the firm’s global business objectives, which includes 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, positioning the firm as the thought leader and most advanced law firm among the global elite law firms. The function works as one team across the globe with close collaboration between the central groups, such as communications, and the professionals working in local offices, practice groups, sectors and clients.

Role purpose
This role’s purpose is to support A&O Shearman’s Greater China corporate partners in the strategic planning and business development execution for the firm’s corporate practices. The position requires close work with the partners, together with cross-border collaboration with the global team, to execute sector and practice/product marketing and business development campaigns and initiatives.

Our global Corporate practices are world-leading, topping global league tables every year and advising some of the world’s largest and most sophisticated clients on their most important and innovative transactions. In Greater China, the corporate partners deliver A&O Shearman’s expertise to some of the regions largest corporations – on both domestic and cross-border financing transactions.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to engage with A&O Shearman’s core corporate offerings. The role demands both strategic thinking and a practical, hands-on approach to marketing and business development. The wider Corporate Department in Greater China attracts individuals who are curious to learn, dextrous across different products and sectors, execution focused and self-motivated.

Key relationships

• BD Market Lead
• APAC BDMC colleagues
• Advanced delivery centre
• Partners and lawyers

Role and responsibilities
The role centres on working with the corporate partners in planning and execution of their marketing and client development – across local clients, global clients and our global firm. It is a hands-on role with a dynamic group of partners and a diverse (and constantly evolving) product offering across a range of industry sectors. Key responsibilities include:

• Collaborate proactively with Corporate BD team members in other offices to promote the Greater China Corporate team's capabilities and ensure internal awareness and alignment of our offerings across the global network.
• Working with the corporate partners to prepare go-to market strategy and plans and execute them.
• Prepare proposals, pitch presentations, and credentials statements, develop base documents for the BD network to ensure consistent client materials, and track proposal outcomes while prompting fee earners to act on feedback.
• Collaborate closely with the pitch resources in ADC, providing strategic direction, guidance, and executional support to ensure seamless alignment and delivery on pitch-related activities.
• Lead the creation of directory and award submissions to increase the market presence of the group.
• Manage client accounts, supporting relationship partners by understanding client structure, operations, and strategy to position the firm advantageously. Develop and implement account plans to structure relationship-building and identify opportunities.
• Work closely with Market and Sector Leads to understand the overarching strategy for the group.
• Conduct client-related business analysis, including client strategy, structures, revenue, profitability, relationship mapping, market share, competitor activity, market developments, and client needs.
• Ensure market/client intelligence is shared with partners and associates to identify engagement opportunities.
• Participate in client listening programs, conducting pitch debriefs, matter reviews, relationship reviews, and market studies to inform client and BD strategies. Assimilate feedback into reports and work with partners to ensure appropriate action.
• Stay current on commercial and legal issues affecting the group to identify client opportunities and inform marketing collateral and campaigns.
• Lead sector campaigns, content development, and knowhow by incorporating client intelligence and key topics.
• Collaborate with partners, BD colleagues, knowledge lawyers, and communication teams to implement campaigns to build the firm’s profile.
• Manage A&O Shearman’s engagement with market-facing opportunities, including conferences and industry associations, to boost market standing and profile.
• Facilitate a community for Sector/Practice-Group-focused lawyers to share insights and maintain internal communications on market/client intelligence, including pipeline deals, major players, market shares, and key client developments.
• Ensure the timeliness, consistency, and quality of BD tools.
• Keep email distribution and target lists updated, maintain collateral, credentials, and CVs, and track deal information accurately in the firm’s experience systems.

Key requirements

• Graduate degree / University degree in business/related disciplines.
• Relevant business development and marketing experience at an equivalent level within a professional services organisation - minimum 6 years’ experience .
• Experience in and deep understanding of the Greater China market.
• CRM experience and client focus with the ability to cultivate direct client relationships.
• Commercially astute with a good understanding of financial metrics and profit levers.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills – with partners, key associates, and business development colleagues, clients and suppliers. Ability to motivate fee-earners to engage on business development projects and to work with them to develop and implement business development plans.
• Business analysis and desk research experience.
• Proven track record of achieving business objectives.
• Has a proactive approach, balancing creativity, tenacity and energy.
• Ability to work to deadline, juggle multiple projects and deliver under pressure. Ability to plan ahead, anticipate one’s own workload and knowing how to work with busy fee earners, balancing conflicting priorities and does not over commit to unrealistic deliverables – always manages expectations.
• Excellent communication skills – both written and oral.
• Demonstrates highly developed skills in Microsoft Office Suite, use and application of AI and marketing technology stacks (CRM, EDM, PowerBI).

Please do not email your application, CV or recruitment enquiries directly to the Managing Partner, Hong Kong or any other Partners as they will not be processed or acknowledged. All applications must be submitted via the 'Careers' site and any enquiries should be directed to HK_Recruitment@aoshearman.com.