Business Development Manager

We’re looking for an experienced B2B Business Development Manager to help us grow our client base, create new opportunities and strengthen how we connect more clients with more of Brabners. This is a newly created role and a real opportunity to help shape the front end of our business development approach. You’ll play a key part in identifying, qualifying and progressing new opportunities across allocated sectors, making sure our lawyers are brought in at the right stage and on the right opportunities. Working closely with partners, sector leads and colleagues across the firm, you’ll help build strong relationships, create meaningful opportunities and support sustainable, firmwide growth through a client-first and commercially focused approach. What you'll be doing: You'll take ownership of business development activity across your allocated sectors, helping identify, nurture and convert opportunities into new instructions and long-term client relationships. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Building a strong understanding of your sectors, including market trends, client challenges and growth opportunities - Developing and maintaining target lists of prospective clients and priority relationships - Leading prospecting and qualification activity through events, campaigns, referrals, networking, relationship mapping and direct outreach - Managing opportunities from initial engagement through to partner hand-off and proposal support - Identifying opportunities to introduce clients to additional services and practice areas - Working closely with partners, sector leads and subject matter experts to shape solutions around client needs - Maintaining accurate pipeline data and reporting through our CRM and business development systems - Measuring activity, conversion and return on investment, using insight to improve targeting and future BD activity ABOUT YOU We're looking for someone who combines strong commercial instincts with a disciplined approach to business development and relationship management. You'll have: - Proven business development or sales experience within professional services or another complex, relationship-led B2B environment. - Experience building, managing and converting qualified pipelines of opportunities. - A track record of developing long-term client relationships and engaging senior decision-makers. - Strong commercial awareness and the ability to understand client challenges and identify valuable solutions. - Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills. - Outstanding organisational skills, follow-up discipline and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously. - Experience using CRM and reporting tools to monitor activity, opportunities and outcomes. Data and technology are essential We're investing significantly in the evolution of our systems, CRM capability, automation and data-driven business development. Because of this, you'll need to be genuinely comfortable working across multiple systems and using technology to drive results. We want someone who sees value in data, embraces change and understands how CRM insights, reporting and automation can support growth. You'll be someone who: - Is commercially curious and enjoys understanding what makes opportunities worth pursuing. - Takes ownership and drives activity forward without needing close supervision. - Is disciplined, proactive and persistent in follow-up. - Builds credibility quickly and can influence senior stakeholders with confidence. - Enjoys collaborating across teams to create joined-up, client-focused solutions. - Is motivated by outcomes, growth and creating long-term value for clients and the business. Agencies: We are not accepting CVs for this role as we are aiming to fill it directly. We value your support and will reach out if required. Please do not send speculative CVs. Any unsolicited CVs sent to hiring managers or the business, without prior instruction from a member of the Talent Acquisition team, will be treated as a gift. BENEFITS - Competitive Salary - Flexible approach to working hours - Medicash - Discretionary bonus opportunities - Pension scheme - Life Insurance & Income Protection Insurance - 25 days Annual Leave plus flex bank holidays (increasing with service) - Option to buy 10 additional days annual leave each year - 2 My Days (in addition to your holiday entitlement) - Additional discretionary annual leave days - Enhanced Maternity, Paternity & Adoption Leave - Career Development Opportunities - Wellbeing and Mental Health Benefit (24/7 Employment Assistance Program & Support) ABOUT US Brabners is purpose-led independent law firm. A certified B Corp with award-winning environmental credentials, we seek to demonstrate that business can bring about positive change by being innovative, diverse and sustainable. With over 200 years of history, we’re proudly anchored in the North but serve businesses and individuals across England and Wales. We have won awards for being innovative at the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards and diverse as Manchester Law Society’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions. We are also recognised as one of the 25 best large companies to work for in the UK and have won The Legal 500 Future Lawyers awards for job satisfaction, quality of work, social life and work/life balance.