Senior Marketing & BD Manager

The role

We are recruiting for a Senior Marketing & Business Development (MBD) Manager to join our dyanmic, fast-growing team. The successful candidate will lead our marketing and business development efforts in South Africa, providing strategic and business advisory support through the development and implementation of effective go-to-market strategies and client development activities that seek to drive revenue growth, deepen client relationships and enhance the firm’s market position. 

The role demands a strategic thinker with a can-do attitude and robust experience in professional services marketing. 

Reporting to the Head of Marketing & Business Development for Africa, the successful candidate will be part of our broader Africa and International MBD team providing a supportive and collaborative environment in which to thrive.    

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Working closely with the South Africa leadership team including the Country Managing Partner, Location Practice Group Heads (PGHs) and broader South Africa Partner/Director group, the role holder will help to drive the firm’s strategic prioriities in South Africa with a focus on client strategy and brand, whilst at all times ensuring alignment with DLA Piper’s broader firm strategy and the International MBD strategy. Key areas of responsibility include: 

MBD strategy, planning and implementation 

• Develop and implement integrated MBD strategies and initiatives to drive revenue growth and raise market profile in South Africa across practices and sectors. This includes events, sponsorships,  thought leadership campaigns, PR, and internal and external communications. 
• Support partners/directors in identifying and pursuing new business opportunities
• Craft winning pursuit strategies, including leading on bid documentation to support informal and formal pitch opportunties. 
• Identify opportunities to leverage global and regional sector and practice group thought leadership and initiatives locally.
• Support partners in targeting cross-border investment emitting from or entering South Africa leveraging DLA Piper’s global reach.
• Support the onboarding of lateral hires, helping to embed their “book of business” within the firm locally, regionally and globally.
• Coach, guide, mentor and train fee earners in their development of critical MBD skills. 
• Act as a change agent to influence and drive the implementation and adoption of internatonal MBD systems and processes locally. 
• Develop and manage external relationships with South African industry bodies and intermediaries, ensuring opportunities are identified and maximised.
• Manage our relationship with local MBD suppliers. 
• Manage the office MBD budget, ensuring cost-effective use of resources. 
• Monitor and report on the effectiveness of MBD strategies, providing recommendations for improvement. 

Clients and sectors 

• Provide account management support to identified South Africa focus and sector clients working with local CRPs to understand client needs and identify opportunities for growth.
• Lead client feedback initiatives, using insights to improve client service and engagement
• Identify opportunities to leverage global client relationships locally.
• Ensure we are effectively leveraging global programmes and service offerings such as WIN, Law& and ESG for the benefit of our clients. 

Brand and Communications 

• Develop and implement iniatives to raise awareness and strengthen DLA Piper’s brand in the South African market (including PR, events, thought leadership and sponsorships).
• Management of South Africa award and directory submissions.
• Develop and maintain high-quality collateral and pitch material for the South Africa office.
• Provide internal and external communications support to the South Africa Country Managing Partner and Location Heads. 
• Raise internal awareness of our South Africa office capabilities regionally within DLA Piper Africa and globally within DLA Piper. 

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Contribute, as a senior member of the Africa MBD team, to Africa-wide and firm-wide MBD strategies and initiatives, including the mentoring and development of junior MBD professionals and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned across the team and wider firm.
• Collaborate with other Business Services teams in South Africa and internationally to ensure that holistic and integrated business services are delivered.
• Foster a collaborative environment in line with the firm’s values, promoting knowledge-sharing and continuous improvement.
• Identify opportunities to drive greater efficiences in MBD activity and processes.  

The job holder may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time.

ABOUT YOU 

• A degree or equivalent qualification, preferably in Marketing and/or communications. 
• Senior manager level professional services MBD experience or someone currently in a manager role with a minimum of 5 years professional services MBD experience. The role would suit a candidate looking to expand in an international organisation
• Experience working in South Africa or in a role with remit for South Africa is preferred. A strong undersanding of the market is desirable
• Demonstrated ability in managing, mentoring and developing others
• Knowledge of Marketing/BD processes – a sound understanding of new business processes, CRM as a concept and the emerging technologies needed to help us win and retain clients 
• Sales techniques and coaching skills
• Excellent communication and project management skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to exercise tact and diplomacy
• Experience in dealing with a demanding workload and conflicting priorities
• Be able to multi-task and work to deadlines, be methodical and logical, as well as thrive in a robust and fast-paced environment
• A proven ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information
• Ability to see delegated tasks through to completion at a high standard
• Ability to stay calm and composed in demanding situations
• Display a consistently positive attitude and adopt a ‘can do’ approach as well as being able to work well on own initiative and also as part of a wider team (often based remotely); collaborative working style
• Be able to communicate confidently and effectively at all levels

This job description is not designed to be exhaustive and can be varied, as required, to develop, or fulfil, the role of the Senior Marketing & Business Development Manager, South Africa.

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.