Senior Business Development Manager - Health Care & Life Sciences

Senior Business Development Manager

The Business Development department's commercial objective is to grow firm revenue and market share, strengthen existing client relationships, and develop new client relationships in alignment with firm and practice goals and our industry and client teams.

Business development works in collaboration with partners, other attorneys and business support colleagues to achieve these objectives and is part of a broader business support organization in a collaborative work environment. The Business Development team is a specialist business support function with a range of offerings focused on business development in the firm's practice groups.

The Senior Business Development Manager (SBDM) will serve as a trusted senior advisor and strategic business development lead to the Health Care and Life Sciences (HCLS) Industry Group Leaders (IGLs) and partners, driving the group's market strategy, business development priorities, and commercial growth initiatives. Acting as a key leader within the HCLS business development team, the SBDM will work closely with partners, lawyers, and business support teams to lead high-impact business development, market positioning, and industry-focused marketing initiatives, while identifying opportunities to strengthen and expand key client relationships. In addition, the role will play a key part in advancing AI-enabled business development strategies and workflows across the HCLS group, helping to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability of market-facing BD activities.

Responsibilities

• Be a strategic driver of the business development and marketing strategy for the HCLS industry group with a focus on generating new business and improving market visibility.
• Serve as a key strategic advisor to HCLS Industry Group, its affiliated practice groups and partners on business development and growth opportunities, including identifying cross-selling opportunities, shaping client engagement strategies, coordinating high-value client initiatives, and strengthening key client relationships to support revenue growth.
• Lead AI-powered innovation initiatives for the HCLS Industry Group, developing scalable best practices and workflows for AI-enabled business development across areas including pitches and RFPs, prospecting, market and competitive intelligence, and event strategy, while identifying opportunities to enhance client service, market positioning, and operational efficiency firmwide.
• Drive AI adoption across the Business Development function by promoting proficiency in and consistent use of AI tools and technologies, helping teams integrate AI into day-to-day business development activities to improve efficiency, responsiveness, and the quality of client-facing deliverables.
• Lead and own the HCLS conference, sponsorship, and events strategy end-to-end, ensuring alignment with broader industry positioning, business development priorities, and revenue generation objectives, including:
• Managing the HCLS events budget and calendar, making strategic recommendations on resource allocation, and holding partners and teams accountable for ROI and post-event follow-through.
• Evaluating and selecting highest-impact conferences (balancing ROI, visibility, client engagement).
• Advising and influencing partners on conference selection, speaking opportunities, panels, and sponsorships.
• Developing and executing pre-event, on-site, and post-event engagement strategies.
• Overseeing event execution logistics, briefing materials, and integration with broader BD and marketing campaigns.
• Driving pitching efforts and new business generation by:
• Leading and executing large pitches, proposals, and RFPs, including leading a team to develop a winning strategy, identifying ways to differentiate from the competition, and helping to write aspects of the pitch.
• Working with Pricing to develop compelling fee arrangements.
• Overseeing the timely and accurate completion and submission of pitches and RFPs, ensuring effective document management and tracking, and driving appropriate follow-up strategies and action items post-submission.
• Overseeing the development, organization, and ongoing enhancement of core pitch materials, experience content, and related business development resources.
• Acting as a trusted advisor to attorney teams to scope, prepare for both in-person meetings and pitches, and provide post-pitch client and target feedback.
• Building a strong working knowledge of adjacent practice and industry group services and a clear understanding of the relevant group's strategy, priorities, and clients.
• Manage and drive the development of existing client relationships and pursuit of new business opportunities for the HCLS Industry Group, partnering directly with partners and other business support colleagues, including by:
• Leading internal business development strategy meetings and driving execution of strategic client and target initiatives, including setting strategic priorities, driving accountability and follow-through, and coordinating with global BD and practice development colleagues on cross-functional growth opportunities.
• Serving as a subject matter expert on the HCLS industry landscape by synthesizing market, company, investor, and competitive intelligence to inform strategic business development priorities and client initiatives.
• Leading the delivery of tailored client, market, and competitor intelligence for partner and client-facing initiatives, while identifying opportunities to leverage insights, relationships, and capabilities across practices, industry groups, and global offices to support collaborative growth strategies.
• Proactively monitor and identify market opportunities and HCLS-driven trends and themes, bringing insights and strategic recommendations to partners for client engagement.
• Establish and maintain effective internal reporting and communication frameworks to track progress, share outcomes, and support management reporting across practice groups and affiliated teams.
• Promoting best practices and knowledge sharing across global business development and marketing teams.
• Support the development of attorney-facing BD training.
• Lead, mentor, and develop junior members of the business development team, fostering a culture of teamwork, accountability, continuous improvement, professionalism, and integrity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• MBA or JD preferred but not required
• Professional experience, including management of direct reports
• Minimum of ten years of experience in business development within a professional services firm or corporate environment
• Demonstrated knowledge of the HCLS industry is preferred

Compensation and Total Rewards Package

Ropes & Gray is proud to offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our business support team members. The firm also offers comprehensive health and well-being benefits, personal and professional development, career growth opportunities and a collegial and supportive culture. The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below and represents our good faith and reasonable estimate of the starting salary range at the time of posting. In addition, this role is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on performance. The actual offered rate for this position will be determined based on job-related, non-discriminatory factors, including qualifications and experience, geographic location, education, external market data and consideration of internal equity.

Boston / Washington, D.C.: 180,700 - 289,150

New York: 192,200 - 307,550

Working Conditions

This position requires hybrid on-site presence as an essential function of the role. Consistent and predictable on-site presence is required for ongoing business continuity, professional development and effective collaboration with colleagues and management.