Rare and exciting opportunity for a Programme Manager to join us in London to support CMS equIP. CMS equIP is a curated accelerator which supports early-stage tech start-ups access the legal services required from them to scale. This unique programme has now supported more than 150 start-ups in the UK since being established in 2016.

About the roleMembers of the Programme have access to sector-focused legal advice at special discounted rates, fixed fee services, introductions to relevant industry players and exclusive events and networking opportunities. We are looking for an ambitious and dedicated Business Development Manager who can work on the day-to-day running of CMS equIP, both in the UK and with our CMS teams internationally.

In this role, you can expect to get involved in a variety of work including:

• Business planning and budgeting
• Overseeing the existing membership portfolio and onboarding potential new members
• Managing internal stakeholders and responding to international queries
• Internal and external communications PR and social media
• Event planning and coordination
• Acting as an ambassador for equIP by attending external events and being proactive in the market
• Identifying external partnership opportunities to raise the profile of the programme and provide a pipeline of potential new members
• Providing invaluable support to the Finance team to ensure a smooth billing process for members
• Manage workloads through the effective utilisation of members of the CMS BD Graduate programme on projects

About youWe will invest in your ongoing training and development to support your professional goals and help you to thrive in your role from day one. Our opportunities are open to all suitably qualified applicants, so to be considered for this role, you must meet the following skills and experience:

• Experience in venture capital or early-stage investment, especially in IP-rich sectors like tech, digital, or life sciences, is highly desirable
• Experience in a client-facing role, ideally within a similar accelerator programme or law firm
• Background in Business Development and Marketing within professional services, including managing client relationships, targeting new clients, pitching, running events, and executing campaignsStrong verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to build strong relationships with internal teams and external partners
• Able to understand and analyse complex information with meticulous attention to detail
• Strong skills with numbers and data analysis
• Strong communication skills and ensures mutual understanding in conversations
• Ability to effectively plan and manage time to meet deadlines and goals
• Proactively identifies and addresses issues, risks, or conflicts, and knows when to seek help or delegate
• Follows established procedures and looks for ways to improve them when appropriate

What's in it for you?We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, therefore we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name a few, these include:

* Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)* Flexible, hybrid working policy* Generous bonus scheme* Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)* Holiday exchange scheme* Private medical insurance* Enhanced parental leave* Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits, please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.

Equal opportunities

At CMS, we place diversity and inclusion at the centre of our culture and the heart of our organisation. As a firm we recognise, celebrate, and embrace the diverse talent our society has to offer because we know that to solve big problems, we need the best and brightest minds available to us. In support of this goal, we commit to actively breaking down barriers which stand in the way of those from diverse backgrounds and play our part in levelling the playing field. As a Future Facing Firm, we strongly believe that a career in law should be open to people from all walks of life, because not only does diversity of thought and experience make our firm a stronger and more sustainable business, but it also makes it a more rewarding place to work.When recruiting, we prioritise attracting talented people and we actively promote a flexible working environment which enables all our team members to thrive. If you see a role you are interested in, but don't feel you meet 100% of the criteria we encourage you to still consider making an application. We also welcome applications from those who may be looking to return to the workforce after a career break. We are proud to say our leadership in creating an inclusive working culture has been celebrated and recognised externally, including being listed for a number of years in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women and the Social Mobility Index.We are a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer, and we actively encourage applications from people with disabilities, whether visible or invisible. We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity throughout our recruitment process and in every element of the employee life cycle. If you require assistance, or if you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements or adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please contact Becky Lowe at who will be happy to support you.

Ready to apply? Here are the next steps.

We look forward to receiving your application online via the CMS careers site. Please contact our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions.

Please note that we have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.