Business Unit:

Job Description:

Role Summary

The main responsibility of the Senior Client Relationship Manager is to support the monitoring and management of existing clients, to strengthen the quality of the relationship, and seek to establish potential cross selling opportunities. This will be done in conjunction with the local sales team & other supporting functions. In collaboration with Shared Services, the postholder will provide a client servicing function most notably in reporting and operations.

Secondly, the role involves leveraging Russell Investments knowledge capital to provide content, analytical and technical support to the client service and sales team. The aim is to ensure that all materials (RFPs, proposals, presentations, etc) are of the highest quality. In doing so, the postholder will interact with other departments in the Company in London, and with external service providers as necessary.

This role will operate from Russell Investments France and will have a dual reporting line, one directly into a Director within the EMEA Relationship Management team and one into the Country Manager for France. The role forms an integral part of the Paris team and could include line management of the relationship management associate within the Paris office.

The position is mainly office-based, although some travelling (both in the UK, for internal purposes, and international) may be required from time to time.

The responsibilities of the individual in this position include:

Regulatory & Business conduct

• Displaying exemplary conduct and living by our organisation’s Code of Conduct.

• Taking personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct across the business.

• Effectively and collaboratively identifying, escalating, mitigating and resolving risk, conduct and compliance.

Client Service

• Reporting, performance, production, and oversight.

• Producing all presentations and marketing materials on a regular basis for our clients.

• Manipulating and uploading all data onto our internal databases and tools.

• Updating performance attribution and all related performance tools and reports.

• Monitoring client asset allocations, in line with client guidelines and in co-ordination with London Fund of Funds team.

• Updating and communicating all associated procedures.

Maintaining client relationships and communicating Russell’s funds’ performance.

• Coordinating all client-related issues including Legal, Finance, Agreements, etc.

• Coordinating and leading the reporting activities to and about the existing French accounts:

  • Investment Reporting - driving the data production to prepare the portfolio review documents.

  • Operational Oversight - coordinating and driving the relationship with the external partners on behalf of the French accounts (Operational Due Diligence, IMA/Rebate agreements, Solvency 2 report providers).

  • Presenting alone or with colleagues – reporting the performance of our funds and presenting market reviews to clients and boards.

• Developing and maintaining regular contact with the clients to continue promoting RI’s investment services.

• Supporting the potential cross selling of additional products and services (performance simulations, peer comparisons, charts, bespoke presentations and marketing materials, etc) with the Sales team.

Operations

• Providing operational and technical support to clients in their account opening and fund trading processes (and other related issues).

• Liaising with client custodians.

Business Metrics

• Compiling data from various sources to ensure our business metrics are up to date in terms of Cash Flows and AUM.

• Monitoring the daily cash flows (access to DataLink, GFS, etc).

The successful candidate will have extensive demonstrable skills and experiences including the following:

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification / experience.

• Strong knowledge of the investment consulting and/or investment management industry.

• Previous experience as a Relationship Manager in an Asset Management organisation is preferred.

• An understanding of current themes and developments in the investment industry is required.

• Ability to communicate effectively and knowledgeably with both colleagues and prospective clients.

• Knowledge of the institutional and pensions industry including a broad understanding of the objectives, operations, and regulatory environment.

• Good knowledge and understanding of all major asset classes.

• Knowledge of the global capital markets and how various stakeholders interact within them.

• Able to promote and facilitate the work of a group, as well as contribute as a productive member of the team.

• Able to act quickly and accurately to identify and analyse relevant information regarding work tasks.

• Makes accurate use of logic and considers all relevant factors to make rational, realistic and sound decisions.

• Familiarity with Morningstar would be beneficial.

• Able to use a variety of approaches to gain cooperation, overcome barriers, or gain agreement for proposals and ideas.

• Works through issues in a confident and positive way.

• Finds ways to encourage others to feel ownership of solutions; wins over clients and suppliers.

• Maintains regular contact and builds strong working partnerships with clients and suppliers.

• Acts with urgency and works hard to address client demands.

• Effectively manages client expectations and delivers value-added service.

• Plans actions to reach mutually satisfying agreements which are in Russell’s best interest.

• Fluent in both French & English.