Marketing and Business Development Executive (Clients and Markets)

Help shape the future of intellectual property

Marks & Clerk LLP is the leading and largest firm of Patent and Trade Mark attorneys in the UK with over 50 partners and 350 employees. Our attorneys are highly skilled in all technical fields. We have offices in 8 offices in the UK: London, Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen and a further 7 offices internationally (Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Toronto, Ottawa and Luxembourg).  

Marks & Clerk is a long-established but innovative firm, providing a stimulating and collaborative environment for MBD professionals.  The firm specialises in IP including patents, trade marks, designs and copyright, with clients ranging from start-ups and SMEs, to universities and global corporations. Our patent practice helps innovators to protect and defend their IP in technology areas including AI, cleantech, pharmaceuticals and spacetech, whilst our trade mark practice works with companies of all sizes – including household names - to protect and defend their brands.

Role purpose

This is an excellent opportunity to join a market-leading professional services firm working across all areas of marketing and business development in the innovative field of Intellectual Property (IP).

You will be responsible for developing and implementing Marketing and Business Development (MBD) plans at local, national and international levels, aligned with the firm’s overall growth strategy.

Based in London, you will work directly with senior partners to grow existing clients, develop new prospects and  cultivate  referrers.  You  will  also  support  one  or  more  of  our  sector-based  national  growth  areas  and collaborate with our international territory groups. Reporting to the MBD Manager – UK (South), you will also work alongside MBD specialists in bids and tenders, comms and digital, and client relationship management.

This role offers an experienced MBD professional a chance to shine, by combining strategic thinking with a hands-on work ethic, in a supportive and collegiate culture and environment.

Principal responsibilities

• Work with the MBD Manager to implement plans at regional, national and international levels.
• Become a subject matter expert in one or more sector-based national growth area(s).
• Provide pragmatic, one-to-one MBD advice to attorneys to support them in developing client relationships and pursuing new business opportunities.
• Generate leads using the full spectrum of integrated marketing and BD activity.
• Identify BD opportunities and support the pursuit of qualified leads through a sales pipeline.
• Identify and work with local and national networks and innovation hubs.
• Plan and coordinate conferences, seminars, sponsorships and exhibitions, both external and in-house.
• Evaluate and maximise ROI on all marketing activities.
• Working with the Corporate Communications Manager, identify and gather thought leadership content for seminars, articles and newsletters.
• Contribute to the firm’s website and social media channels.
• Working with our Client Support Manager, contribute to the measurement of client satisfaction.
• Organise MBD meetings with attorney groups; oversee the delivery of action points raised.
• Co-ordinate  and  contribute  to  our  credentials  and  work  experience  database,  including  supporting submissions for legal rankings.
• Work with the Bids & Tenders Manager on the production of pitches, as required.
• Manage and monitor MBD budgets; report on expenditure.

Technical knowledge, professional qualifications and experience

The successful candidate will have:

• A minimum of three years’ experience working in an MBD role - preferably in a professional services environment. 
•  Preferably, a degree-level qualification or equivalent in a marketing or business-related discipline.
• Demonstrable success in devising, implementing and measuring BD activities.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to translate analysis into pragmatic BD actions.

In addition, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative approach and commitment to being a team player.
• The ability to juggle a busy and varied workload, to prioritise tasks and to meet deadlines.
• Rigorous attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Lateral thinking and an appetite to solve problems creatively.
• Determination and commitment to ensure successful completion of projects.
• A high level of confidentiality, discretion and diplomacy.

Remuneration and benefits

• Competitive salary dependent on qualification and experience
• 26 days’ annual holiday plus statutory holidays
• Hybrid working
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance (after 12 months)
• Permanent health insurance (after 12 months)
• Reimbursement of membership fees to professional bodies required for the role