Client Advocate II

Gilder Search Group; Columbia (SC); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A client-focused technology solutions firm in Columbia, SC is seeking a Client Advocate II to manage and cultivate sustainable client relationships. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's Degree, 5 years of IT experience, and comprehensive understanding of business processes and information systems. This role includes responsibilities such as service level monitoring, communication with clients, and acting as a liaison for innovation opportunities. A hybrid working environment is offered, with competitive salary ranging from $40,000 to $45,000.

Qualifications

• 5 years of IT related experience including client relationship management.
• Experience in user support and service systems.
• Skills in managing multiple projects and resource allocations.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain customer relationships.
• Monitor service levels and report performance metrics.
• Act as a liaison between customers and the IT team.

Skills

Verbal and written communication skills with a customer-focused style

Understanding of information systems and business processes

Knowledge of company’s business practices

Understanding of technological trends

Previous business analysis experience

Experience working with IT systems

Client management and relationship building skills

Negotiation skills

Effective problem solving skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

United Global Technologies - Columbia, SC, United States

Client Advocate II

Start: 04/13/2026 End: 03/28/2027

Responsible for establishing, building, and maintaining sustainable customer relationships. Ensures appropriate client communication, client focus, and client control of priorities by coordinating with the client organization at strategic, tactical, and operational levels. Works with customer to identify opportunities for innovation, cost reduction, improved efficiencies and business challenges. Acts as a liaison between I/S and customer for assigned business units. Ensures that the design and integration of proposed system, software, and hardware solutions leads to the development and growth of the business through effective use of technology.

Responsibilities

• 40% Steering Support – Helps the customer define their business needs as specific changes and works with the customer on priority setting. Assists in the definition of I/S work requests and completes the packaging and delivery of I/S work/audit requests estimates and supporting documentation. Negotiates final estimates, authorization, and start/completion dates for each request with customer. Provides tracking of work requests to allow better control of costs for the customer. Monitors work requests to ensure delivery of products and services based on customer’s priorities, estimates, and dates. Updates I/S Product Catalog with product features.
• 30% Systems/Services Monitoring – Monitors service levels, reports actual versus agreed to service levels, and reviews service levels with the customer to determine opportunities for improvement. Establishes and reports metrics that measure I/S performance and satisfaction to customer. Reports Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance. Analyzes requested and existing SLAs for reasonableness and takes appropriate action. Reports overall customer status to the I/S Management.
• 15% Account Management – Acts as an account manager responsible for the collection, analysis, review, documentation, and communication of client needs and requirements. Ensures I/S solutions are tailored to the customer’s strategies by continually obtaining a complete understanding of the client’s business needs from initial requirements to final implementation. Communicates quickly and accurately. Manages political and interpersonal issues. Fosters relationships between the customer and the I/S organization as well as analyzes problems, settles disputes, and negotiates within current contractual boundaries. Acts as specialists in customer’s business and generalists in I/S products and services.
• 10% Internal Marketing – Takes proactive marketing approach when communicating with customer in response to external requests for change or internal I/S product activity. Ensures customer is aware of potential offerings that could add value. Designs products and services with common components that can be leveraged across many customers. Establishes pricing, obtains approval by LOB management, and packages/delivers to customer. Focuses the communication with the customer on features offered in the I/S Product Catalog and works with I/S team to propose and build tailored, customer‑focused solutions.
• 5% Product Improvement – Researches/discovers opportunities to employ the proper subsets of I/S and its products and services. Identifies the customer’s strategic business strategies and finds the right products and services to fill the customer’s need and uses internal Marketing to sell the solution.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with an assertive yet customer‑focused style.
• Understanding of information systems, business processes, and the key drivers and measures of success for the business unit and the organization.
• Knowledge of the company’s business practices and direction.
• Understanding/knowledge of technological trends used to bring solutions to business units.
• Previous business analysis experience.
• Experience working closely with I/T in the development/implementation of systems.
• Strategic thinking and strong client management and relationship building/management with a service attitude.
• Resource management to meet goals and multiple projects.
• Participation on multidisciplinary, high‑performance work teams.
• Negotiation of terms and scope of work documents.
• Preparation and presentation of formal presentations.
• Effective problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

Required Software and Tools

Microsoft Office.

Education

Bachelor's Degree or 4 years of job‑related work experience or 2 years of job‑related experience plus an associate’s degree in any major.

Experience

5 years I/T related experience to include experience in client relationship, I/S marketing, and process/product improvement.

Schedule

Hours Per Week: 40.00 Hours Per Day: 8.00 Hybrid – Onsite 3x per week and other days as needed (8:30 am‑5 pm). Some overtime, weekends and off hours may be required.

Team

Commercial Client Management. The team consists of three Client Advocates who collaborate closely to manage various aspects of Information Systems, including Application Development, Project Management, Quality Management, and Estimating. The goal is to ensure internal customer requirements are thoroughly understood and properly documented, and that all deliverables are completed on schedule and within budget. The team partners with customers to gather and record business needs, which are then converted into high‑level estimates and projects.

Additional Notes

• No C2 required. • Interview – In person preferred. • References to credit checks during pre‑screens (Information Systems Job Category). • NOT Looking for: Sales experience focused on incentives, programming background, or lack of experience in Agile environments.

Job Details

Salary Range: $40,000 – $45,000 Job #: 1850

***Would not consider candidates who do not have any customer / relationship management experience***

Soft Skills

Demonstrate flexibility and ease when navigating ambiguous situations; open to receiving feedback from peers and direct supervisors.