Client Relationship Executive - Commercial

Grant Thornton (US); Edison (NJ); On-site; USD 185,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) savings plan

Paid sick leave

Holiday pay

Job summary

Grant Thornton (US) is seeking a Client Relationship Executive – Commercial (Director) to drive growth within Audit and Tax through effective relationship management. The role focuses on originating new business, managing client engagements, and collaborating with various teams.

Ideal candidates have over 10 years of experience in business development, strong executive networking skills, and the ability to translate client needs into actionable strategies. Competitive base salary with additional benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in business development with C-suite buyers.
• Demonstrated success in building executive relationships and driving growth.
• Strong commercial acumen with proficiency in negotiation and solution selling.

Responsibilities

• Conduct active prospecting across accounts to originate new business.
• Lead account and pursuit strategies for priority clients.
• Build relationships with executives to create a commercial pipeline.

Job description

Client Relationship Executive – Commercial (Director)

Grant Thornton is seeking a Commercial Director Client Relationship Executive (CRE) to drive focused growth within Audit and Tax through relationship management, active prospecting, disciplined pipeline development, and strong collaboration across pursuit teams. The CRE serves as a client growth strategist and commercial seller, opening new doors for the firm, translating client needs into actionable Audit and Tax pursuits, and identifying Advisory cross‑sell opportunities where relevant. The role operates at the intersection of solution strategy, pursuit leadership, executive relationship management, and cross‑service line growth.

Your Day‑to‑Day May Include

• Conduct active, rigorous daily prospecting across assigned accounts, targets, and markets — originating new business through outbound calls, executive meetings, and relationship development
• Meet sales production targets and goals with discipline and minimal oversight
• Originated new sales opportunities by consistently and systematically initiating contacts; pursue prospects to secure meetings and win referrals

Commercial Growth Leadership & Account Strategy

• Lead commercial account and pursuit strategies for priority clients and prospects, identifying new Audit and Tax opportunities and where Advisory cross‑sell can expand client value
• Act as the deal/solution architect — shaping how GT brings capabilities together into clear value propositions, solution narratives, and commercially viable program structures
• Partner with RMPs, Audit & Tax Growth Leaders, PMDs, and pursuit teams to align client needs to relevant capabilities
• Translate client needs into scalable, differentiated solutions; partner with offering and solution strategy leaders to ensure solutions are executable and repeatable
• Lead cross‑solution opportunity development by identifying where additional Audit, Tax, or Advisory capabilities may strengthen pursuit strategy
• Build deep relationships with relevant executives and buyers across client organizations to create new access and generate qualified commercial pipeline
• Drive proposal strategies that emphasize measurable outcomes, defined governance, and practical implementation plans (not just scopes and hours)
• Position GT’s full‑service approach — uniting data‑driven insights, technology modernization, and shared services/outsourcing to deliver speed, efficiency, and ROI at scale
• Champion responsible, practical AI adoption in pursuit narratives, coordinating with AI and risk leaders as needed
• Maintain strong executive altitude in client conversations (Board/C‑suite), aligning pursuits to growth, risk, profitability, and performance priorities

Pursuit Leadership & Win Strategy

• Identify winning strategies by deeply understanding client needs; coach pursuit teams through qualification, solutioning, pricing, and closing
• Participate in Audit and Tax services sales presentations and executive working sessions; facilitate alignment across stakeholders
• Negotiate and participate in pricing strategy to ensure GT is competitive while protecting value

Market Presence & Executive Connectivity

• Project executive presence; build effective relationships with senior Partners and C‑Suite executives
• Identify key decision makers at client and prospect organizations at the C‑Suite and Board levels
• Cultivate relationships across executive networks, industry forums, and alliances to build GT relevance
• In partnership with marketing, activate events, campaigns, and thought leadership to build pipeline

You Have the Following Technical Skills and Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in business development, Audit / Tax sales, complex solution selling, or enterprise transformation pursuits with C‑suite/Board‑level buyers
• Demonstrated success building and expanding executive relationships and driving measurable growth outcomes in a matrixed professional services environment
• Familiarity with Audit / Tax buying processes and the ability to identify Advisory cross‑sell opportunities
• Strong commercial acumen: qualification discipline, win strategy, pricing, negotiation, and executive storytelling
• Proven ability to translate complex capabilities into clear value propositions and scalable pursuit narratives; comfort operating at the intersection of strategy and go‑to‑market
• Working knowledge of Audit & Tax domains (e.g., Assurance, Attestation, Corporate Tax, Indirect Tax, International Tax, Partnership Tax, and related technology‑enabled offerings, with the ability to identify relevant Advisory cross‑sell opportunities)
• Experience selling and structuring multi‑year Audit & Tax engagements
• Direct experience in professional services firms, with working knowledge of how partner‑led, client‑service organizations operate
• Advanced communication and presentation skills (executive‑level decks, whiteboarding, facilitating decision sessions)
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred
• Travel up to ~10%, variable by portfolio

Compensation

The total compensation package for this role includes base salary and bonus. The base salary range for this position is between $185,000 and $278,000. Placement within the pay range is at Grant Thornton’s discretion and is based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job‑related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, progression within the role, geographic location, and internal equity. Grant Thornton employees may be eligible for a discretionary, annual bonus based on individual and firm performance, subject to the terms, conditions and eligibility criteria of the applicable bonus plan or program. Interns and seasonal employees are not eligible for bonus compensation.

Benefits

Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance programs, employee assistance program, a 401(k) savings plan for eligible employees, paid sick leave, and holiday pay. For an overview of our benefit offerings, please visit: https://www.grantthornton.com/careers/rewards-and-benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of Grant Thornton to promote equal employment opportunities. All personnel decisions (including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, working conditions, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, evaluations, and termination) are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital or civil union status, pregnancy or pregnancy‑related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, veteran status, disability, handicap, genetic predisposition or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws, it is the policy of Grant Thornton to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. To make an accommodation request, please contact [e-mail]. For Los Angeles Applicants only: We will consider for employment all qualified Applicants, including those with Criminal Histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. For Massachusetts Applicants only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. Grant Thornton does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employment or continued employment.