Business Development Intern — M&A Market Research & Outreach

Oaklins International; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Part time

Job summary

Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips is seeking a Business Development Intern to support the firm’s outreach, marketing, and event initiatives on a part‑time basis (10-20 hours per week). The role sits in the center of the BD engine, focusing on prospect research, pipeline maintenance, event support, and helping senior bankers surface opportunities.

The ideal candidate is a current student or recent graduate with strong research and organizational instincts, proficient in Excel and PowerPoint, and

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Marketing, Finance, Communications, or a related field.
• No prior professional experience required; interest in investment banking or M&A is a plus.
• Proficient in Excel, including basic formulas and data handling.
• Proficient in PowerPoint with ability to build clean, structured presentations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with CRM platforms (DealCloud, Salesforce, HubSpot) a plus.
• Interest in AI and agentic AI tools for research, reporting, and outreach efficiency.
• Comfort using LinkedIn for professional purposes.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple small projects.

Responsibilities

• Conduct market and company research to identify prospective clients, investors, and acquirers.
• Support maintenance of CRM data and pipeline tracking to strengthen targeting and visibility.
• Build client-facing materials and new business pitches that are clean, well-organized, and on-brand.
• Track outreach activity and pipeline metrics using CRM and reporting tools.
• Analyze data to flag trends or gaps in results and support better targeting.
• Support tracking of advisor introductions, referrals, and engagement across sectors.
• Help prepare updates on advisor activity for the broader BD team.
• Monitor industry trends and competitive activity across Oaklins’ focus sectors.
• Use AI and automation tools (ChatGPT, Notion AI, agentic AI frameworks, LinkedIn AI) to support research, outreach, and data organization.
• Suggest new tools or workflows that improve BD coordination and efficiency.
• Support planning and coordination of BD and marketing events, including webinars, roundtables, and executive dinners.
• Assist with event logistics, outreach follow‑up, and data capture.

Skills

Excel proficiency

PowerPoint skills

CRM familiarity

Written & verbal communication

Research ability

Organization

LinkedIn usage

AI tools interest

In-office availability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/ Economics/ Marketing

Tools

DealCloud

Salesforce

HubSpot

Job description

Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips is a leading mid-market investment bank specializing in media, marketing, and technology.

We are seeking a Business Development Intern to support the firm’s outreach, marketing, and event initiatives on a part-time basis (10-20 hours per week). This role sits at the center of the firm’s business development engine: researching prospects, maintaining pipeline data, supporting events, and helping the senior team surface new opportunities and relationships.

Position Overview

The Business Development Intern will support how Oaklins identifies opportunities, engages prospects, and builds its presence across target sectors. The ideal candidate is a current student or recent graduate with strong research and organizational instincts, proficient in Excel and PowerPoint, and comfortable using technology and AI tools to move faster and work cleaner. This is a hands-on opportunity to learn the mechanics of investment banking business development from the inside, with direct exposure to live deal sourcing and senior bankers.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Marketing

• Conduct market and company research to identify and qualify prospective clients, investors, and acquirers.
• Support maintenance of CRM data and pipeline tracking to strengthen targeting and conversion visibility.
• Build client-facing materials and new business pitches that are clean, well-organized, and on-brand.
• Track outreach activity and pipeline metrics using CRM and reporting tools.
• Analyze data to flag trends or gaps in results and support better targeting.
• Support tracking of advisor introductions, referrals, and engagement across sectors.
• Help prepare updates on advisor activity for the broader BD team.
• Monitor industry trends and competitive activity across Oaklins’ focus sectors.
• Use AI and automation tools (ChatGPT, Notion AI, agentic AI frameworks, LinkedIn AI) to support research, outreach, and data organization.
• Suggest new tools or workflows that improve BD coordination and efficiency.

Events & Thought Leadership

• Support planning and coordination of BD and marketing events, including webinars, roundtables, and executive dinners.
• Assist with event logistics, outreach follow-up, and data capture.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Marketing, Finance, Communications, or a related field.
• No prior professional experience required; demonstrated interest in investment banking, finance, or M&A a plus.
• Proficient in Excel, including building and reading spreadsheets, basic formulas, and organizing data sets.
• Proficient in PowerPoint, with the ability to build clean, structured presentations independently.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Exposure to CRM platforms (DealCloud, Salesforce, HubSpot, or equivalent) a plus.
• Interest in AI and agentic AI tools for research, reporting, and outreach efficiency.
• Familiarity with LinkedIn for professional purposes.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple small projects at once.
• 10-20 hours per week, with at least 2 days per week in-office in midtown Manhattan.

About Oaklins

Oaklins is a group of over 900 committed M&A and financial advisory professionals in over 40 countries, passionately sharing ideas to learn more from each other to deliver better results for our clients. Together, we help ambitious entrepreneurs and evolving companies reach their full potential.

Apply for the position

Only candidates that send both a resume AND cover letter to [e-mail] and meet the qualifications outlined above will be considered.