Senior Client Programme Manager - FTC

The Senior Client Programme Manager sits within the Client Development team and has the experience, skill, and passion to help to create and embed a culture of excellent client experience and relationship management across the Firm. Reporting directly to the Head of Client Development & Relationships, you will deliver client service excellence frameworks and advice to our partners, client teams and Client Development Managers and Managers on our programmes covering key account management, strategic targeting, client listening, alumni, and winning work through intermediaries. You will equip our partners and staff with best practice support in this area. You will utilise the support from across the Client Development & Marketing function - leading on the specifics of our client feedback, advanced account management and strategic planning as well as integrating the use of client and market insights, Knowledge, and tailored thought leadership into the account management process.

The role will also deliver integrated programmes in support of our Intermediary and Alumni initiatives, support the Firm's strategic ambitions, and ensure that a culture of Client Relationship Management (CRM) is championed across the Firm. In addition, the role is responsible for championing the best practice use of our CRM system, InterAction. The role will include line management of that team.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Work with the head of CD& Relationships on the structure and reporting of our key client listening themes and action plans. Ensuring client feedback is cascaded and follow up is in place where appropriate. This can also include proposing presenting new processes that need to be established.
• Establish best practice approaches on integrating client listening themes into firm wide business planning.
• Establish the process for senior management to conduct annual client reviews for major firm clients
• Attend or lead client and pitch feedback meetings as appropriate

Client Targeting

• Work with CDM's to establish a best practice framework for global divisional client targeting
• Support the CD Managers and Senior Managers in managing their key local relationships for both clients and intermediaries that sit outside the key client programme

Key account management

• With Head of CD & Relationships and Finance team, review list of key clients annually and propose changes.
• Set up key account management best practice, including supporting fee earners assigned to the accounts, as well as driving specific client accounts.
• Oversee creation and maintenance of toolkits for CD team members
• Develop and maintain reporting on developments with the key client "Elevate" programme, to ensure this is connected to the Firms wider strategic client focus areas.
• Create and implement integrated account plan frameworks, aligning client teams, industry groups, and services to increase the firm's share of client legal spend and drive revenue growth.
• Lead client team meetings, build relationships with key client decision-makers, and provide guidance to partners on maintaining and mapping critical client connections.
• Working with other business services departments on devising frameworks for in-depth client research, tracking financial performance, and leverage CRM systems to identify opportunities. Working with the BI team to ensure regular intelligence reports are being utilised and actively support key objectives.
• Assist in creating client proposals and presentations and promote best practices within the team.

Intermediaries & Alumni Programmes

• Working with the other Relationship Managers, lead our Intermediary Programme, and look for opportunities to grow and develop this moving forward.
• Work closely with the partner sponsor of this programme, developing new approaches
• Working with Marketing on our thriving Alumni programme to help identify referral revenue opportunities.

Communication and influencing

• Regularly present at Committee meetings and other office or practice meetings to convince partners and associates of the benefits of the various programmes
• Keep practice CD teams abreast of developments in best practice
• Work closely with Finance team and Client Data team to create reports that deliver value to client and intermediary teams and to seek effective use of technology to track and communicate trends.

Other

• Comply with all relevant legal and regulatory obligations including the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Standards and Regulations, and Principles.

Person Specification

• Proven experience in supporting key client programmes
• In-depth experience in advising partners on managing client teams
• Experience in creating and disseminating best practice approaches and toolkits for managing client and referrer relationships
• Experience in developing and implementing successful client account plans
• Professional services experience, ideally in a law firm
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities, and to introduce process efficiencies
• Ability to produce high quality written outputs, templates, trends papers and presentations
• Commercial outlook, tenacity, and ability to bring new ideas. We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic, and flexible and wants to deliver award winning client service
• Highly organised project manager and effective communicator, able to influence at all levels
• Understanding of client data and financials, and ability to define and present reports to support decision making
• A deep understanding of the referrals process and the tracking reciprocal relationships
• Detailed understanding of CRM systems and best practice in this area
• Energetic, resilient, with the gravitas to lead and develop client teams. A self-starter - comfortable in making recommendations to internal clients, managing workload, and making stand alone decisions
• One of the main key factors for success in this role is close collaboration with colleagues in the Client Development & Marketing team, wider resource functions and the business. The candidate must demonstrate the ability to create long lasting, trusted relationships both internally and externally.
• Working together
• Integrity and respect
• Inclusive
• Personal impact and growth
• Driving high standards
• Client - centric
• Responsible Business

Hybrid working

We adopt a hybrid and flexible working approach, dependent on the requirements of the role and subject to manager approval.