We are recruiting a Senior Business Development Advisor to join our busy Business Development team, in either Manchester or Leeds. Click the link to learn more and apply! The role Mills & Reeve's business development centres on the following core sectors: charities, education, food and agribusiness, government, health, insurance, private wealth, built environment, technology, life sciences, sports, entertainment and media and energy. These sectors are underpinned by national service lines: corporate & commercial, employment, family, insurance disputes, private client, projects & construction, real estate and regulatory, public & commercial disputes. As a Senior Business Development Adviser you will be responsible for managing BD and marketing for one of our seven offices, sector and / or National Service Line (NSL) groups. You will be responsible for the development and implementation of strategic business development plans, identification of BD opportunities and pipeline management and driving key account management programmes. A key part of the role will require you to coach and provide high quality and effective commercial BD advice for partners and lawyers across the business. You will take ownership of all projects and initiatives, ensuring they are executed successfully whether by yourself or by other members of the marketing team. The role reports to a Business Development Manager. This is a full-time permanent role. We are looking for the successful applicant to be in post by summer 2026. The role will be based out of either our Manchester or Leeds office. The person Essential Proven business development and sales management experience Ability to manage multiple projects whilst at the same time prioritising critical tasks Exceptional communication and networking skills to enhance the strong relationships already in place, as well as influencing decision makers Strong commercial acumen: understanding of our business and our clients and their requirements A proven full mix of marketing tools and proven record of using AI to support effective working and innovation. Desirable Ideally a relevant degree or Marketing qualification Strong advisory and influencing skills as well as tenacity The activities Strategic planning and growth Working with partner leads to develop strategic business development plans which identify opportunities to generate growth in line with the firm's strategic plan. Drive the execution of annual BD plans for your groups and measure results. Provide strategic support to your office, NSL or sector leader including proactive initiatives. Reporting and governance Project managing the report to the firm's management board via quarterly updates and an annual presentation for your office, NSL or sector. Maintaining a record of work referred in/out and provide advice on which referrers are growing/declining in importance. Providing quarterly budget updates for your office, NSL or sector. Pipeline and team management Drive agendas for growth focused regular meetings with your group/teams. Manage group sales pipelines and pursuit teams. Business development and client growth Supporting client partners to implement key growth account client plans focussed on delivering new business from current clients by utilising appropriate client listening and cross-selling initiatives. Supporting lawyers with pitch documentation and preparation including effective management of team credentials and efficient use of Easy PQQ. Ensuring awareness of all marketing/business development taking place within the sector/NSL/office and working with marketing team colleagues to ensure delivery of aligned projects. Networking and profile building Planning and delivering thought leadership campaigns that align with firm strategy, create multi-channel content, engage internal/external stakeholders, ensure brand consistency and measure impact through engagement and pipeline metrics. Attend legal and sector association events and conferences to build knowhow and network with clients and prospects. Maintaining a strong professional network and using it to proactively spot opportunities to generate leads for the markets/sectors/service lines you support. Be the 'go to' person for specific expertise and raise this through BD hub content, internal coaching and webinars. Market intelligence and research Undertaking market and sector research to identify target organisations and their business issues, opportunities and hot topics and devising ways to communicate these to key stakeholders and clients as appropriate. Working knowledge of how ESG impacts and influences business decisions. Innovation and best practice Pro-actively using AI to support effective working practices in your role and for your teams. Sharing of best practice across the team. Contributing to BD team meetings, ownership or involvement in team projects and sharing of best practice. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. The benefits As you'd expect, we offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits. Click here to find out more about our core benefit offering. Pre employment screening If we offer you a role, we will conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening. This screening will include, but is not limited to, a basic DBS, verification of your right to work, a three year employment history and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details of our pre-screening employment process are available upon request. The firm Mills & Reeve is centred on achieving more for clients, their businesses and the wider communities we serve. Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning, and receive consistent experiences with no surprises. We tell them what they need to know when they need to know it. We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don't offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations. Our 1,450 plus people and over 850 lawyers share one vision - achieving more for clients. By joining Mills & Reeve, you'll have the chance to build your skills and experience within a firm that's not only ranked in the top 50 UK law firms, but also one that truly values their people. We're also ranked in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, and have been awarded Platinum Investors in People. Our mantra is "Achieve more. Together.", which we feel embodies our purpose and is more than just a catchphrase! Our values are the principles that help us fulfil our purpose. Our people shaped them and live them every day. • We're ambitious - We aim high, we embrace new ideas and we're passionate about our work • We're open - We communicate openly and honestly to build trust, and we do what's right • We care - We're committed to each other, our clients, our communities and the planet • We collaborate - We're easy to work with, we offer help willingly and we get things done - together And finally Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help each person to thrive. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these. To find out more about our diversity and inclusion work, visit our website. Documents Senior Business Development Advisor - Manchester or Leeds.pdf (67.78 KB)