Client Services Business Manager (SF)

Laird Norton Wetherby; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Sabbatical program after 10 years

Flexible spending plans (HSA/FSAs)

Job summary

Laird Norton Wetherby in Seattle or San Francisco seeks a Client Services Business Manager to oversee operations, onboarding, and cross‑functional coordination. You will partner with HR, Technology, Finance, and Operations to enable client-facing advisors to excel.

The role focuses on process documentation, team enablement, and budget coordination while supporting the leadership across practice lines. Hybrid work with on-site and remote days is available."

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of experience in operations, coordination, administration, or program management; people-management preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to drive clarity and follow-through across teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and comfort learning new systems (SharePoint/intranet).

Responsibilities

• Oversee onboarding readiness and coordination for new Client Services hires.
• Coordinate internal Client Services and Practice Line meetings; track action items.
• Manage budget documentation and track Client Services expenses in coordination with Finance/Operations.
• Develop clear process documentation and standards for Client Services operations.
• Support planning for new hires, departures, and scheduled absences in partnership with HR.

Skills

Project coordination

Communication

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

Job description

Location: Seattle, Washington, or San Francisco, California

Availability: Full‑time position. Hybrid schedule, with a minimum of 2 days/week on-site at your local LNW office and up to 3 days/week remote.

Reports to: The Practice Line Heads who oversee the entire Client Services team

Nature of the Role

The Client Services Business Manager is the operational hub of the Client Services department, responsible for the systems, processes, communications, coordination, and administrative execution that keep the team running smoothly. This role focuses on internal enablement supporting Client Service leaders and partnering across HR, Technology, Finance, and Operations so advisors and client‑facing team members can focus on delivering outstanding service. LNW’s Client Services team is organized by practice line, and this role would report to and interact directly with each of the practice line heads.

Key Responsibilities

This is a sampling of the role’s general duties, which may increase and vary based on business needs.

People Development, Hiring & Onboarding

• Support recruiting and hiring for Client Services roles in partnership with HR and Client Services leadership (coordination, scheduling, candidate communication).
• Own onboarding readiness for new hires within Client Services (access, tools, introductions, and role enablement in coordination with HR/IT).
• In partnership with the head of Learning & Development, coordinate ongoing training and professional development initiatives; track completion of required learning and role‑specific training.
• Track professional designation progress (e.g., CFP/CFA or other credentials) and coordinate firm support where applicable.
• Provide support to Client Service team around the annual performance review cycle: goal setting, feedback, development opportunities, and performance support.

Team Coordination, Events & Meetings

• Coordinate internal Client Services meetings and Practice Line team meetings (agenda support, logistics, and action‑item follow‑up as needed).
• Plan and support internal team events (e.g., retreats and offsites), including scheduling, logistics, vendor coordination, and on‑the‑day support.
• Partner with administrative and technology teams on in‑office logistics that impact Client Services (e.g., workspace coordination/desk hoteling guidance).
• Support Client Service team to meet in‑office expectations (track data, help managers with accountability).
• Serve as a communication bridge—ensuring updates from leadership are shared clearly and feedback from the team is captured and routed appropriately.

Budget & Resource Coordination

• Track and reconcile Client Services‑related expenses and maintain basic budget documentation in coordination with Finance/Operations.
• Manage team subscriptions/memberships and coordinate conference registrations and logistics within approved budgets.
• Coordinate access to learning platforms and other tools needed for team development.

Operational Excellence

• Develop and maintain simple, clear process documentation and standards to support consistent execution across teams/offices.
• Track and help manage team capacity and workload distribution; surface bottlenecks and propose solutions.
• Support planning logistics for new hires, team departures, and scheduled absences (e.g., sabbaticals, parental leave) in partnership with HR and team leadership.
• Support change‑management efforts by piloting improvements, collecting feedback, and refining processes for adoption.

Systems & Communications

• Own and maintain Client Services communication channels (e.g., email distribution lists and Teams channels), including access management and basic usage guidelines.
• Keep Client Services org information current (team structure updates, internal documentation, and shared resources).
• Maintain intranet/SharePoint content for Client Services resources and team information to ensure materials are accurate and easy to find.
• Serve as the point person for day‑to‑day questions related to internal tools, communication norms, and where‑to‑find‑what within Client Services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of experience in operations, coordination, administration, or program management; people‑management experience preferred.
• Highly organized, detail‑oriented, and comfortable managing multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to drive clarity and follow‑through across teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and comfort learning new systems (e.g., SharePoint/intranet tools).
• Financial services/wealth management experience is preferred but not required.
• Ability to live and work in the U.S. (no visa sponsorship for this role).
• Willingness to travel periodically for team events/retreats and inter‑office collaboration.

Candidates must meet all employment qualifications in force at time of hiring, including successful passing of background and credit checks and any pre‑employment examinations, signing of all employee agreements, and the ability to perform the essential functions, duties and responsibilities set forth in a consistent and efficient manner.

Compensation and Benefits

We provide a competitive salary commensurate with your experience and skills and offer a meaningful annual bonus based on company and individual performance. The full salary range for this position is $140,000 to $175,000, depending on location (i.e., reporting to either Seattle or San Francisco as your home LNW office at least 2 days per week), experience, skill set, education, and other factors. The salary range applies to current posting and may change in the future. We offer excellent benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage; generous time off (including a sabbatical program after 10 years); flexible spending plans for health care, transportation, and dependent care; 401(k) plan, educational reimbursements, and more. Detailed information can be found by clicking the “Download Benefits Summary” button on our Careers page.

About Us

For more than five decades, Laird Norton Wetherby (LNW) has served the interests of exceptional families and individuals. As both an RIA and trust company, LNW offers a full spectrum of specialized wealth and legacy planning, investment management, and trust and estate services that advance the aspirations and long‑term multigenerational financial ambitions of its clients. LNW has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, as well as an affiliate trust company in South Dakota, empowering clients across the U.S.

LNW is majority owned by Laird Norton Company, one of the longest‑sustained family enterprises in the United States, as well as by active employees.

Additional Information

Our firm aims to cultivate an inclusive environment and culture that fosters growth, collaboration and acceptance; where we celebrate the diverse voices and perspectives of our employees; and where employees feel empowered to bring their full, authentic selves. Our diversity drives us forward and helps us build deeper relationships with our clients and our community.

The firm is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination against employees, applicants for employment, individuals providing services in the workplace pursuant to a contract, unpaid interns and volunteers based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, marital status, registered domestic partner status, military and veteran status, civil air patrol status, national origin, immigration status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, and including medical conditions related to lactation) or medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics).

*As of 8/18/2026

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