Pitch and Proposals Manager - WilmerHale

All Applicants: Please submit a cover letter with your resume.

WilmerHale is a leading, full-service international law firm with 1,000 lawyers located throughout 12 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Our lawyers work at the intersection of government, technology and business, and we remain committed to our guiding principles of providing quality, excellent legal and client services; developing diversity among our lawyers and staff and cultivating an environment that promotes an ambitious spirit, collaboration and collegiality by drawing on the extraordinary talents and dynamic experience of our lawyers. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities in which we practice.

What You Will Be Doing:

WilmerHale, a leading, full-service international law firm, is seeking a Request for Pitch and Proposals Manager. This role is designated as the central authority responsible for overseeing the firm’s established framework for RFPs and pitches. It includes managing the procedures and technology for planning, developing and producing RFPs and pitches. Additionally, it provides specialized support for high-profile and preferred provider RFPs to guarantee the production of professional responses that meet the specific requirements and deadlines set by clients.

This role will lead the firm’s proposal initiatives and work closely with Client Development team leads, lawyers and other professionals across various administrative departments. The position involves updating, maintaining and managing approved practice and industry descriptions, experience information, tailored content and other standard response language used in pitches and RFP responses. As a trusted advisor at different levels, this role will serve as a “subject matter expert” for the firm’s RFP and pitch processes. The individual is expected to develop a deep understanding of the firm and provide guidance, mentorship and development opportunities for Client Development Specialists and Coordinators.

About This Role:

• Responsible for providing project management support and leading multidisciplinary teams of lawyers and professionals during the proposal effort to strategically develop and assemble responsive material in compliance with client proposal requirements for high-profile and preferred provider RFPs, this includes managing all aspects of response production from start to finish: determining response requirements, organizing and conducting kick-off calls, assigning responsibilities, compiling and organizing information, drafting new content, quality control, and ensuring on-time delivery and follow-up;
• Advance the firm’s RFP/pitch content development and management process by working closely with Client Development colleagues and firm professionals across various administrative departments, including Finance, Billing, Information Services, Human Resources, Legal Personnel, Legal Project Management, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Office of General Counsel, among others, to create, update and manage approved practice and industry descriptions, experience information, tailored content and other standard response language used for pitches and RFP responses;
• Serve as a steward of content consistency in style and tone, by collaborating with the Client Development Content Strategist to ensure standard and tailored content maintained in experience management platform complies with firm’s editorial guidelines;
• Monitor and maintain existing resources and knowledge management platforms, including RFP and pitch notification information and standard/tailored content in experience management platform; and RFP process documents and project folders in document management platform, to ensure Client Development colleagues are complying with established process conventions;
• Develop and promote best practices for the firm’s RFP/pitch process including proactively identifying issues and proposing solutions
• Drafts and produces substantive responses to high-level firm RFPs and pitches client surveys, managing all aspects of the process from start to finish;
• Creates compelling and client development-focused content to enhance the readability and value proposition of responses to RFPs and pitch documents;
• Develops and maintains standard content and experience to efficiently reference and leverage prior responses in drafting new persuasive content;
• Develops and maintains best practices for the process of responding to RFPs and client surveys, including tracking sources of information within the Firm and creating procedures for drafting responses efficiently and consistently;
• Collaborate with colleagues in Client Development and Finance as well as the Outside Counsel Guidelines Administrator to track pertinent information related to preferred provider RFP responses and ensure timely information updates in experience management platform for panel appointments;
• Acquire a technical understanding of the products and technology used by companies soliciting RFPs, and develop a win-loss tracking and reporting system together with a process for feedback to leverage experience from submitted proposals;
• Develop and host workshops for Client Development colleagues and proposal contributors as a forum to share RFP/pitch best practices and tools updates, collect feedback and generate new ideas; and
• Lead or assist with special projects or initiatives, as assigned.

What You Will Bring:

• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal and communications skills, both verbally and in writing, and the ability to project manage complex projects under tight deadlines; and
• Very strong writing and proofreading skills, and a track record of working well in a fast-paced setting with a highly collaborative team;
• Ability to synthesize data and accurately capture it in a narrative, and to turn technical jargon into clear copy;
• Demonstrates close attention to detail;
• Solid strategic thinking and problem-solving capability, coupled with excellent judgment and decision-making abilities;
• Strong intuitive skills, and the ability to translate experience and lessons from one project to the next;
• Ability to handle sensitive matters and maintain confidentiality;
• Ability to multitask and work well under pressure in an environment with shifting priorities, meet time-sensitive deadlines and actively follow-up as needed to meet deadlines;
• Knowledge of relevant Firm computer software programs (e.g., Foundation, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, iManage), and products and technology used by companies soliciting RFPs (e.g., PERSUIT, Ariba, Scout), with the ability to learn new software and operating systems; and
• Experience utilizing technology, including website, intranet, extranets, databases, knowledge management tools and presentation software.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, with preference for candidates who hold a degree in journalism, public relations, English, literature, marketing or other communications-related field;

Experience:

• A minimum of 8-10 years of law firm or other professional service firm experience, with a solid understanding of law firm practice;

For additional information about our benefits, please click here.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by employees in the position. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills for positions. The firm reserves the right at all times, in its sole discretion, to add or subtract duties and responsibilities, as it deems necessary.

WilmerHale is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ancestry, age, disability or veteran status, or other protected status.

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