About the job

Kennedys is looking for a Business Development Manager to join our Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Business Development team based at our Miami regional hub office. The successful Business Development Manager will support Kennedy’s marketing and client development strategy. This is a proactive and hands-on role that encompasses the planning and day-to-day delivery of the firm’s marketing communications and client development activities.

The role will improve Kennedys profile in local markets and help to strengthen client relationships. It supports lawyers and the global Business Development team with the full mix of marketing activities, client relationship management initiatives and pursuits (tenders, opportunities, RFPs).

The position is part of a global business development function that helps deliver on Kennedys’ vision and strategy to “set the standard for insurance defence and coverage, and for complementary dispute resolution and commercial law services.

Team

Kennedys Business Development team promotes Kennedys services and supports the firm’s global growth ambition and our key clients and markets. The Business Development team helps promote Kennedys niche specialisms, exceptional service, collaborative culture and ground-breaking technology. It also finds distinctive ways to promote the knowledge of our lawyers and innovators in order to help our clients face the future with confidence.

We have Business Development presence in seven global offices. The UK Business Development team consists of the following sub-teams, Pursuits (Tenders, Opportunities, RFPs), Clients and Markets, Publications, Client Development Systems and Marketing which encompasses, Communications, Digital, Brand and Events.

The LATAM Business Development team consists of a Senior Business Development Manager and a Marketing Assistant. This role will report to the LATAM Senior Business Development and Marketing Manager and support them with the plans for the region and operational delivery. It involves a high level of collaboration with the region and global colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

Client development

• Support in the planning and execute targeted marketing campaigns that draw together the full MarComms mix – events, sponsorship, web, press, social media, and marketing collateral to ensure marketing activities are not executed in isolation and are approached as campaigns wherever possible. This will involve working closely with partners, the broader marketing team and Corporate and Public Affairs department.
• Project manage local and regional pursuits (Tenders, Opportunities, RFPs) and support the Pursuits team in responding to global tenders and rate exercises. Draft content and contribute to formal panel tenders and informal pursuits e.g. proposal documents, presentations and fee quotes. Analyse opportunities to recommend bid/no bid decisions for local opportunities. Draft and manage a library of local content that connects in with the firm’s UK pursuit library and templates. Support partners on pitch presentations, win themes and best practice. Manage and feed the Opportunities module for the region.
• Work with partners locally in each office to help drive the global plans for the firm’s key account program (KRM). This involves attending conference calls, contributing to plans and ensuring local objectives are delivered e.g. undertaking client research, securing new business meetings, developing local relationships with key insurers and undertaking client feedback if required.
• Work with partners to proactively contribute to product line business plans and initiatives throughout the year. This could include marketing ideas, client activities or new campaigns that will help promote Kennedys specialist global expertise. For example for property, energy and construction, financial lines, professional liability, corporate and commercial.
• Act as an advocate of the firm’s contact database InterAction ensuring data is current and segmented to support targeted reporting, e-marketing and events. Ensure lawyers are tracking all local BD activities and generate regular reports on client BD to help inform and advise the business on ROI.

Marketing

• Support in the planning and execute targeted marketing campaigns that draw together the full MarComms mix – events, sponsorship, web, press, social media, and marketing collateral to ensure marketing activities are not executed in isolation and are approached as campaigns wherever possible. This will involve working closely with partners, the broader marketing team and the Corporate and Public Affairs department.
• Edit high-quality marketing communications e.g. news alerts, electronic publications and online articles. Plan the execution of these via the firm’s e-marketing tool Vuture (for publication templates), CRM system InterAction (for targeted distribution lists) and website (CMS system).
• Support the planning and delivery of an annual local program of seminars/webinars, conferences and exhibitions. Work collaboratively with Partners to suggest targeted business development, industry partnerships and marketing programmes to increase brand profile and generate networking opportunities. Work as part of a global team to support global thought leadership and diversity campaigns.
• Ensure all events are managed and executed efficiently and to the highest quality within agreed budgets. Support the Business Development leader to ensure lawyers contribute to the firm’s regional, global, US and London Market activities.
• Assist with external communications opportunities such as press opportunities, news for social media, award submissions, negotiating sponsorship, securing industry features and articles and press commentary. Coach Partners and fee earners in using social media channels to create stronger employee advocacy and to use social media as a business generator.
• Proactively contribute to internal communications ensuring that local and regional activities are profiled appropriately across Kennedys’ international network, including the intranet and other internal comms channels.
• Ensure online and off-line content for the region is current. Maintain and draft new content ensuring recent matters, joiners etc are profiled on the firm’s website and offline literature.
• Act as a guardian of the firm’s brand and corporate identity, including applying guidelines for its consistent application across branded materials produced inside and outside of the firm. Draft, edit and update all local marketing materials including flyers and ad-hoc collateral using the firm’s templates and brand library.
• Support the coordination and submission of legal directory entries for the region (Legal 500 and Chambers). Deliver best practice guidance on the process in order to improve rankings in key areas of expertise and ensure appropriate content and results are published across all marketing channels – intranet, website, bios, pursuits library and marketing literature.

Required experience

• Marketing, Legal or Insurance Bachelor’s Degree. 5++ years of relevant experience working in a professional services environment in a BD and/or marketing team, preferably within the legal/insurance sector*
• Fully bilingual. Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish. English and Spanish a must, and Portuguese a plus.
• Project management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) is required.
• Knowledge and understanding of the LAC region
• Ability to work confidently at Partner level and to challenge thinking
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable with change
• Good persuader and confident presentation skills
• Excellent business writing and communication styles, adaptable to various situations
• Business benefit and results-focused
• Service delivery focused
• Proactive, pragmatic; committed to ‘trusted advisor’ status
• Highly organised and able to prioritise workloads, manage multiple projects and negotiate deadlines
• Self-starter, comfortable working in a non-directive environment
• Comfortable working often to short deadlines
• Enthusiastic and optimistic attitude; commitment to profitable growth by Kennedys.
• Adhere to Kennedys core values through working relationships, attitude and behavior.
• Good understanding of the insurance industry
• Experience of using CRM, CMS and e-marketing platforms, ideally InterAction, Vuture, Umbraco would be beneficial.