Senior Commercial Business Partner – Clients Team

The role

The firm’s vision is to be the leading global business law firm. Entrepreneurial, innovative and a trusted business partner to our clients around the world. Our mission and purpose drive our success: we help our clients succeed, and together we make business better.
 

The Clients team executes our firm’s mission and purpose through supporting our partners with growing broad-based, sustainable relationships with our significant clients, built on a deep knowledge of their businesses and the sectors in which they operate.

There are three (key) client programmes that the Clients team oversees:

• Key client programme – a three-tier key client programme that allows us to maximise firm engagement by offering a sliding scale of account management support and benefits
• Client Relationship Management methodology – embed client development best practices in our client retention and client targeting approaches as well as in lawyer training programmes
• Client Listening programme – programme designed to obtaining regular and structured feedback from our most important clients

For one or more of our Firm’s key clients, we need a Senior Commercial Business Partner. In addition to account managing the key client(s), the Senior Commercial Business Partner role will principally overlook the commercial arrangements/retainers that are in place with these key client(s).
 

The successful candidate will have a sound commercial sense and understands how to price for value not just on hourly rate. The focus of the role will be looking at process and value optimization, encompassing internal ‘logistics’, administration and optimally organizing the client’s (panel) arrangements.
 

This role will support the Client Relationship Partners (and the wider teams) in balancing the client’s expectations as well as getting involved in coaching partners on budgeting and staffing mandates in the most efficient way. The coordination of the panel/retainer across International, while working closely with key stakeholders in the US adds to the complexity of the role, which makes this a truly global role.
 

The Senior Commercial Business Partner will work closely with the Client Relationship Partners to ensure we get the most prestigious projects but also focus on optimizing processes and profitability and exploring the right leverage in projects and matters. This should not only improve client satisfaction and drive client loyalty, but also support our firm’s ambition to develop institutionalized and mutual beneficial (sustainable) relationships with our most important clients.
 

This senior role is at translate level, translating the firm/clients priorities and objectives in operational project(s)/programme(s)/process(es) and be the subject matter expert in this particular field. The role includes bringing innovation to the project and drive proposals for improvement of its performance and engage in cross-functional collaboration and/or engaging and managing external third parties, with the overall objective to facilitate and drive business growth, client loyalty and sustainable profitability with our clients.  

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the Client Relationship Partner(s) (CRPs) of one or more key clients of the firm, to develop and execute a strategy around optimizing the commercial arrangement of those client(s) while enhancing client satisfaction and loyalty
• Ensure the key client is managed in accordance with best CRM practices and account management processes
• In conjunction with the CRPs, build and nurture a diverse core team around the key client and educate and professionalize the core team around clear roles and tasks
• Regular contact with senior partners, need to be able to challenge and possess good conflict resolution skills
• Close collaboration with other business services teams is critical, with most prominently the Finance and Financial Reporting teams to optimize the commercial arrangements and matter management with the key client(s)
• Ensure intelligence about the client is shared within the core team and wider firm as appropriate
• Coach CRPs, Partners and other core team members on best practice in sales, marketing and client management
• Analyse client intelligence, develop a client service plan for the key client(s), identify target areas, relationship mapping, establish KPIs, and overall management of the Client Relationship Management process in line with the firm’s CRM approach
• Monitor financial performance and ensure delivery of commitments made with the client and implement systems and procedures to promote consistency and quality of client service
• This role may require line manager responsibility

ABOUT YOU
The successful candidate must have:

• A Degree or equivalent qualification
• Commercial and (value) Pricing acumen
• Solid understanding of the commercial workings of panels and retainers
• Analytic skills, extrapolation and forecasting
• Good working understanding of Excel
• Drive the strategy with the ability to keep an holistic view, while being involved in the detail
• Diplomacy
• Results Driver with an interest in designing, implementing and optimizing process
• A high level of written, oral communication
• Strong probing, consultative listening skills coupled with the ability to negotiate, persuade and manage senior stakeholders with an ability to influence to achieve the desired outcome(s)
• The ability to display a consistently positive and proactive attitude and demonstrate a collaborative working style; operating both as an individual and as part of a wider team (often based in other international locations)
• A deep knowledge of Client Relationship Management and BD processes and concepts – a sound understanding the firm’s CRM methodology
• An exemplary professional approach and demonstrably high levels of commitment and internal client care
• Demonstrable experience in demanding, partner-led international environments, where success has depended on an ability to:

 – multi-task and work to deadlines
 – manage conflicting priorities and expectations in a robust and fast-paced atmosphere
 – perform at a consistently high standard
 – remain calm and composed in what are often demanding situations
 – see delegated tasks through to completion at a high standard

• Hands-on experience working with other teams and/or third parties is an advantage
• High level of literacy in IT and marketing systems – Excel, Word and Outlook is essential; experience of InterAction / CRM and design software would be beneficial
• German speaking would be beneficial

This job description is not designed to be exhaustive and can be varied, as required.  This role is ideally to be based in either UK or Germany.

ABOUT US
DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES
In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.
Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING
We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING
In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.

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