Three Crowns Overview

Three Crowns is a leading international disputes firm. Founded over a decade ago by prominent practitioners who held senior leadership positions at major full-service firms, Three Crowns was purpose-built for excellence in international arbitration.

The firm has grown to over 180 professionals, including 19 partners, across offices in Dubai, London, Madrid, Paris, Singapore, and Washington DC. Three Crowns is ranked among the top two firms globally for international arbitration by GAR — the industry's benchmark publication — and is the only firm to hold Band 1 rankings across Chambers Global, Europe, France, and UK for international arbitration.

The Role

The Senior Business Development & Marketing Manager will play a pivotal role in delivering the firm’s strategic BD priorities, working closely with the BD & Marketing Director to translate strategy into action across offices, clients and markets.

The role will have primary responsibility for managing and developing a team of BD professionals, driving forward key client management and new client targeting initiatives, and working directly with individual partners to support the delivery of their personal BD plans. The manager will also take a leading role in raising the external profile of the firm through coordinated BD and marketing activity.

Responsibilities

The role combines hands-on delivery, and strong stakeholder management, and will be instrumental in the continued professionalisation and impact of the BD and marketing function.

Key areas of work and responsibility will include:

Work alongside the BD Director on delivery of strategic BD priorities

• Act as a trusted deputy to the BD director, supporting the planning, execution, and tracking of firmwide BD strategic initiatives.

• Translate high-level BD strategy into clear plans, milestones, and deliverables across teams, practices, and offices.

• Provide insight, analysis, and recommendations to inform BD decision-making, prioritisation, and investment.

• Lead or co-lead priority projects as required, ensuring momentum, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

• Transition the BD & Marketing function to become ‘AI First’.

Line management and development of the BD team

• Line manage a group of BD managers and specialists, providing clear direction, coaching, and performance management.

• Foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture focused on quality, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.

• Support professional development through regular feedback, skills development, and career progression planning.

• Drive improvements in ways of working, resource allocation, and team capability to meet evolving firm needs.

Drive forward key client management and new client targeting

• Lead the development and delivery of strategic client management programmes, including client planning, account reviews, and relationship-building initiatives.

• Partner with lawyers to identify, prioritise, and pursue new client opportunities aligned to firm strategy and growth objectives.

• Use of the CRM platform data, market insight, and client intelligence to inform targeting decisions and BD activity.

• Track and evaluate client and targeting initiatives, ensuring lessons learned are embedded and successes leveraged.

Support partners on delivery of personal BD plans

• Work closely with individual partners to shape, challenge, and deliver their personal BD plans.

• Provide tailored BD advice, structure, and momentum to help partners focus on the highest-impact activities.

• Coordinate support from across the BD and marketing team to ensure partners receive consistent, proactive input.

• Act as a constructive sounding board, balancing strategic guidance with practical delivery support.

Raise the profile of the firm

• Lead and coordinate initiatives to enhance the firm’s external profile across priority markets, sectors, and audiences.

• Oversee integrated use of marketing channels including thought leadership, campaigns, events, directories, and communications.

• Work with partners and colleagues to identify profile-raising opportunities and ensure consistent, high-quality execution. Monitor impact and visibility, using insight and feedback to refine approach and focus effort where it delivers most value.

Contribute to BD team operations and systems improvements

• Provide support as needed across the year to BD colleagues (e.g., pitches, directory submissions, content coordination, lawyer profiles, research).

• Participate in BD systems upgrade projects, including marketing automation and analytics, enhancements to the CRM platform, website, knowledge management, and experience database.

• Support broader BD team structures to improve efficiency, reporting, knowledge management, and internal communication.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

The role holder will be an experienced professional within the legal industry and will possess:

• Prior law firm business development experience, knowledge and experience of working with an international disputes team (including international arbitration) would be advantageous.

• Strong academic background.

• Experience working collaboratively with law firm partners, and colleagues, fostering a ‘one team’ global mindset.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong attention to detail.

• Strong people management and leadership skills, able to inspire a dispersed team.

• Willingness to take a “hands-on” approach in a lean team environment, consistent with the firm’s ethos, the 3C Way.

• Proficiency with relevant tools such as Microsoft 365 Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams) and Mailchimp a plus.

• Full business proficiency in English. Full proficiency in other languages, such as Spanish or French, can be a plus.

• Some international travel may be required, so candidates should have a current passport.