Client Account Lead - Aviation

Jacobs; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global infrastructure firm is seeking a Client Account Lead to manage significant aviation clients, including major airports. This role requires proven experience in client management and strategic business development, with a strong focus on building relationships and driving growth initiatives. The successful candidate will thrive in a hybrid work environment and contribute to innovative solutions and sustainability in aviation. An exciting opportunity to influence the future of travel infrastructure awaits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

24 days holiday + option to buy 10 more

Robust pension contributions

Comprehensive health coverage

Enhanced parental leave

Wellness apps access

Professional development support

Qualifications

• Proven experience in client account management or strategic business development.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to shape strategy.
• Established relationships within aviation or major infrastructure sectors.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement client account growth plans.
• Build deep, strategic relationships with key stakeholders.
• Identify high-value opportunities to drive success.

Skills

Client account management

Strategic business development

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder influence

Cross-functional team development

Passion for innovation

Tools

CRM / CSP digital tools

Job description

Client Account Lead - Aviation

As our Client Account Lead, you'll be the trusted advisor and primary point of contact for some of the UK's most significant aviation clients, including major airports like Heathrow.

You’ll direct strategic growth initiatives, shape client relationships, and deliver exceptional outcomes that redefine what's possible in aviation infrastructure.

Your role will influence the future of connected, sustainable travel by aligning client needs with Jacobs' global capabilities.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Develop and implement client account growth plans aligned with Jacobs' strategy
• Build deep, strategic relationships with key decision-makers and stakeholders
• Identify and capture high-value opportunities, driving commercial success
• Mentor and coach emerging talent, fostering a high-performing account team
• Drive innovation, ESG commitments, and thought leadership across the aviation sector

What's in it for You?

• Strategic Influence: Shape the future of aviation infrastructure and client partnerships
• Global Reach: Collaborate across Jacobs' worldwide network to deliver integrated solutions
• Career Growth: Manage high-profile accounts and develop your leadership impact
• Innovation at Scale: Drive digital transformation and sustainability initiatives in aviation
• Flexibility: This role can be based at any Jacobs UK office across the UK

We Offer

• Competitive salary: We offer compensation that reflects your skills and experience
• 24 days holiday + option to buy a further 10 days
• Robust Pension Contributions: We offer enhanced pension contributions up to 10% to secure your future
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Single medical cover and Digital GP service, with options to add your partner and family
• Family Planning Support: Access to fertility healthcare and family planning services
• Enhanced Parental Leave: Enjoy enhanced parental leave pay and free membership to employee assistance and parental programs
• 4 Life assurance at 4x your salary
• Income Protection: Financial security in case of long-term illness or injury
• Wellbeing Hub: Free access to wellbeing apps like Calm and Daily Burn
• Professional Development: We cover professional membership fees and provide continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities
• Community Engagement: Participate in charity matched-funding, paid volunteering time, and charitable donations

About The Opportunity

At Jacobs, we're not just building infrastructure - we're reimagining what's possible.

This is an exciting opportunity to deliver strategic client projects in the aviation sector, driving growth and delivering exceptional outcomes across major airports.

You'll take an insight-driven, client-centric approach, embedding best practices and ensuring every engagement positions Jacobs as the partner of choice.

You’ll work across multidisciplinary teams, leveraging Jacobs' global expertise to co-create solutions that address the toughest challenges in aviation.

From shaping commercial strategies to promoting thought leadership and ESG commitments, your impact will be felt across the industry.

Can be based in any of Jacobs' UK or European office locations.

Requirements

• Proven experience in client account management or strategic business development
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to shape strategy and influence stakeholders
• Recognised industry presence and established relationships within aviation or major infrastructure sectors
• Demonstrated ability to develop cross-functional teams and mentor emerging talent
• Experience with client management frameworks, governance processes, and digital tools (CRM / CSP)
• Passion for innovation, sustainability, and delivering exceptional client experiences

Jacobs operates a hybrid work environment and a 40 hour working week as standard.

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.

As a disability confident employer, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices / projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.