Client Relationship Manager

New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Washington DC, Seattle

Summary

A Global California based Law Firm is seeking a Client Relationship Manager who will be responsible for establishing, building and strengthening the firm’s relationship and connection with the firm’s institutional clients. The Manager will work with partners, matter teams, and clients to manage all aspects of the relationship for one or more major clients. This position can be based in any of our U.S. office locations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with practice group leaders and business professionals to strategically evaluate and identify needs, resources, and areas of opportunities for institutional clients.
• Liaise with subject matter experts to facilitate the development and implementation of technology; managing projects and related staffing solutions to drive efficiency and high-quality results.
• Work closely with practice management to support the management of workflow through coordination and tracking of staffing across assigned client matters.
• Manage project budgeting/forecasting and comparison against actual time and billing, as well as project calendaring, timeline and milestone development.
• Create project plans, estimate the resources needed to achieve project goals, and lead the budget-creation process.
• Collaborate with attorney and paralegal teams to compile and disseminate data/summaries reports; prepare presentation materials as needed.
• Collaborate with other administrative departments, such as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to track and coordinate efforts aligned with assigned clients.
• Review firm’s joint pro bono opportunities to heighten visibility and identify client opportunities.
• Manage annual calendar and applicable deadlines for specific institutional client relationships, and coordinate future summits.
• Routinely collaborate with firm’s practice groups to coordinate fee and retainer negotiations, responses, and track utilization throughout the year.
• Prepare and disseminate quarterly updates.
• Prepare audit responses and collaborate with legal personnel management to coordinate secondments.
• Collaborate and serve as point of contact for the Outside Counsel Guidelines (OCG) management team, preparing communications to internal teams; coordinating new processes; managing profiles and tracking reviews.
• Work with Continuing Legal Education (CLE) team to identify and track opportunities for assigned clients.
• Coordinate client events and planning, including invite list development, marketing/promotion, vendor selection and management, execution and post-event participant engagement (i.e. Meet & Greet, Client Appreciation).
• Spearhead annual and quarterly review deliverables that highlight milestones and successes, improved efficiencies, DE&I progress, pro bono projects, goals and initiatives.

Requirements

• Strong customer service orientation with superior communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage effectively with both external and internal cliental at all levels.
• Experience with account management or key client programs within professional services organization.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work and maintain a strategic client service focus.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships, and aptitude for building consensus and facilitating change.
• Excellent project management, organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to multi-task, handle stringent deadlines and deal with frequent changes, delays or unexpected events.
• Highly motivated, proactive self-starter that demonstrates ownership, commitment to the job, initiative and strong work ethic.
• Demonstrated sound judgment and discretion as to confidential and sensitive matters.
• Understanding of legal industry, especially large law firm practices.
• Understanding of firm’s cliental and competitive landscape; ability to analyze, interpret and provide insight to client teams.
• Ability to work independently and as a collaborative member of a team.
• Ability to travel as needed.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook), with the ability to learn new software applications quickly.
• The qualified candidate will have account management and/or customer relationship management experience in a law firm or professional services environment. Experience servicing clients in the technology sector a plus. Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or JD preferred.