Client Operations Specialist (Internal Account Manager) in Reading

AHEAD builds platforms for digital business.

By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard.

We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.

We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD.

Role Overview

We are looking for a commercially aware Client Operations Specialist (COS), to manage and support UK and European relationships of our existing enterprise clients.

Our clients include globally recognised organisations across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, financial services, legal services, and entertainment.

This role requires building and maintaining strong relationships with a range of stakeholders, including internal teams, client contacts, and external vendors and suppliers.

From time to time, the role may involve client engagement activities such as attending meetings, meals, or industry events.

Working within a small, collaborative team, supporting operational sales processes including vendor registrations, quotation preparation, and order processing.

The role requires excellent attention to detail, strong organisational skills, and confidence working with high-value transactions (often involving six-figure sums) whilst being comfortable working within a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a consistent UK-based contact for sales coordination and customer service support.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing clients and key internal stakeholders.
• Continually develop knowledge of the IT industry, relevant technologies, and market trends.
• Maintain effective relationships with channel partners, manufacturers, and distribution partners.
• Collaborate with Pre-Sales and external Sales teams to support revenue generation and deliver high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Work closely with the Sales Operations team to manage shared workloads, ensure timely turnaround of quotations and configurations, and promote a collaborative team culture.
• Provide administrative and operational sales support to the global sales team and, where appropriate, directly to customers.
• Work with manufacturers and distribution partners to configure solutions, obtain pricing, and process product orders.
• Complete vendor registrations, pricing requests, and related administrative requirements with accuracy.
• Obtain and maintain relevant product certifications. The company will provide and fund the necessary training programs and examination fees.
• Share knowledge and provide internal training to colleagues where appropriate.
• Assist with the preparation and presentation of proposals and tender responses (including RFPs and RFIs) where required.

Essential

• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong time management and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced sales environment.
• Ability to work independently when required, including when working from home.
• Experience working with high-value commercial transactions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Power Point, as well as Salesforce or similar CRM systems.
• Experience supporting enterprise or blue-chip clients with annual expenditure in excess of £1 million.

Desirable

• Experience using vendor registration and pricing systems such as Cisco, Dell, Juniper, Palo Alto, HPE, & Nutanix.
• Previous experience managing or supporting large corporate client accounts.
• Experience working for a medium-to-large IT reseller or channel partner.
• Strong working knowledge of Salesforce would be highly desirable.
• Working Hours

The standard working hours for this role are 9.00 am to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday.

This role operates on a hybrid working model, typically with two days working from home.

Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support business needs or client activities.

Travel

The role may require up to 10% travel, which may occasionally include international travel.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application.

Please note that this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship, and we are therefore unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings (“OTE”) for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount.

This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

Why AHEAD

Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.

We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.

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