Director, Client Account Services

Requisition Number: 79375

Position Title:

External Description:

About the Team

The Client Account Management teams (CAM) work in conjunction with Global Distribution teams to support, retain and grow client and prospect relationships. CAM consists of the Client Account Services Team (CAS) and the Client Implementation Management Team (CIM).  

CAS North America Associates are responsible for supporting the client journey and facilitating the end-to-end operational service experience of the firm’s professional clients in North America (NA), partnering closely with Global Distribution Relationship Managers and internal process stakeholders, understanding the intended business strategy for developing and supporting our relationship with each client.  

CAS Associates will work closely with the Client Implementation Team, to ensure client intent and needs are fully understood, for any new or evolving business, liaising with the client throughout to optimize the client experience during onboarding and client lifecycle change events. The group is regionally focused but expected to operate with a global lens.  Projects and initiatives are coordinated globally where possible/appropriate. 

About the Role 

Primarily supporting the NA region, the Director of the CAS NA Team oversees the team of CAS NA Associates providing operational service to support the needs of our clients across multiple investment vehicles offered by T. Rowe Price (TRP) as well as for clients that enter into discretionary or advisory business services with us, providing a single point of service contact in respect of all operations related activities or queries.   

The role sits within our Client Account Management Team, which is part of Global Client Account Services (GCAS). The position requires the candidate to deliver a high standard of client service across the entire client book as well as managing the same high performance through others. In this role, you will play an active role working with your global counterparts to help drive evolution and transformation in our globally aligned service approach, contributing to our continued future success.  

Together with your team and partners, you will proactively develop service strategies/plans for our clients and demonstrate high levels of ownership and accountability for ensuring client service needs are met and exceeded, through core operational service delivery and differentiated service support where applicable. You will maintain a robust control environment, maintaining internal records to ensure we stay on top of and in front of the operational client service experience and associated risks.   

The position operates independently to carry out various responsibilities supporting client accounts through both direct relationships and via those of the Relationship Management team. Partnering with multiple internal departments as well as external custodians, vendors and administrative service providers the CAS Director will facilitate or ensure successful daily operational running of client accounts, drive query or issue resolution and escalate any operational/administrative concerns. The CAS Director will at times act as a delegate for the Head of CAS in projects, committees and other internal initiatives, as well as take a role in leading and role-modelling for more junior team members.   

In addition, we recognize the need to continually evolve our business capabilities to continue to operate as optimally as possible for both the success of our clients and our business.  To that extent, the role will require the individual to identify and drive forward ideas for process improvements within direct department or client relationships, participate in projects and initiatives to further innovate and enhance our capabilities to deliver improved client outcomes and facilitate the success of our NA Distribution Strategy. 

Role Summary 

• Provides leadership, direction, and development to a team of CAS Associates to execute on the team’s responsibilities and be the voice of the client across the organization 
• Ensure that the day-to-day operational servicing conducted by the team provides best in class, proactive operational service support. This includes account maintenance, query management, client ad hoc communications, and the creation of service plans for selected client books of business to deliver the best of TRP.  The CAS Team deliver an excellent standard of core client service across the entire client book (segregated and fund distribution accounts), and work with Relationship Managers and/or internal partners to determine operational service strategy and delivery to support the growth and retention of business.  
• Develops and delivers consistent service standards and represents the firm in the eyes of the client, ensuring the client has confidence that their service requirements are being owned by a TRP Associate who understands their requirements and accounts with TRP. 
• Decisions are guided by long-term business unit strategy, priorities, and objectives. 

Responsibilities 

• Leads a team of 10+ associates who engage with clients daily.  Engages with internal and external clients as needed to build and maintain strong relationships and understand client needs and expectations to recommend process changes. 
• Sets quality standards for team and reviews quality metrics to ensure standards are met. 
• Resolves the most complex issues or inquiries from senior-level or key individuals at clients as needed. Guides analytics and decision making for the function.  
• Partners with key business partners to understand trends, new offerings, regulatory changes, and/or changes in processes that may impact client operations. Makes recommendations to change protocols. 
• Recruits, directs, motivates, and develops a team, maximizing their individual contribution, their professional growth, and their ability to build and sustain a high-performing, strategically focused workforce within their assigned department. Accountable for the financial and human resources of multiple departments to include budgeting, staffing resources, etc. 
• Identify and execute process changes.  Have a strong lens on controls, quality reviews and clear expectations.   
• Develop a broad network with key business partners.  Providing an escalation point for the team and ability to remove roadblocks. 
• Oversee project management activities by ensuring the team conducts detailed planning, status tracking, monitoring and reporting; and stakeholder communication (internal and external client and vendors), together with chairing working group meetings, resolving issues and mitigating risk.  
• Works with leadership to set new protocols and policies to resolve issues and improve client onboarding. Leads team members in providing client implementation and servicing support. 
• Recruits, directs, motivates, and develops a team, maximizing their individual contribution, their professional growth and their ability to build and sustain a high-performing, strategically focused workforce. 
• Addresses highly complex, nonstandard servicing requirements. Raises awareness and teaches others how and when to escalate issues. 
• Monitors risk and engages in problem solving by critically questioning and analyzing practices that impact the client experience. Acts as a subject matter expert when dealing with critical client communications. 
• Monitors requests for new or enhanced client services, potential risk, and trends in service and communicates through appropriate channels within the organization to champion and influence changes to maintain a competitive edge in the industry and to manage risk to the firm. Identifies and implements process changes to the team that will have impact across T. Rowe Price clients. 
• Partners closely with internal business partners such as Investment Compliance, Trading, Legal, Investment Operations, and Distribution to ensure a seamless onboarding experience. 

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent combination of education and relevant experience AND
• 10+ years of total relevant work experience

Preferred:

• Excellent knowledge of the asset management business, investment products, and professional clients (institutional and sub advised clients, including Insurance general account clients)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to form, recommend, and/or implement decisions
• Impeccable attention to detail with ability to synthesize and communicate at the appropriate level
• Excellent interpersonal, business, and client management skills required
• Ability to manage multiple, competing projects, priorities, and/or time sensitive issues
• Ability to organize and lead through influence across the enterprise
• Strong verbal and written communication

FINRA Requirements

FINRA licenses are not required and will not be supported for this role.

Work Flexibility

This role is eligible for hybrid work, with up to one day per week from home.

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Community / Marketing Title: Director, Client Account Services

Company Profile:

Location_formattedLocationLong: Maryland, US

CountryEEOText_Description: Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We strive for equity, equality, and opportunity for all associates. When we embrace the power of diversity and create an environment where people can bring their authentic and best selves to work, our firm is stronger, and we create greater value for our clients. Our commitment and inclusive programming aim to lift the experience for each associate and builds allies for our global associate community. We know that a sense of belonging is key not only to your success at the firm, but also to your ability to bring your best each day. Benefits: We invest in our people through a wide range of programs and benefits, including: • Competitive pay and bonuses as well as a generous retirement plan and employee stock purchase plan with matching contributions • Flexible and remote work opportunities • Health care benefits (medical, dental, vision) • Tuition assistance • Wellness programs (fitness reimbursement, Employee Assistance Program) Our policies may change as our working lives evolve. Yet, our commitment to supporting our associates’ well-being and addressing the needs of our clients, business, and communities is unwavering. T. Rowe Price is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity of thought, gender, and race. We believe our continued success depends upon the equal treatment of all associates and applicants for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender, age, mental or physical disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or any other classification protected by country, federal, state, or local law.