Previous Opportunities

Since its launch, the department has built an annuity book of business of £2m p.a across a number of clients from a wide range of sectors. This is an impressive first 9 months of trading for a start-up business within the firm and there are significant growth plans for the coming years.

The business area is a powerful asset and we have received very positive feedback from clients. For those working in the team, the department has provided the opportunity to develop a broad skill set that is focused on building and managing client relationships that go well beyond any specific technical specialism, developing sales strategies and plans, co-ordinating tenders and building opportunity pipelines and strategic account plans that provide an opportunity to cross sell services to clients.

The department also provides experience in many areas that will be important for the professional adviser of the future including understanding managed service offerings and the evolving use of technology in providing our services. Given the business area significant growth plans and being a priority for the firm, the team also regularly works closely with senior members of the firm’s leadership.

 Client Relationship Manager

 Key responsibilities

 Contract management 

• Managing a number of contracts, including the client interface and in a supervisory service delivery role.
• Proactively managing service delivery risk across those contracts, through the use of issue and risk logs and the implementation of escalation processes.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with key contract stakeholders (internal and external) and ensuring effective and timely communication.
• Manage contract governance including adherence to agreed process and procedures
• Manage contract reporting against service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) ensuring timely resolution of issues
• Provide guidance and support to peers, colleagues and clients on contractual issues, and oversee local fee and scope negotiations
• Setting clear objectives and expectations for junior team members including day-to-day responsibility for the management of offshore team members.

 Business development and proposal assistance

• Working with the Go-to-market Leads to support pursuit and proposal activities, including attending and participating in client meeting and calls, owning and driving follow up actions from meetings, including drafting proposals, managing client lists, preparing information packs prior to client meetings and reviewing Interaction.
• Running pricing exercises (including collating quotes, managing different services and timetables) and being a part of the presentation team at client pitches.
• Price, review, manage and lead inbound proposals including answering queries from overseas teams.
• Provide demonstration of technology to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Promote services to internal teams through ‘lunch and learn’ or ‘peer-to-peer’ learning sessions.
• Identify opportunities for company services and or extensions for existing clients.

 Finance

• Reviewing budgets and resourcing requirements on a regular basis and supporting the
• Absolute lead in meeting the margin goals for the accounts.
• Billing UK fees according to agreed contract billing schedule.

 Quality and Risk Management

• Supporting the Absolute lead on Quality & Risk Management (QRM) matters, overseeing implementation and adherence to agreed processes, procedures and timetables.
• Liaising with Tax QRM and legal teams in the resolution of client service management issues.
• Maintaining the specified contractual framework and supporting agreements for all engagements.

 Compliance methodology

• Sharing successful tools, techniques and approaches with other Absolute team members.
• Project managing small Absolute marketing projects

 Skill and attributes for success

• Can work with minimal supervision to make decisions and progress activities
• Strong client relationship management skills with ability to develop quality outputs to clients
• Negotiation skills, able to sustain opinion and handle challenges
• Business development skills, able to identify and convert opportunities to sell work
  Effective time management, ability to remain calm when under pressure to meet deadlines
• Experience of coaching and developing more junior staff
• Ensure delivery of quality work and take day to day leadership of delivery team
• Change orientated with flexible approach
• Proactive committed team player
• Excellent written, communication, active listening and presentation skills
• Ability to co-ordinate multiple projects and initiatives simultaneously through effective prioritisation, organisation, flexibility and self discipline
• Must have demonstrated project management skills, plan and prioritise work, meet deadlines, monitor own budget
• Previous experience of working on process improvement projects would be desirable but not essential.

 To qualify for the role, you must:

• Be proficient in Microsoft Office (especially Excel and PowerPoint) and have experience of managing client relationship databases/tools
• Be an excellent communicator in a range of situations, both written and oral
• Be enthusiastic and have a flexible attitude to work

 For a confidential discussion about the opportunity please contact Sarah Maguire on 0141 212 7555.