Head of Client Services, 12 month contract

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Head of Client Service, 12 month contract (up to £65,000)

Flexibility to be part-time or full-time

At Immediate, we're home to some of the biggest and most loved consumer brands in the UK, including Radio Times, Good Food and BBC Gardeners World Magazine. Our trusted, quality content reaches millions of people a month across digital, print, video, podcasts, apps and live events.

We're the destination for people looking to get more from the things they love. We help inspire them; deepening their knowledge, skills and fuelling their passions, to enjoy more of what life has to offer.

Whether it's the big things, or the little things; from reaching fitness goals to savouring good food, cultivating outdoor, or indoor, spaces, or enjoying the latest TV sensation with loved ones - we help bring our audiences joy!

About the role

The Head of Client Services is crucial in nurturing and strengthening relationships with Immediate's key clients and agencies that lead to partnership revenue retention and growth. This is accomplished through flawless service delivery and exceptional performance in all of our campaigns and partnerships.

As an expert in client relationship management and partnership campaign execution, you will be a strategic thinker who actively identifies opportunities to drive revenue growth. Leading by example, you will foster a collaborative team culture dedicated to exceeding clients' needs and objectives.

In this role, you will provide vital leadership, support and mentoring to the Client Services team, championing excellence in client service. You will also work closely with the wider sales and operational teams to ensure smooth and efficient service, and partnership and campaign delivery, to our agencies and clients.

You will be an experienced operator, exceptionally calm under pressure, able to deal with challenging situations and problem solve where needed, supporting and developing your team, whilst retaining a collaborative and fun team culture.

As Head of Client Services, you will;

Team management and Development

• Lead and inspire the Client Services (CS) team to build lasting relationships, fostering trust and ensuring outstanding results to drive repeat business
• Manage team capacity, strategically allocating campaigns and identifying potential issues, delegating to the Lead Client Services Manager where needed
• Ensure whole CS team has development plans in place, identifying and retaining key talent
• Strengthen relationships with key sales and studio team members to enhance Imagine's products and processes.

Financials

• Ensure the team maintains up-to-date campaign P&Ls, hitting target profit margins and competitiveness, and flag issues to the MD of Advertising.
• Provide P&L costs for teams outside of Imagine, including all MDs, with a focus on transparency

Process and workflows

• Oversee campaign reporting to ensure accountability and promote IM's quality of service to clients and agencies.
• Review media plans to ensure alignment with KPIs, client objectives, and brief requirements.
• Understand the strategy of Immediate's brand portfolio and future acquisitions.

Internal relationships

• Serve as the main escalation contact for campaign or team issues that CSMs cannot resolve.
• Champion the correct use of media plans and sales collateral which the CSMs use.
• Collaborate with the legal team to ensure compliance and provide up-to-date documentation and training.

Client & Agency relationships

• Champion the team, collaborate with other departments, and leverage the CS team's reputation to assist with influencing the conversion of renewals and build rapport with relevant agency team.
• Oversee PCAs, identifying upsell/renewal opportunities and analysing performance through detailed wash-ups, with thoughtful and detailed feedback, learnings and recommendations

Renewal targets, upselling & cross-selling

• With the CSM, develop strategies during campaign delivery to exceed client expectations and encourage repeat business
• Engage with agency production teams post-campaign, supporting sales as needed to maintain relationships for renewal opportunities
• Critically assess campaign performance in PCAs and confidently present findings to clients and agencies with the CSM

Requirements

• Proven experience in a Head of Project Management or Client Services role.
• Experienced in managing and developing teams, fostering a collaborative and positive culture.
• Expert organisational skills with attention to detail.
• Natural gravitas and presence to drive action.
• Strong written and verbal communication, clear and persuasive.
• Self-aware, serving the team rather than expecting them to serve you.
• Enthusiastic about creative solutions and the marketplace, curious to learn and share ideas.
• Exemplary client service and management skills, adept at maintaining and extending relationships.
• Strong problem-solving skills, proactive and independent with an innovative approach.
• Exceptional conflict resolution, viewing crises as solvable challenges.
• Commercially driven with strong business acumen and strategic thinking.
• Assertive, self-aware, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent.
• Resilient, diplomatic, adaptive, and flexible, seeing challenges as opportunities.
• High energy, positive, proactive, and anticipatory of team and client needs.

Benefits

• A relaxed working environment with regular socials including a summer festival
• Immediate Community webinars, well-being initiatives and Mental Health First aiders
• 25 days holiday plus a day for your birthday. Our offices will be closed between Christmas and New Year's which are in addition to your annual entitlement
• Tailored training and development through our Love Learning platform
• A progressive and transparent culture with clear career progression
• Flexible/hybrid working plus early finish Fridays
• Cycle to work scheme
• Enhanced Family Policies including paternity, adoption and surrogacy leave. We also provide a pregnancy loss, fertility, and carers policy
• Competitive pension plans and Life Assurance
• A newly renovated modern office with lots of collaborative spaces

We pride ourselves on our open, collaborative, and dynamic culture. This encourages our people to thrive, and give their best whilst being supported, developed, and nurtured. As we care about our people, our environment, and the impact we make, we have an active Diversity and inclusion network, comprehensive well-being programmes, and clear sustainability strategies.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of all our values and leadership behaviours to ensure Immediate remains a place where everyone feels included and empowered;

We care

We succeed together

We enjoy the ride

We are bold

We never settle

We get on with it

People are at the heart of our business and creating a diverse and inclusive working environment is extremely important to us. Immediate is an equal opportunities employer. We'll never treat anyone less favourably because of their sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marital/civil partnerships, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion or belief or disability. We're also committed to supporting applications from those who are returning to work following a career break, maternity leave or caring responsibilities.