Business Development Specialist

Dentons South Africa is recruiting for a Business Development (BD) Specialist based in our Cape Town office/remotely. The BD Specialist supports lawyers in identifying, developing, executing, and advising on activities that generate new business for the firm, including strengthening client relationships; pursuing new business opportunities; and elevating the brand and profile for the firm, practices, sectors, and lawyers.

The position is an integral role for a versatile professional who enjoys helping lawyers with business development while also working alongside the entire marketing and communications team. This position works collaboratively with the firm’s lawyers, division leaders, department chairs, client development committee, and shareholders on key projects to ensure coordination, appropriate leveraging of resources, consistency of approach, and effective execution of initiatives. The position will report to the firm’s leadership team.

**Why Dentons is different**

The legal profession is changing rapidly and Dentons is leading the way in advancing change for the benefit of clients. We are driven to challenge the status quo, delivering consistent and uncompromising quality and value to our clients in new and innovative ways. With over 20,000 individuals in more than 200 offices the opportunity is huge.

Dentons continues to receive external awards and recognition, including for our continued international expansion over the last 12 months; for ground-breaking innovation through the development of Nextlaw Labs and Nextlaw Global Referral Network; and for success in advising clients across multiple regions. Dentons is also a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index and a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner.

Against such rapid growth and change, this role offers the successful individual the chance to play a lead role and make their mark in driving the successful implementation of this global program.

**Responsibilities**:

- Help individual lawyers, practice areas, and sector groups create and execute business plans and budgets.
- Coordinate and respond to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and prepare pitches designed to obtain new business, including the development of content for RFPs/pitches and client presentations, ensuring the content is consistent with branding.
- Develop client/prospect collateral and sales tools, including materials for meetings, seminars, speaking engagements, events, client alerts, newsletters, fact sheets, and other direct client communication.
- Identify and secure opportunities for thought leadership and other marketing and campaign ideas to increase brand awareness of lawyers, practice areas/industries, and the firm.
- Serve as point of contact and assist with strategy and execution for conferences, and seminars; coordinate with lawyers and others to provide required materials.
- Collect and archive matter/case summaries and all related information for use in pitches/RFPs, biographies, legal directory submissions, website, internal and external newsletters, annual reviews, press releases, etc.
- Draft and complete awards/rankings submissions and submit new matters to ranking agencies for league table and other credit/acknowledgment.
- Help orient lateral attorney hires, including working with them to develop and implement BD plans that take the national, global, and cross-selling opportunities into consideration.
- Conduct market analysis, industry, and competitive intelligence research reports. Develop information to assist lawyers with BD, relationship-building, and brand awareness initiatives.
- Assist with tracking the firm marketing/BD budget throughout the year and make recommendations to optimize resources.
- Regularly update and work with PR colleagues across Dentons to promote lawyers via media opportunities.
- Coordinate with other Dentons offices and business development professionals for practice or sector-specific events and initiatives.
- Other duties may be assigned to fully meet the requirements of the position.

**Experience and Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 3-5 years' experience.
- Marketing or Communications experience in a professional services or financial institution is preferred.
- Exceptional attention to detail while working in a fast-paced environment along with strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to juggle multiple high-visibility, time-sensitive business development, and marketing projects.
- Results-oriented, self-motivated individual who can prioritize, manage multiple projects, and function as part of a cohesive team.
- Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and social media.

**Language Capabilities**

We are a truly global law firm and as such, always welcome hearing from those with foreign language capabilities.

**Diversity & Inclusion**

Essential to our success as a global law firm is our ability to attract and retain the best talent from a diverse