Client Relationship Manager

Ashurst's Client, Market's & Growth (CMG) team is located in major cities across EMEA, Asia Pacific and the US. We execute the firm's strategy and drive profitable growth with a specific focus on our chosen industries, markets and clients. We focus on industry solutions and client experience, driving campaigns, leveraging client insights, and managing strategic initiatives to service our client's needs.

The role of the Client Relationship Manager (CRM) constitutes a leadership role within the Regional team and is primarily responsible for proactively driving purposeful, impactful collaboration and client engagement, leading to excellence in client performance, diversification of relationships and strategic growth.

This role will focus on driving growth for a portfolio of Regional Priority Clients, working closely with the relevant Client Relationship Partners (CRPs) and Client Support Team.

The position requires close collaboration with Industry and Regional Managers, Client Relationship Partners and the broader Clients, Markets and Growth function to bring a comprehensive "whole of Firm" approach to our clients.

Core Responsibilities

There are six core areas of focus for this role:

1. Voice of Client

Seeking and interpreting the voice of our clients is an essential element of relationship management. The CRM is responsible for undertaking, interpreting and responding to appropriate client listening and feedback activities.

• Proactively arranging and attending client listening sessions (including general relationship feedback and specific feedback related to major matters and/or pitches)


• Arranging for client insights to be captured, synthesised and fed back into the firm's Voice of Client insights program.


• Regularly reporting back to CRPs on results, trends, opportunities and risks identified, taking a leadership role in developing a response in collaboration with CRPs.


2. Client Engagement

The role of a CRM is not purely operational. CRMs are empowered to work with CRPs in an appropriate client-facing capacity.

• Build your own relationships with strategic contacts at the Regional Priority Clients you support, supporting CRPs as a primary Ashurst relationship contact at the client.


• Be the central contact point for panel arrangements, client operations and billing and pro bono/inclusion, diversity & belonging (ID&B) initiatives. This includes positioning within the internal client team as the expert across these areas for clients within your portfolio.


• Act as an internal advocate/voice of the client in decision-making amongst the CRPs and Client Support Team.


• Confidently facilitate (host) social and training related engagements between the client and the firm.


3. Performance Excellence

Driving client performance is a fundamental part of the CRM role. CRMs are empowered to take a leadership role in monitoring and driving client performance excellence by:

• Understanding and curiously reviewing firm reporting.


• Demonstrating an ability to articulate financial and other performance challenges.


• Collaborating with CRPs to drive behaviour and process change to achieve or exceed performance benchmarks.


To support this, a CRM should:

• Have a thorough understanding of the suite of client reports (financial and activity) and the various key metrics which comprise the firms priority client performance measurements (KPIs/OKRs and financial metrics).


• Throughout the account planning process, to work collaboratively with CRPs and other stakeholders to set relevant performance improvement KPIs/OKRs.


• Work with the Ashurst Service Central (ASC) and other internal teams to ensure regular high quality financial and non-financial reports for clients and internal stakeholders.


• Collaborate with CRP(s) to proactively review the client's revenue, profit and working capital profile, and identify areas for improvement.


4. Strategic Planning

CRMs play a key role in facilitating and managing multi-dimensional account planning processes. This incorporates driving the annual relationship review and recalibration around the strategic focus of each Regional Priority Client. CRMs are also responsible for the firm's response to key opportunities or risks identified throughout the course of the year, considering alignment to strategic priorities.

• With the CRPs and client teams, develop the client strategy, to drive performance excellence and profitable revenue growth.


• Identify client needs and opportunities, including through the Voice of the Client program, and develop and implement strategies to convert key opportunities.


• Proactively manage strategically important pursuit opportunities,, working with the Global Pitch team and internal teams to ensure pitches are delivered on time and to the highest standards.


5. Market and Industry Insights

CRMs are required to maintain a robust understanding of market and industry insights across their client portfolio. This includes high levels of collaboration with the Industry team, as well as Consulting & Governance and Ashurst Advance, ensuring the Regional Priority Client portfolio is being proactively engaged around challenges or opportunities facing similar organisations.

• Proactively guaranteeing that CRPs and Client Support Teams have a clear understanding of client priorities, ensuring we are responsive to client needs and bringing insight regarding our clients' most pressing issues and opportunities.


• Personally identify and propose market opportunities to generate client insights to develop the client relationship.


• Promote and facilitate sharing of client insight, movements and intelligence across the client teams.


• Work with the CRPs, and relevant Industry Chairs, Industry CMG team and Expertise Lawyers to develop and execute a thought leadership strategy, designed to reinforce our drive towards market leadership.


• Be the 'centre of clients and market information' by maintaining a deep connection and collaboration with the relevant Industry CMG teams and anticipate key client priorities and future themes and opportunities.


6. Internal Coordination and Resource Management

A primary aspect to the CRM role is facilitating the coordination of internal process and client engagement. This involves leveraging the resources across the firm to ensure highest and best use of various teams and individuals involved in delivering 'excellence'.

• Facilitate a coordinated, joined-up and cohesive team and promote CRM best practice.


• Work with CRPs to develop an engaged and motivated Client Support Team that aligns to, and supports, key priorities.


• Coach partners and lawyers to maximise CRM effectiveness while leveraging the firm's key initiatives and cross-practice service offerings.


• Ensure that all client activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with our regulatory requirements, internal policies as well as the delivery of Relationship Agreement commitments including coordination of secondments, pricing agreements and other value add services.


• Actively manage BD budget and spend, ensuring alignment of spend to strategic objectives and return on investment.
  
  Demonstrated experience in managing multiple clients with proven results in developing strong client relationships and driving opportunities that directly contribute to revenue.


• Client account management or similar relevant experience, gained within law or another professional services environment.


• Previous experience in a client facing capacity, including client listening experience.


• Strategic thinker but also willing to roll up their sleeves.


• Ability to influence credibly and effectively at all levels of the organisation (including partners) with strong executive presence.


• Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to build trusting relationships with the partnership and business services.


• Inherent drive to succeed, and proven ability to develop and execute solutions to short term barriers and setbacks.


• Flexibility and willingness to go the extra mile.
  
  Ashurst is a leading progressive global law firm with a rich history spanning more than 200 years. We are proud of our history and are future-focused, having expanded into new technologies through our NewLaw division, Ashurst Advance, and our consulting arm. Our in-depth understanding of our clients and commitment to providing excellent standards of service have seen us become a trusted adviser to local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments in all areas of commercial law. To find out more please visit www.ashurst.com


In order to comply with regulatory and client requirements, Ashurst will undertake appropriate vetting of staff. When applicants accept a job offer, Ashurst, alongside a specialist provider, will undertake professional verification and background checks. These checks are only undertaken with consent, and in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.