Client Services Director

At a pivotal moment in the development of our studio we are looking for a Client Services Director to step in to the commercial heart of our business. You will become a lynchpin in our drive to be a benchmark 21st creative agency aligned to the values of the B-Corp movement.

Why You Are Here:

You make sure that all of our clients trust us, advocate for us, and stay with us as their careers flourish and develop. You take responsibility for client retention and growth, collaboratively setting and achieving client revenue targets and measuring and maintaining client satisfaction. You represent the voice of the client and their businesses within the studio and steer client service and project teams towards meeting and exceeding clients' expectations, making the most of the amazing capabilities and services of the wider team.

Your focus is on developing a deep understanding of our clients, their motivations and needs to ensure we maintain a competitive position, provide great service, build loyalty and ultimately build highly profitable and successful client relationships. Client loyalty gives a high return on the time, effort and money we invest in providing excellent service and high quality output.

You establish and uphold ways of working for the client services team, ensuring smooth running of process to a high standard.

Who You Are:

You are a trusted advisor to our clients. You naturally develop relationships with our senior clients and help to guide them to solutions appropriate for their needs.

Your Relevant Experience:

You have strong experience working across multiple project types and creative opportunities. You will be able to demonstrate a wealth of client and project management in a creative industry setting.

About The Client Services Team:

The Client Services team is the anchor for every project and works across a range of different accounts in multiple sectors. From initial briefing to project delivery, we enhance the productivity of the wider studio to ensure work is completed on schedule, within budget and exceeds our client's expectations.

Our strong, strategic and trustful relationships with clients enable the studio to partner with them effectively. We champion the skillsets of our exciting multidisciplinary team and strive to align all project briefs with Here's philosophy and mission.

Progressive Team Leadership:

• Responsible for the overall team structure, hiring, resourcing, development of knowledge and skills (particularly in client service), for setting stretching goals and motivating the full team to achieve them.

• Lead direct reports (Account Directors) to ensure that the Client Services team is adhering to efficient processes, delivering best in class client experiences and delivering high calibre projects that meet both client and Here's needs.

Strategic:

• Build deep client knowledge and insight to inform business strategy and development as part of the Brand Team e.g. client purchasing criteria, purchasing influences, perceptions of Here and competitor activity. Actively solicit external views on the value of partnering with Here to understand our market position and develop our competitive advantage.

Revenue Generation and Client Development:

• Set client service KPIs and revenue targets for the team across all accounts. Work closely with Account Directors and Account Managers to grow accounts commercially, creatively and in line with our mission.

• Collaborate with the Head of Business Development to maximise new business opportunities within existing client accounts and share best practice in the team.

• Oversee the development and execution of client development plans.

• Work with the team to respond to client briefs demonstrating the value working with Here brings. Proactively identify new project ideas for clients and strategise on how we can add even more value to their business.

• Assist on delivering pitches and proposals to clients and to secure new projects for the agency.

• Build and champion products and offers specific to each of the disciplines within the studio and coordinate approaches to selling these in to existing clients.

Truly Exceptional Client Service:

• Lead the team of Account Directors and Account Managers in building trusting, valuable long-term client relationships that turn our clients into advocates for Here.

• Build exceptional client care into our business strategy. Design, deliver and monitor the 'client experience' to live up to the expectation of our luxury client base. Communicate and advocate for the principles that drive this approach.

Issue Resolution and Improvement:

• Be the senior point of escalation for clients and the main communicator with clients in issue resolution. Own and lead efforts to spot potential issues ahead of time and devise plans to limit impact or make improvements.

• Monitor, analyse and report on client account health e.g. satisfaction, revenue performance. Identify issues impacting relationships, service delivery and income (e.g. poor process, communication, quality).

• Draw on others to drive mitigating solutions, reduce risk, repair relationships and safeguard revenue.

Guardian of Processes and Ways of Working:

• Own and develop a wide range of processes and reporting practices for the Client Services team including revenue forecasting, pipeline management, delivery of statements of work and invoicing. Communicate progress and challenges transparently and appropriately in weekly, monthly and quarterly forums.

• Lead client contract negotiations, working closely with the Head of Finance on robust Ts and Cs and communicating key terms of engagement to appropriate team members.

Technical Skills:

• Confident and articulate communication

• Financial and commercial acumen

• Analytical with a high level of numeracy

• Attention to detail, thorough documentation and formality in processes

• Expertise in the use of Microsoft Suite

• Skilled in the use of workflow, project management and presentation software

Place in the team:

Reports to Managing Director and Partners.

Your role also sits in the Governance Team. You are a key member in ensuring the business stays on track.

About the Governance Team:

The Governance Team is a cross-functional leadership team with overall responsibility for good governance; maintaining the discipline of a well-run organisation. They ensure we pursue our mission and purpose with clear commercial outcomes, establishing and working to agreed controls and frameworks in order to be a profitable business.

The Governance Team thinks about the now and the next, ensuring the business functions on a daily basis whilst being future focused and strategic in its ambition to grow influence and impact. They ensure all parts of the business are seen to have equal value and have equal responsibility for delivering the mission.

The Governance Team upholds Here's B-Corp Commitments by integrating the needs of Here's stakeholders (workers, clients, communities and the environment) into how we plan and make decisions, both at formal Governance Team level and in the business day to day.

Working Here:

• 4.5 day week (09:30-18:00 Monday-Thursday, 09:30-13:30 on Fridays)

• Catered Friday Lunches every other week

• £100 gift on your birthday

• Summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas social events

• Free weekly yoga

• Extensive programme of cultural events incl. paid exhibition visits

• Vitality healthcare incl. free cinema tickets and 50% off a pair of sports shoes

• Cycle to work scheme and in-studio bike storage

• Discretionary bonus

• Individual training budget

• 20 days holiday, increasing to 25 days holiday after 5 years' service

• Studio closed between Christmas and New Year's

• Tailored professional development plan

• Access to free therapy sessions with Self Space

Please Note:

It is likely that the interview process will involve an initial online introductory meeting with shortlisted candidates then invited for an in-person meeting.