Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, is looking for a Senior Manager, Client Success (IT Services) to join our Information Technology Services (ITS) unit in Chicago. Our ITS unit ensures our association clients grow by leveraging optimal technology to meet their organization''s operational and strategic goals.
The Senior Manager, Client Success (IT Services) is someone that has had success in managing technology stacks for clients in Associations, Non-profit, or Professional Societies and can translate that experience to ensure the overall performance and growth of our client organization portfolio. This role is responsible for oversight of the overall technical architecture for their respective client portfolio and ensuring alignment to the organization’s business strategy. The Senior Manager, Client Success (IT Services) reports to the Senior Director, Client Services, and plays a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of technology for our client organizations
The Senior Manager, Client Success (IT Services) will be responsible for setting the vision, creating process and best practices, and maintaining relationships with cross-functional teams for the successful growth of our client organizations. This senior manager will oversee a team of Client Managers that are working directly with our association clients. The selected leader in this position will own the financial responsibilities for their portfolio, including billing accuracy and forecasting/budgeting activities. This position will also identify opportunities for expanded business growth and revenue streams.
What You Will Do
- Act as a trusted technology advisor to client organizations and client networks, promoting each client''s technology roadmap objectives and tactics while maintaining alignment to Association Management strategic roadmaps.
- Build and leverages feedback loops among their direct reports (client managers), Executive Directors and client staff, ITS product management, and service units to achieve strategic roadmap milestones, make timely technology strategy pivots, and maintain excellent overall client satisfaction
- Manage a portfolio of approximately 25-35 association clients, depending on size, complexity, and level of engagement
- Lead the technology direction for AMS platforms and related web based systems such as CRM, CMS, event platforms, and integrations that support membership operations
- Achieve and exceed financial targets, including portfolio budget management and revenue growth, while maintaining profitability and cost management
- Ensures overall client satisfaction of the portfolio assigned.
- Oversee a team of Client Managers assigned to represent the portfolio identified for this management role
- Regularly reviews portfolio and client organization performance metrics and client satisfaction with senior management to optimize organization performance
- Provides timely reporting and actionable insights on organization-related issues, and works with leadership to resolve outstanding challenges
- Continuously elevate the performance of the client management team by recruiting, onboarding, developing, and retaining top talent
- Oversee the success of the projects by taking ownership of deliverables delegating other tasks as necessary
- Create positive team spirit both within the internal team and with the client organization by providing innovative management and leadership while encouraging cooperation and communication
- Assist management with special assignments, such as evaluating vendors, reviewing proposals, or other responsibilities as requested
- Embrace a 100% client interface role with complete ownership and accountability for all client technology related needs
This Role Might Be for You If…
- You have coached and directed a team of individuals overseeing multiple clients and/or projects
- You exhibit strong proficiency with cloud-based technologies, to include practical experience/knowledge of website architecture, web applications and how they interact with databases, and the latest trends in web applications
- You maintain the skills to manage and oversee working budgets
- You possess strong interpersonal, written/verbal communication, and presentation skills
- You possess practical experience in writing requirements documents, use cases, process diagrams, flow charts, design documents, system support documents and user manuals
- You have excellent business/system process skills, exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, and be able to clearly articulate solutions to end users
- You have a successful history of working on multiple projects simultaneously and meeting projects deadlines on time and on or under budget
- You have the ability for minimal travel (approximately 5%)
Basic Qualifications
- 8+ years of professional experience, to include experience in a relevant technical client-facing role
- Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and build trust at all organizational levels
- Collaborative and results-driven, with a passion for delivering exceptional client experiences
- Must be a self-motivated team player with a positive attitude
- Strong business acumen with a deep understanding of technology strategy, SaaS models, and association industry trends
Preferred Qualifications
- 8-15+ years’ experience in customer success, account management, sales, strategic consulting or related field
- Exceptional leadership skills, including the ability to inspire, develop, and lead high-performing teams.
- Knowledge, usage and/or management of Association Management Systems (AMS) or CRM is a plus
- Practical experience/understanding of membership database systems and their database architectures
- Strong analytical mindset with a focus on using data to inform decisions and drive performance
- Trade or professional association experience
Where Do You Fit?
Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.
Our hybrid environment offers you the option of working from home two days per week. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines.
Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate''s recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $120,000-150,000
Equal Employment Opportunity
At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.
Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.
Never miss an opportunity! Create an alert based on the job you applied for.
