Client Relationship Manager | Higher Education

BHDP Architecture; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

BHDP Architecture is seeking a Client Relationship Manager for the Higher Education market in Raleigh, NC. The role focuses on growing key accounts, expanding BHDP’s services within existing clients, and ensuring cross-market collaboration for portfolio-level oversight.

Ideal candidates bring 12+ years in design/architecture, strong client-management skills, and a proven track record in the Higher Education sector, with a strategic, cross-functional approach to driving value and profitability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or Interior Design; NAAB/CIDA preferred.
• Architectural license or NCIDQ certification preferred.
• 12+ years in design/architecture industry.
• 5+ years in the Higher Education market segment.

Responsibilities

• Lead project-wide expectations and establish governance routines for accountability.
• Assess risk and protect client relationships; anticipate issues.
• Collaborate with Sales Leadership to define client strategy and leverage BHDP processes.
• Drive day-to-day strategy toward successful client outcomes and repeat business.
• Grow revenue by managing existing clients and supporting new pursuits with Sales Leaders.
• Build trusted advisor relationships to connect BHDP services with client needs and create value.
• Coordinate with BHDP client leadership to report growth in net revenue and profit.
• Provide teams with budgets and schedules; ensure QA/QC and timely deliverables.
• Communicate changes of scope or schedule with clients and consultants.

Skills

Bachelor’s degree

Architectural license

NCIDQ Certification

12+ years in design/architecture

5+ years in market/business

Strong communication

VantagePoint / PM systems

Delegation & coaching

Education

NAAB-accredited Architecture program

CIDA-accredited Interior Design program

Tools

VantagePoint

Job description

Position:Client Relationship Manager | Higher Education

Location: Raleigh, NC

Job Id:694

# of Openings:1

Market: Higher Education

Reports to: Market Leader

FLSA: Exempt

Work Mode: Onsite Monday – Thursday; Onsite optional on Friday

Employment Type: Full-time

At BHDP, we believe great design does more than define spaces—it influences behavior, drives performance, and creates meaningful experiences. Guided by our purpose to Inspire People and Impact Results, By Design, we collaborate across architecture, interiors, strategy, and research to solve complex challenges in integrated ways. Here, your ideas matter, your voice is heard, and your work has the power to shape experiences that truly make a difference.

Role Summary

The Client Relationship Manager (CRM) drives both account growth and client experience for assigned key clients, with direct accountability for exceeding annual net revenue and profit goals and delivering year-over-year account growth. This role strengthens relationships as a trusted advisor, expands BHDP’s services within existing accounts, including cross-market selling and capabilities, and provides portfolio-level oversight for clients with multiple projects, aligning internal teams around scope, schedule, budget, quality, and change management to ensure consistent, predictable delivery.

Responsibilities

• Leads project-wide expectations for project management by setting ownership within the team, driving follow-through, and establishing scalable governance routines (cadence, performance metrics, escalation paths) that create predictable and repeatable high performance across projects.
• Assesses and prioritizes project risk and intervenes early to protect the relationship (run to the problem).
• Partners with the Sales Leadership Team to establish the client relationship strategy and leverage the BHDP sales process to make meaningful connections.
• Executes the day-to-day strategy toward successful client outcomes (examples: repeat business, positive referrals to others) by understanding their business needs and measures of success for our work.
• Achieves growth by managing existing client relationships and supporting new pursuits in coordination with the Sales Leadership Team.
• Builds a trusted advisor relationship with existing clients to connect BHDP services and expertise with the client’s business needs and create value by delivering successful outcomes, as defined by the client.
• Coordinates with other BHDP client leadership to achieve and report growth of net revenue and profit as a result of added trust and value.
• Provides project team members with the budget and schedule (and holds them accountable) so they can produce the Quality Documents required.
• Communicates project-related expectations across team members, ensuring knowledge of labor budgets, task and time allocations, project schedules, and review milestones, coordination, and QA/QC.
• Ensures the project team produces Quality Documents by conducting reviews at the appropriate stages of the project.
• Functions as the gatekeeper for project profitability, leading and helping the Sr. PMs achieve profitability metrics.
• Creates / Issues / Reviews proposals that show BHDP's value to the client and aligns the scope and the fee.
• Ensures proposals reasonably reflect the client's request and leads and coaches the client expectations across the BHDP team.
• Communicates changes of scope or schedule with the client and consultants at the time of the change, completing additional service processes. Works with the Senior PMs as their go-to for project management coaching and accountability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (NAAB accredited program preferred), Interior Design (CIDA accredited program preferred)
• Architectural License, or NCIDQ Certification, preferred
• 12+ years in the design and/or architecture industry
• 5+ years in the market/business segment
• Demonstrated commitment to exceptional customer service, with the ability to anticipate needs, communicate proactively, and resolve issues with professionalism and care.
• Demonstrated initiative; sees challenges as opportunities
• Advanced knowledge of Project Management systems (VantagePoint preferred)
• Demonstrated capability to delegate, coach, and raise team performance
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong communication and collaboration within a team
• Models professional workplace behaviors: reliable follow-through, constructive feedback, and calm, solutions-oriented communication with co-workers and clients

Physical and Mental Demands

• Sustained attention to detail
• Occasional lifting of 20 pounds or less
• Ability to work in an open office environment

Life at BHDP

Our comprehensive benefit package includes a competitive salary, medical, dental, vision, disability, flexible spending accounts, paid holidays, paid time off, and a 401(k), which aligns with our commitment to rewarding our high-performing professionals.

BHDP Architecture is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

This position description is prepared to provide a general understanding of the responsibilities of the position and does not include a comprehensive list of activities, duties, success factors, or responsibilities that are required for a specific employee. Success Factors, duties, responsibilities, and activities may be modified or augmented at any time with or without notice.