Manager - Business Development - Professional Services Firm

Post Qualification Experience: 8 - 12 years of experience in Client Development / BD / B2B Sales roles within professional services (law firm / Big4 / Consulting / Advisory or similar corporate environments. Span of Control: Support Client-Facing Business Development and Market Coverage for South India, and build working relationships with senior stakeholders (CFOs, Tax Heads, GCs, Company Secretaries and business leaders). Role Purpose: - Support client-facing business development and market coverage for South India, in close coordination with the Director Client Strategy, partners and practice teams. - Support outward-facing engagement with clients and target accounts by building working relationships with senior stakeholders (CFOs, Tax Heads, GCs, Company Secretaries and business leaders). - Prepare partner-ready market intelligence and client/account research to guide outreach, prioritisation and follow-through. - Support insight-led engagement initiatives that elevate the firm's visibility with decision-makers. Job Responsibilities: The incumbent will primarily support business development and client strategy initiatives for Southern India. The role will be client-facing and will also support the Director Client Strategy in market coverage, account planning and coordinated execution. Business Development: - Support identification and development of opportunities with priority clients and target accounts, including engagement with senior decision-makers. - Build and maintain long-term, trust-based relationships with clients and target accounts, strengthening the Firms share-of-mind across all practise areas. - Conduct account and market research to identify client triggers and translate insights into actionable BD inputs. - Support execution of go-to-market initiatives across sectors, in collaboration with partners, practice teams etc. - Plan and coordinate client meetings and partner engagement. - Support / coordinate proposals, pitches and RFP responses. - Maintain a structured opportunity pipeline and report progress; ensure strong CRM hygiene and pursuit governance. Client Retention: - Support the Firms client pursuit and relationship-management processes, helping structure outreach and engagement in a consistent, measurable way. - Help deepen existing relationships by identifying whitespace, cross-sell opportunities, anticipating needs, and proactively curating relevant updates/insights for key stakeholders. Business Development Planning: - Support development and maintenance of practise / sector-level BD plans for the region. - Analyse and provide feedback and information on market trends and competitors moves. - Support CRM and pipeline governance across Southern India. - Coordinate targeted client-engagement / profile-building initiatives for key decision-makers. Experience and Competencies: - Education: MBA preferred; strong undergraduate credentials may also be considered. - Experience: 8-10 years in client development / BD / strategy / research roles within professional services. - BD orientation: Demonstrated ability to support client outreach, meeting preparation, proposals, follow-ups and pipeline management. - Client-facing maturity: Comfortable engaging with CFOs, GCs, Tax Heads, Company Secretaries and business leaders. - Excellent written/verbal communication and strong coordination skills. - Influences without authority; self-starter comfortable operating with a lean team.