Senior Manager, Pitches & Pursuits
About Us
Finnegan is more than just a law firm – we are a powerhouse of innovation and strategy growth. We pride ourselves on providing top-tier intellectual property services globally. Our success is rooted in our emphasis on relationships with our clients and each other. We care about every individual, and it is why many professionals have spent their entire careers at Finnegan.
Role Overview
The Senior Manager, Pitches & Pursuits leads Finnegan's firmwide pursuit and proposal function within the Business and Client Development (BCD) team. The role advances strategic business development opportunities by developing and executing effective pursuit strategies, strengthening competitive positioning, and driving excellence across the firm's proposals, presentations, RFP responses, and related business development initiatives. The Senior Manager oversees the processes, content, analytics, technologies, and team resources that support the pursuit lifecycle and promote consistent, high-quality business development practices firmwide. As leader of the Pitches & Pursuits function, the Senior Manager serves as a strategic advisor to attorneys and business professionals, helping teams evaluate opportunities, shape compelling client-facing narratives, differentiate the firm's capabilities, and apply insights that strengthen future business development efforts. The Senior Manager establishes standards, drives cross-functional collaboration, and mentors members of the Pitches & Pursuits team, building capabilities that enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of the firm's pursuit activities.
Responsibilities
Pursuit Strategy & Opportunity Conversion
Directs strategy, development, and execution of pitches, proposals, presentations, and RFP responses, serving as both a strategic advisor and active participant in the pursuit process while ensuring responses align with firm objectives, attorney strategy, and client priorities
Evaluates business development opportunities, identifies strategic and competitive advantages, and recommends approaches that improve the firm’s positioning
Advises attorneys, practice leaders, and firm leadership on pursuit strategy and competitive positioning, helping teams identify differentiators and shape a clear point of view on why the firm should win
Leads pursuit planning and decision-making processes, aligns stakeholders around pursuit objectives, defines roles and responsibilities, and drives execution across complex opportunities from initial evaluation through submission and presentation delivery
Proposal Operations, Content, & Infrastructure
Leads the firm's proposal and pitch development function, establishing priorities, assigning resources, overseeing quality standards, and providing strategic guidance and coaching to members of the Pitches & Pursuits team
Partners with the Proposal Analyst, Business Development Managers, and attorneys to translate pursuit strategy into compelling win themes, value propositions, and messaging, ensuring pursuit materials are polished, consistent, and aligned with client priorities
Establishes standards, processes, and quality controls that promote consistency, efficiency, and excellence across business development submissions
Directs the development and maintenance of proposal templates, experience materials, attorney credentials, biographies, FinneWINs, and other reusable content resources that support client pursuits, presentations, and strategic business development efforts
Partners with Branding & Communications, Business & Client Intelligence, Pricing, and other stakeholders to develop compelling, differentiated responses that reflect the firm's capabilities, experience, and value proposition
Identifies opportunities to improve existing workflows, content management practices, and experience management processes — including the effective use of DealCloud, AI-enabled tools, and other business development technologies — to keep the function scalable and responsive to evolving business needs
Analytics, Insights, & Continuous Improvement
Oversees pursuit tracking, pipeline management, DealCloud data integrity, and reporting processes, working closely with the Senior Business Development Analyst to provide visibility into business development activity, opportunity progression, and outcomes
Leads post-submission debriefs, win/loss reviews, and opportunity analyses in collaboration with attorneys and the Proposal Analyst, including leading client and procurement feedback discussions and establishing a consistent process for capturing insights, identifying lessons learned, and informing future pursuit strategies
Develops and oversees the firm's business development intelligence communications, including the weekly BD resource and similar reporting initiatives
Translates pursuit intelligence, proposal trends, and business development data into actionable recommendations that strengthen future positioning, improve conversion rates, and support broader firm growth initiatives
Monitors emerging technologies, tools, and industry best practices in business development and proposal management, and recommends new capabilities that could strengthen the function's efficiency, effectiveness, and competitive results
Leadership & Collaboration
Serves as a senior resource and mentor to members of the Pitches & Pursuits function, providing coaching, guidance, and subject matter expertise while supporting professional development and fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and client service
Coordinates workload, priorities, and resource allocation across multiple concurrent pursuits to ensure timely delivery of high-quality business development deliverables
Partners closely with Market Growth and Client Experience colleagues to ensure pursuit activities benefit from market intelligence, client insight, and business development priorities while contributing meaningful feedback into the broader BCD growth cycle
Participates in departmental initiatives, strategic planning efforts, and cross-functional projects that advance the goals of the Business and Client Development team
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required
Ten or more years of progressive experience in business development, proposal management, pursuit management, marketing, or a related professional services field
Significant experience leading complex pitches, proposals, presentations, RFP responses, and competitive pursuit initiatives
Experience working in a law firm or other professional services environment preferred
Demonstrated experience mentoring, coaching, or providing leadership to business development, proposal, marketing, or related professional staff
Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information into clear, compelling, and client-focused messaging
Demonstrated ability to apply critical thinking, sound business judgment, and strategic analysis to evaluate opportunities, identify competitive advantages, and develop effective pursuit strategies
Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex pursuits, competing priorities, and tight deadlines while consistently delivering high-quality work
Proven ability to influence stakeholders, facilitate alignment among diverse groups, and provide clear, confident recommendations to attorneys and firm leadership
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate pursuit data, client intelligence, competitive trends, and market insights into actionable business development recommendations
Ability to mentor and develop others through coaching, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback
Ability to evaluate and improve processes, technologies, and content strategies to enhance the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of business development efforts
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, CRM and experience management systems, proposal technologies, and other business development tools
Strong client service orientation and the ability to build trusted relationships with attorneys, firm leadership, and business professionals across the organization
Join Finnegan where your skills will drive success of one of the world’s leading IP law firms.
The role is based in the Washington, DC office, and requires a hybrid/onsite work schedule. The base annual pay range for this role is between $0 to $0. The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills and qualifications, experience, location and will also take into account internal equity. A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Finnegan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The firm is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment, as defined by applicable state and federal laws, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws. For candidates needing reasonable accommodations or assistance with the application process, please contact Human Resources at 202.216.5400.
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