Client Relationship Executive

Ford & Stanley Executive Search; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading executive search firm in the UK is seeking a Group Client Relationship Executive to strengthen client relationships and enhance service delivery. This role requires proven B2B experience and exceptional communication skills. The successful candidate will work from the Derby HQ, engaging with clients to ensure satisfaction and identify opportunities for growth. Competitive salary with an uncapped commission scheme is offered.

Benefits

Uncapped Commission Scheme

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in growing client relationships.
• B2B experience in consultancy services.
• Commutable distance to Derby HQ.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain client relationships.
• Establish Service Level Agreements.
• Act as a conduit between clients and service teams.

Skills

Relationship building

Problem solving

Negotiation

Communication

Self-motivation

Education

Degree educated

Job description

Overview

The Group Client Relationship Executive will play a pivotal role in helping Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group to build and maintain effective relationships with its customers. This will be achieved by liaising between key contacts within client companies and internal heads of service delivery to ensure customer expectations are managed and that Ford & Stanley’s sales promise becomes the customer reality.

Working within the Group Sales & Client Development Team, the Client Relationship Executive will help develop and expand the service line provision within newly acquired and long-standing client relationships. They will raise awareness of Ford & Stanley’s suite of Group services and ensure that when a customer has a business need within the Group’s areas of expertise, Ford & Stanley services are front of mind.

The Opportunity

Ford & Stanley has built a strong market reputation for delivering innovative, high quality talent services over fifteen years. Services include recruitment from shop floor to boardroom, leadership development, performance coaching and mental fitness support. With a current turnover of £25 million and a team of around 60, the company is pursuing an ambitious growth strategy to expand market share and influence in its sectors. The role offers a path toward careers in key account management, international relationship development and accounts team leadership.

About Ford & Stanley Group

The Ford & Stanley Group comprises four companies specialising in world-class talent solutions — Executive Search, White Collar Recruitment & Blue Collar Recruitment — underpinned by our solutions business in Leadership. Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group covers talent acquisition from Shopfloor to Boardroom and broader Talent Solutions including Leadership Development, Performance Coaching & Mental Fitness Support among other services. The client base includes over 150 employers from Start-up & SME to large corporate organisations across six specialist sectors in the UK, Europe and North America. A large portion of business is in the rail sector where the company is a recognised player. Growth will come from expanding influence in new sectors while increasing market share in rail.

Head Office is in Pride Park, Derby. Ford & Stanley is privately owned, has around 60 employees, £25 million turnover, and has grown ~18% annually since inception. The company has secured six major multi-year contracted recruitment partnerships with UK and international organisations. Team loyalty is strong, with long average service tenures across roles. Our inclusive culture and Mission to help create 10 million Better Workdays is central to our operation. For more about culture, mission and values, please visit the Join Us page.

The Role

The Group Client Relationship Executive is a newly established role within the Group Sales & Client Development Team. The team works with business-area leaders to maximise commercial returns while protecting market reputation. The role requires a holistic understanding of all Ford & Stanley service lines, their features, and benefits, to build client awareness and identify relevant services for each client.

From the inception of new client relationships, you will establish a clearly defined Service Level Agreement (SLA). For legacy clients, you will revisit existing SLAs to address any historical deltas and re-establish service provision. You will conduct Company Discoveries and act as the conduit to internal recruitment teams to understand client organisations, their selling points to candidates, and why people like working there. Your interpersonal skills will help create mutual understanding of needs and liaise between employers and service delivery teams to resolve deltas.

Your first 12 months

• Gain an understanding of all four business areas and clearly articulate the value and service of each.
• Build rapport with colleagues and get to know the client base.
• Become fully conversant with company systems and processes, particularly Bluesheet / Goldsheet methodology and Company Discovery.
• Meet each new client, understand their organisations, and establish professional rapport.
• Collaborate with service delivery colleagues to execute the Group strategy for each client, using strategic client development planning.
• Become a trusted point of contact to ensure smooth service delivery, resolve deltas painlessly, realise commercial opportunities, and maintain high NPS ratings by managing expectations.

Key deliverables within the first 12 months

• Demonstrable examples of expanding Ford & Stanley’s client base under your remit, measured by increased spend, opportunities onboarded, and a high vacancy onboarding to conversion rate.
• Be perceived as proactive, a problem solver, and a reliable contact for both the business and clients/hiring managers.
• Become the best in articulating the group’s offering and develop/train others in the art.

Essential Hard Skills

• Demonstrable experience of growing and expanding relationships and commercial opportunities across a portfolio of clients.
• B2B background developing relationships in consultancy services or solutions environments.
• Candidates should be within a commutable distance of our Derby HQ with a driving licence and car (position includes car allowance).
• Experience representing their organisation at trade shows and networking events with demonstrable ROI.
• Degree educated.

Essential Soft Skills

• Engaging, passionate, confident individual able to build rapport in warm and cold relationships.
• Articulate, confident communicator both internally and externally.
• Proactive, hungry and energetic personality.
• Problem solver with a decisive, can-do mindset.
• High drive, self-motivation and the ability to deliver high-level commercial and relationship results.
• Exceptional negotiator with high emotional intelligence.

Working Arrangements & Location

We operate a Proudly In Office policy to support our growth and collaborative culture. We are flexible but prefer in-office presence during business hours, 5 days a week. Core hours are 8:30am–5:30pm Monday to Thursday and 4:30pm on Friday. The contracted workplace is Ford & Stanley Head Offices in Pride Park, Derby.

Salary Banding

Low £40k, Mid £45k, Top £50k package.

• Uncapped Commission Scheme