Europe Head of Opportunity Management (Dentons Business Services EMEA)

Dentons Business Services EMEA supports legal teams across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa with business services for Dentons, one of the world's leading global law firms. The team assists in finance, IT, HR, and marketing, ensuring operational excellence.

• Significant experience (10+ years) in proposal/bid/opportunity management, preferably in a large law firm or partnership environment.
• Proven track record leading major, complex, multi-jurisdictional bids and RFPs for international or global clients.
• Strong understanding of proposal management technologies (automation tools, content libraries, databases, CRM, collaboration platforms) and ability to drive adoption.
• Experience designing and implementing go/no-go frameworks, bid qualification criteria, and governance.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills and credibility to influence senior partners.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication with attention to detail.
• Strong project management skills managing multiple deadlines and stakeholders under pressure.
• Commercial mindset including pricing, profitability, and client relationship drivers.
• Strategic thinker able to translate vision into scalable processes.
• Highly collaborative, service-oriented, resilient and adaptable in fast-paced environments.
• Client-centric mindset with passion for improving client experience.
• Comfortable providing constructive challenges and pushing for higher standards.

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop and own global/regional Opportunity Management strategy aligned with firmwide and client strategies.
• Define what best-in-class opportunity management looks like and create a roadmap.
• Advise senior partners and leadership on major opportunities and panel reviews.

Team Leadership & Management:

• Lead, coach, and inspire a hybrid team of proposal/opportunity professionals.
• Set objectives, KPIs, and development plans for team members.
• Manage capacity and resourcing including collaboration with country and Practice and Sector MBD teams.

Major Proposals & Strategic Clients:

• Direct and personally lead end-to-end management of strategic proposals for largest, complex opportunities.
• Shape win-strategies and value propositions with partners and BD colleagues.
• Ensure proposal documents are client-centric, compelling, commercially sound, and aligned with brand.

Process, Policy & Governance:

• Design and implement a consistent proposals methodology.
• Develop go/no-go and bid qualification policies aligned with strategic priorities.
• Introduce governance around opportunity pursuit including escalation, approvals, and risk checks.

Content, Tools & Technology:

• Oversee development and maintenance of centralized proposals knowledge base.
• Evaluate, select and optimize technology platforms supporting opportunity and proposal management.
• Drive continuous improvement and adoption of tools and data.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management:

• Build strong relationships with partners, Business Development, Risk, and key stakeholders.
• Align opportunity management with client plans and growth targets.
• Share best practices and training to enhance opportunity management capability.

Continuous Improvement & Insight:

• Analyze win/loss data, pricing outcomes, and client feedback to improve strategy and processes.
• Track market trends in procurement, panel management and embed insights.
• Champion innovation in proposals including design, storytelling, digital formats, and tech-enabled solutions.