Business Development Manager - Middle East - Dubai Office

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.

We are a collegial and collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realise their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.

If you are a self-starter and enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Dubai office as a Business Development Manager.

Hours:

9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with flexibility in accordance with the needs of the business with in person attendance in the office Monday through Thursday, and remote working option on Fridays.

This is a newly established role following recent growth in the Dubai office. Key contacts for this role holder will be the Dubai Office Managing Partner, all Dubai based partners, and senior BD resources assigned to practices and offices in EMEA. The Business Development Manager will be involved in a wide variety of business development activities:

• Work with our Dubai based partners and collaborate with BD&M department leadership to advance objectives outlined in strategic business plans, and keep track of BD budgets. This includes development of key strategic initiatives, marketing campaigns, opportunity mapping and tactical implementation to achieve goals.

• Lead, manage and contribute to responses to RFPs, pitches, presentations, and other opportunities; liaise with global BD&M team to ensure content and brand consistency; and liaise with other departments such as the central bids team, pricing and risk, as required.
  
  
• Prepare and maintain marketing collateral including general brochures. Collection and integration of experience for and into department, practice, industry group, and office materials, brochures and website sections.

• Prepare and support on legal directory and award submissions. Develop thought leadership and marketing campaigns to raise the profile of the firm in the Region across platforms, including social media, and in partnership with the firm’s PR team.

• Research, and prepare reports on clients, markets, trends and developments, maintain relevant intranet, website and LinkedIn accounts and lead on and participate in appropriate Business Development team and practice/sector group meetings and training.

• Manage regular communications and interaction with Dubai lawyers, including responsibility for regular meetings, reports, analysis, progress monitoring, etc. Facilitate introductions with relevant groups and lawyers, and during relevant team meetings.

• Manage initiatives related to seminars, sponsorships, webinars (internal/external) and other events pursued by Dubai partners.

• Periodically review and consult with lawyers regarding their bios, practice descriptions and mailing lists to ensure that they are kept current and content is included in appropriate tools. Manage the content for various business development tools including the deals database, CVs, pitch folders, and a variety of client development tools.
  
  
• Flexibility regarding travel to Saudi Arabia will be required, as on occasion there will be a need to support on BD activities with our cooperation agreement firm.
  
  
• Perform other duties as assigned or required to meet firm goals and objectives.

Educated to a degree level or equivalent.   

An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered in lieu of the degree when the experience has been directly related to the functions of the job.

Experience, skills and personal attributes:

Professional Experience: 

• Experience of demonstrated success in a marketing, management, and/or communications-related field, either in professional services (e.g., law, accounting, or consulting), energy or in a comparable position in corporate sectors.

Technical Skills: 

• Arabic speaker and writer, essential;
• Ability to lead on managing the pitch process, essential;
• Knowledge of Arbitration, or a keen interest in learning new practice areas, desirable;
• Strength in research, analysis and writing, essential;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, required;
• Numerate with a working knowledge of MS Excel, essential;
• Familiarity with accepted research techniques and databases typically used for competitive intelligence in a professional services company, preferred.

Performance Traits:

• Strong attention to detail and strong organizational skills; tenacious and a sense of responsibility and ownership;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills - able to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with all levels of the firm and outside vendors, and good people reading skills;
• Ability to work in a diverse team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the firm in an organized and structured manner.
• Delivery / solution focused with a strong desire to meet the needs and requirements of internal clients under the pressure of tight deadlines;
• Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• A proactive team player with ability to work under pressure, handle multiple projects simultaneously, and meet deadlines with shifting priorities.
• Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative who is also able to work well in teams.
• Strong client service skills, able to anticipate the needs of internal and external clients, exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality and discretion.
• Able to set priorities, manage projects, delegate, and serve as a mentor in an effective manner.
• Able to identify and support the implementation of change processes to improve workflow efficiencies.
• Some experience with operational budget management and reporting is desirable but not essential.

At Mayer Brown, we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment that offers our people the opportunity and support they need to succeed.

Our culture promotes mutual respect, acceptance, cooperation and productivity among people from all backgrounds and values different perspectives and ideas.

One of our core values at Mayer Brown is to inclusion at all levels within the business which is actively supported by our Employee Resource Groups. 

We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that individuals may require throughout the recruitment process and once they have joined the Firm.

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