Client Relationship Specialist (12-month FTC)

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for a Client Relationship Specialist to join our Marketing team, based in A&O Shearman's Belfast office.

Marketing team - Belfast

Our business development, marketing and communication teams contribute to the setting and achievement of the firm's business objectives, which includes supporting our partners and associates in their pursuit of becoming our clients' trusted advisers, building and maintaining long-lasting, deep institutional client relationships, winning new clients, increasing the visibility of the firm globally, and positioning the firm as the thought leader and most advanced law firm among the global elite law firms. The function works as one team across the globe with very close collaboration between the central teams and professionals supporting offices, practice groups, sectors and clients.

What you will do

An integral member of the Client Relationship Management Team, the Specialist will work with the relevant Relationship Manager / Senior Manager and the Global Relationship Partners to help manage three to four of the firm's key strategic banking clients, as well as getting involved in sector level projects. They will also play a key role in supporting and assisting with certain firm-wide initiatives, activities, campaigns and projects.

Key Relationships:

• Global Client Relationship Management Team
• Global Relationship Partners
• Financial Institutions Sector BD team
• Global Business Development
• Finance
• HR
• Know-How
• Training
• Pro Bono / CSR / D&I
• Audit, Risk & Compliance

Responsibilities:

Relationship Management

• Producing client-facing materials, including client relationship statements/reports, major proposals/panel pitches, client presentations and monthly / quarterly value-add reports.
• Preparing for and attending regular internal meetings with the Global Relationship Manager, Global Relationship Partners and other core team members to agree client targeting plans, monitor progress against objectives, identify opportunities and monitor financials.
• Producing client-related research and analysis including: client strategy, client structures, financials, key contact mapping, competitor activity, developments in the client's markets and relationship gap analysis (to help identify leads and opportunities).
• Continued commitment to learning about the Financial Institutions sector and our clients, including daily review of the press and distribution to relevant internal stakeholders.
• Coordinating specific client targeting initiatives, working closely with the client team and Business Development colleagues around the network.
• Organising and running client specific events, entertainment and client training.
• Managing the secondees at these clients, in conjunction with the relevant individual from Business Development, including pre-secondment briefings, regular catch-ups and post-secondment debriefs to gather intelligence and ensure we are seizing all opportunities with the client, and feeding insights back to the client relationship team.
• Preparing financial reports and analysis for the global client teams, as well as client-facing financial reports, working closely with members of the central finance team.
• Supporting the panel RFP process as well as relevant compliance questionnaires, working closely with the Finance, Risk and Compliance teams.
• Collecting, co-ordinating and updating various client information globally.
• Coordinating internal client communications within the firm (e.g. disseminating client relationship information).
• Being involved in firm-wide and practice area projects relating to specific clients.
• Maintaining client information to ensure it is kept up-to-date (e.g. secondment trackers, activity trackers, client snapshot pages on the intranet, including ensuring that our marketing database, Dynamics, is kept up-to-date with relevant client content and activities.)
• Additional projects - Opportunity to assist in firm wide, local, departmental or practice area projects.
• Supporting junior team members in their day-to-day work, including working closely with marketing apprentices

What you will have

• Graduate (plus commitment to, or existing additional professional marketing/business qualifications).
• Proven marketing experience.
• Experience in a professional services organisation or in the legal services sector would be a significant advantage.
• Knowledge of, and interest in, business and the economy.
• Good communication skills - both written and oral.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills - with partners, key associates, and business development colleagues, clients and suppliers.
• High attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• A team player.
• Professional, proactive, creative, good humoured and enthusiastic approach to all work and interactions.
• Ability to work to deadlines, juggle multiple projects and deliver under pressure.
• Ability to plan ahead, anticipate one's own workload and knowing how to work with busy fee earners, balancing conflicting priorities and does not over-commit to unrealistic deliverables - always manages expectations. Well organised.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision.

What we can offer you

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, online discounts and lifestyle management services.

We recognise the value of flexible working and embrace hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do, however, remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

About A&O Shearman

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world's most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world's leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.