Director, Business Development- West Coast Practices

The Director, Business Development (BD) is responsible for collaborating with Partners and Firm leaders, including other senior members of the BD Department and the Chief Client Officer, to develop and implement strategic plans and growth objectives for selected practice groups, client/industry groups, and Partners in Southern California and the Bay Area. This critical role will both enable Partners to enhance key client relationships and drive market expansion by providing strategic and competitive intelligence through data driven insights. Vision, a drive to execution, and holistic implementation of strategic growth plans in alignment with the Firm’s key business initiatives will be critical success factors for this newly elevated role.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of our West Coast growth strategy to cultivate business with existing and new clients.
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities by geography, industry sector, and service line, building a differentiated market presence for each office.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to office leadership, helping shape local go-to-market approaches.
• Act as an accountability coach to Partners to track business development efforts and ensure timely follow-up.
• Work directly with the Chief Client Officer to help build the Client Experience Office for the Firm’s top clients.
• Conduct market/business intelligence research on existing and prospective clients and competitors to inform targeted business development efforts.
• Conduct internal research to identify connections across practice groups and California offices to facilitate global cross-selling with existing clients, especially across tech, finance, private equity and other West Coast sectors.
• Collaborate with Partners on cross-practice pitches, client targeting strategies, and lateral integration plans.
• Drive the creation of compelling pitch materials, client insights, and “Simpson Thacher-only” differentiators.
• Collaborate closely with industry, client team leads and the broader BD team, to execute on broader Firm client-engagement efforts, tailored to the unique strengths and opportunities of the West Coast.
• Research and recommend conferences, events, sponsorships, galas, and activities that can raise the profile of the Firm across Southern California and the Bay Area.
• Partner closely with colleagues across Business Development domains (e.g., across marketing, communications, traditional BD, strategic intelligence, strategy) to execute firmwide campaigns locally.
• Direct the ideation, planning and execution of innovative events, sponsorships, and client-facing continuing legal education (CLE) opportunities.
• Direct research team to source articles of interest and create follow-up materials to support business development activities.
• Work with Communications team to identify media opportunities that raise the profile of the Firm across Southern California and the Bay Area.
• Provide guidance and principled leadership to junior BD team members on the West Coast and help build a high-performing regional team.
• Create a collaborative, high-performance culture where innovation (especially AI-and-tech-driven) is valued and growth mindsets are cultivated.
• Provide quarterly reporting on business development efforts including expenditures and ROI as appropriate.
• Make annual budget recommendations and manage department activities according to the budget. 

Education

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required

Preferred

• JD or MBA preferred

Skills and Experience

Required

• At least 8 years of management experience in marketing/business development or strategy in professional services (law, consulting, finance); experience in AmLaw 100, Big 4, or MBB preferred.
• Proven track record of driving growth across markets or regions; ability to shape and implement strategy.
• Strong executive presence with ability to work closely with firm leaders and Partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with key stakeholders.
• Entrepreneurial ownership, strong people leadership and high EQ
• Ability to travel among California offices as necessary.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to translate complex ideas into persuasive narratives.
• Ability to exercise initiative and independent judgment.
• Proven track record of managing multiple projects with competing deadlines.
• Ability to interact well and build professional relationships while maintaining a high level of customer service, diplomacy and discretion.
• Ability to proactively identify and analyze problems, develop solutions and deliver results.

Salary Information

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