Senior Client Manager

Purpose of Role
To provide strategic advice and support across our key client portfolio, working closely with the Client Insight Team and wider BD team to deliver on the strategic focus of client experience as a differentiator for building profitable and sustainable relationships. We provide drive and focus on revenue generating initiatives with the clients, focusing on our go‑to‑market offering leveraging CMS’s firmwide groups, sectors and UK and international offices. To support and further improve the firm’s Client Management projects including the client secondment programme, client insight programme, Innovation and DEIB. To provide coaching and mentoring advice to junior BD team members on client management excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for providing hands‑on support for a number of the firm’s strategic key accounts, particularly in the financial services sector. Core areas of focus will be to increase revenues, work flows and deepen client relationships.
• Capture and share client information around relationship investment, meetings, work, billings, client news and creating new opportunities.
• Ensure these strategic key accounts run according to the Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
• This is a client‑facing role and the candidate will be expected to have worked and collaborated directly with large institutional strategic clients.
• Plan, strategise and implement international client plans, including revenue and relationship development goals.
• Conduct client listening via the Client Insight programme to promote dialogue with clients, enhancing our understanding of client needs, priorities, challenges and opportunities.
• Use traditional client feedback methodology and promote alternative creative client engagement approaches.
• Act as primary contact for client on panel pitches, especially for procurement and legal operations.
• Work with the strategic pitch team and manage bids where necessary, including pricing proposals, RFP content, presentation rehearsals and win/loss reviews.
• Work with the Client Management team and across the firm to identify creative and cost‑efficient ways to engage with clients beyond day‑to‑day legal advice.
• Support the Client Management team on strategic projects to improve the client experience through improved internal processes, including showcasing client relationship management best practices and collaboration with LPOM and LegalTech teams.
• Support the firm’s client secondments programme, defining budgeting process and criteria, engaging with clients to ensure forecasting and strategic placements, and managing day‑to‑day activities such as pre‑briefs, touch‑point programmes and de‑briefs upon completion.
• Provide support for any other initiatives aimed at enhancing the firm’s client relationships or as requested by the Head of Clients & New Business.

Key Requirements

• Technical Competence
  Experience in all aspects of Business Development and Marketing, including client relationship management, client targeting, pitching, event management and campaigns. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Understanding of the IT packages/systems necessary to perform the role. Ability to build strong working relationships with partners and staff at all levels within the firm and with external vendors. Experience in a client‑facing capacity, preferably in the financial services sector.
• Analytical skills
  Grasp, retain and analyse complex information and concepts; pays good attention to detail. Ability to present complex information and concepts clearly and concisely. Strong numerical skills.
• Communication style and approach
  Excellent listening skills and checks for understanding wherever necessary. Professional verbal and non‑verbal behaviour with clients and colleagues.
• Other
  Plan and organise time; works to given timeframes and balances work well to meet goals and objectives. Identifies issues, risks and conflicts and asks for assistance and/or delegates appropriately when required in a timely and constructive manner. Adheres to, and seeks to improve established processes and procedures, where appropriate.

Benefits
We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, so we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name a few, these include:

• Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
• Flexible, hybrid working policy
• Generous bonus scheme
• Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
• Holiday exchange scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced parental leave
• Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.