Referral & Business Development Specialist

Position: Referrals & Bussiness Specialist

Working Hours: US Hours (9am-5pm EST)

Salary: R 30,500– R33,000

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced, confident and highly personable Referral & Business Development Specialist to build and grow a strong network of referral partners within the ABA and broader healthcare ecosystem. This is not an administrative referral coordination role. It is a relationship-driven business development position focused on identifying, developing and maintaining referral networks that connect families requiring ABA services with the appropriate care and therapy resources.

The successful candidate will be comfortable proactively reaching out to doctors, specialists, healthcare providers, community organisations and other potential referral partners. You will build trusted professional relationships, generate referral opportunities, follow up consistently and ultimately contribute to the growth of the organisation. We are looking for someone who enjoys connecting with people, is confident picking up the phone, communicates exceptionally well and understands that strong relationships require consistent follow-through.

Key Responsibilities

• Referral Network Development
  • Identify and develop relationships with doctors, specialists, healthcare providers, therapists, community organisations and other relevant referral sources.
  • Proactively reach out to potential referral partners telephonically, via email and through other appropriate channels.
  • Build a sustainable network of referral partners who may encounter families requiring ABA services.
  • Educate referral partners on the organisation's services, referral process and how families can access support.
  • Maintain regular communication with existing referral partners to strengthen relationships and encourage ongoing referrals.
  • Identify new opportunities, partnerships and networks that could generate qualified referrals.
• Business Development & Relationship Management
  • Own the referral development process from initial outreach through to relationship development and ongoing engagement.
  • Build credible, professional relationships with doctors, specialists and other healthcare professionals.
  • Conduct outreach calls, follow-ups and relationship-building conversations confidently and professionally.
  • Understand the needs of different referral partners and adapt communication accordingly.
  • Represent the organisation professionally and build trust within the healthcare and community network.
  • Consistently follow up on opportunities rather than waiting for referrals to come in.
• Lead & Referral Management
  • Track incoming referrals and leads accurately.
  • Follow up consistently to ensure opportunities do not fall through the cracks.
  • Coordinate internally to help families move through the appropriate process and access the services they require.
  • Maintain accurate records of outreach, conversations, referral sources, follow-ups and outcomes.
  • Manage multiple relationships and opportunities simultaneously while maintaining a high level of organisation.
• Reporting & Performance
  • This is a results-driven role, and the successful candidate must be comfortable working with measurable targets and reporting on performance.
  • You will be expected to track and report on metrics such as:
  • Outreach activity and calls completed
  • New referral relationships established
  • Active referral partners
  • Referrals generated
  • Referral-to-client conversion
  • Follow-up activity
  • Pipeline development
  • Growth of referral sources and networks

What We Are Looking For

Ideally 5+ years of experience in business development, referral development, sales, account management, relationship management or a similar commercially focused role. A demonstrated track record of achieving measurable results. Candidates should be able to provide tangible examples of previous performance, including targets, growth, revenue, referrals, lead generation, conversion rates or other relevant metrics. Excellent verbal communication skills with the confidence to speak to doctors, specialists, senior professionals, families and other stakeholders. Strong written communication skills. Confident and comfortable with proactive telephone outreach and relationship building. Highly personable with the ability to establish rapport quickly. Strong sales and business development instincts without relying on an overly aggressive sales approach. Excellent follow-up skills and the discipline to maintain relationships over time. Strong administrative and organisational ability. Comfortable tracking activity, maintaining accurate records and reporting on performance. Able to work independently, take ownership and proactively identify opportunities.

Highly Advantageous

Previous experience within healthcare, behavioural health, ABA, therapy services, medical services or a related environment. Experience developing physician, specialist or healthcare referral networks. Existing understanding of the ABA ecosystem and the journey families go through when seeking services. Experience working with CRM, lead management or referral tracking systems. Healthcare or ABA experience is advantageous but not essential. We are equally interested in strong business development professionals from other industries who can demonstrate an exceptional ability to build professional networks, develop trusted relationships and generate measurable results.