Client Manager

Our client is seeking an ambitious, commercially driven Client Manager to join their team based in Hemel Hempstead.

Working within the independent schools sector, the Group delivers construction, refurbishment, furniture and estates consultancy through four complementary brands: school consultancy, research and masterplanning, education construction and major projects, refurbishment and interior fit-out and specialist furniture

The Client Manager owns a UK territory and takes projects from a qualified lead through to the sign-off that hands a project to delivery. The work is complex, consultative and can be long long-cycle, with several stakeholders and often committee approval.

This role adds capacity and depth to the active pipeline, working alongside primarily Marketing and Business Development colleagues. Success means a pipeline that is accurate, moving and forecastable.
You will most likely spend 2 days in the office, and 3 days out on the road

Key responsibilities

Territory

• Own a UK territory and the clients in it.
• Build relationships with heads, bursars, governors and estates directors, those who usually form an SLT within independent schools.

Pipeline

• Take projects from qualified lead to signed sign-off.
• Keep the pipeline accurate, stage-gated and up to date in our CRM, logging every call, meeting and next step against the four-digit deal ID.
• Work the pre-holiday windows that drive our calendar.

Pitching

• Lead proposals with pre-construction and design colleagues.
• Present to senior audiences, and handle six and seven figure discussions with confidence.

Repeat business

• Grow furniture reorders alongside new projects, working with Furnish.

• Credibility and demonstrable experience selling long lead, at times complex, consultancy, design, fit out or new build contracts / services into Education B2B clients (State, Independent, College, University)
• Experience of several decision-makers and committee approval.
• Comfortable discussing six and seven figure projects.
• Commercially sharp: qualifies hard and understands the difference between real pipeline and hopeful pipeline.
• Disciplined in CRM and reporting.
• Experience running outbound and business development activity.
• Experience in an owner-managed or growing SME
• Direct and evidence-led. Constructively challenges.
• Organised, with grip: follows through and does not let deals drift.
• Pragmatic, comfortable in a growing business rather than a large corporate.

• Base salary: £80,000
• Bonus: based on team results, such as won value and margin.
• Company car