At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead client services, drive retention, and coach teams to excel in marketing.
- Company: Join Create Engage, a dynamic marketing partner for ambitious consultancies.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, 36 days holiday, and a clear career path.
- Other info: Be part of a team that values ownership, quality, and laughter every day.
- Why this job: Shape client success and agency growth in a fun, collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership, strategic thinking, and strong client management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Are you a leader who sets the pace, elevates client relationships, and drives standards across a client services function? If you're comfortable steering the strategic direction of a marketing agency one moment and coaching your teams to be the best marketers they can be the next, you may have found your dream role.
We're looking for a strategic, commercially-minded Client Services Lead to own client retention, lead our client services function, and set the bar for delivery quality across the business. This is a role for someone who thinks big and acts decisively. Someone who can zoom out to understand our growth trajectory, then zoom in to coach Account Directors, shape client outcomes, and ensure their pods are firing on all cylinders.
At Create Engage, we don't do passive management. You'll lead from the front, set the operating rhythm, spot risks early, and challenge clients and colleagues alike with honesty and care. Our clients are CEO-level leaders of founder-led consultancies. They don't need a supplier managing deliverables, they need a genuine marketing partner who brings the agenda, tells the truth about the data, and pushes back when instinct is pulling them the wrong way.
If you thrive in a dynamic environment, are calm under pressure, and want to shape both client success and agency growth, this role could be for you.
What will you be doing?
- Owning client retention and health: Take full responsibility for driving client retention, with a clear system to measure and maintain client health across the portfolio.
- Embedding our Growth OS: Champion and roll out our Growth Operating System consistently across all client accounts, ensuring all active clients are on the operating rhythm within 90 days.
- Driving client outcomes: Act as the senior strategic presence across all pods, joining Quarterly Marketing Reviews and key moments, and ensuring every client is challenged, not just served.
- Leading and developing Account Directors: Coach, develop, and hold your ADs accountable; build strategic challenge as a team-wide skill, not a senior privilege.
- Owning financial performance: Drive gross margin improvement through disciplined scope management, AI adoption, and process efficiency.
- Setting the operating rhythm: Define and enforce the weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence that keeps pods aligned, accountable, and performing.
- Supporting new business: Contribute to pitches and proposals, and produce the client retention data and case studies that support commercial growth.
What's in it for you?
- A competitive salary (£60,000 - £80,000 per year based on experience)
- Hybrid working - 2 days a week in our Bristol office
- 36 days holiday + annual company break
- A clear path to Head of Client Services as we scale
- A genuinely great place to work - collaborative, ambitious, and fun
What makes you the ideal candidate?
- You walk into client meetings as a marketing leader, not a service provider waiting for direction.
- You build high-trust, high-performance environments - giving honest feedback, tackling difficult conversations, and bringing energy and empathy in equal measure.
- You run your pods with commercial and operational rigour, thinking about margin, scope, and growth, not just delivery.
- You coach others to form their own views and own their recommendations independently.
- You are proactive by instinct, you don't wait to be asked, and you follow through without being chased.
Key skills to succeed:
- Leadership and coaching: Guide ADs, set standards, and build team capability
- Strategic challenge: Bring the agenda, interpret data honestly, and push clients constructively
- Client management: Build deep, trusted relationships with CEO-level stakeholders
- Operational excellence: Run a tight operating rhythm and manage performance across pods
- Commercial acumen: Protect margin, manage scope, and spot growth opportunities
- Quality ownership: Define, uphold, and improve delivery standards across the function
Who are Create Engage?
Create Engage is a marketing partner for ambitious boutique consultancies. We are not a traditional agency. We are an outsourced marketing team, embedded in our clients' businesses, working as part of their team, not as a supplier responding to briefs.
We do this through our Growth Operating System: a joined-up framework across Growth Strategy, Demand Engine, Pipeline Management, and Success Infrastructure that turns marketing into predictable, measurable momentum.
Our five values are non-negotiable: We Make It Remarkable. We Delight With Detail. We Always Take Ownership. We Win As One. We Laugh Every Day.
Ready to make the move? If this sounds like your ideal role, we'd love to hear from you. Please send: A one-page cover letter explaining why you're a great fit for Create Engage and how you can help us grow. Your CV (no more than two pages) with "Create Engage" in the footer. Deadline: applications close on 24th April 2026. Not sure you tick every box? Apply anyway. Great people rarely realise how great they are — let us spot your potential.
Client Services Lead (SAD/GAD/HoCS) in Bristol employer: Create Engage
At Create Engage, we pride ourselves on fostering a vibrant work culture that champions high standards, autonomy, and genuine fun. As a Client Services Lead, you'll enjoy a competitive salary, hybrid working arrangements in our Bristol office, and ample holiday time, all while having a clear path for career advancement to Head of Client Services. Join us in shaping a collaborative and ambitious environment where your leadership can truly make an impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Client Services Lead (SAD/GAD/HoCS) in Bristol
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its clients. Understand their values and how they operate. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills and experiences align with the role of Client Services Lead. Highlight your leadership style and how you can elevate client relationships while driving standards across the function.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the role. Plus, it keeps you on their radar as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Client Services Lead (SAD/GAD/HoCS) in Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Make it personal and specific to Create Engage. Highlight how your leadership style aligns with our values and how you can elevate client relationships.
Tailor Your CV:Keep your CV concise and relevant. Focus on your experience in client management and coaching, and don’t forget to sprinkle in some examples of how you've driven results in previous roles.
Showcase Your Strategic Mindset:We love candidates who think big! In your application, demonstrate your ability to zoom out for the bigger picture while also zooming in to coach teams effectively. This balance is key for us.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Create Engage
✨Know Your Client Services Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the specifics of client services and how they relate to marketing agencies. Understand the key metrics for client retention and health, as well as the importance of building strong relationships with CEO-level stakeholders. This knowledge will help you speak confidently about how you can elevate client relationships.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Be prepared to discuss your leadership approach and how you coach teams to achieve their best. Think of specific examples where you've guided Account Directors or similar roles, focusing on how you foster a high-trust environment and encourage strategic challenge within your team.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Acumen
Highlight your experience in managing financial performance and driving gross margin improvement. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed scope and identified growth opportunities in previous roles. This will show that you understand the commercial side of client services, which is crucial for this position.
✨Emphasise Your Proactive Nature
Prepare to share instances where you've taken initiative without waiting for direction. Discuss how you follow through on tasks and ensure accountability within your team. This aligns perfectly with the role's requirement for someone who is proactive by instinct and can lead from the front.
