Client Relationship Manager

Client Relationship Manager
Defence Contracts
Location: Glasgow, Edinburgh or home-based, with regular UK travel

The Opportunity

An established engineering and technical services organisation is looking to appoint an experienced Client Relationship Manager to support its growing portfolio of defence contracts.

This is a senior, client-facing position responsible for developing trusted relationships with key Ministry of Defence stakeholders and ensuring contractual and service-delivery requirements are understood, communicated and effectively managed.

The successful candidate does not necessarily need to come from an engineering background. However, they must have experience working within public-sector or MOD procurement environments, alongside a strong understanding of relevant processes and procedures.

You will act as the principal link between the client and internal engineering, project, quality and commercial teams.

This role would suit a confident relationship manager who can engage credibly with senior stakeholders, resolve issues professionally and coordinate multiple teams within a regulated and security-sensitive environment.

Key Responsibilities

Client Relationship Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned defence contracts and stakeholders.
• Develop strong relationships with military, civilian and contractor personnel.
• Hold regular client meetings to understand requirements, priorities and expectations.
• Manage client concerns and escalations promptly and professionally.
• Maintain high levels of client satisfaction, trust and confidence.
• Identify opportunities to improve the client experience and strengthen existing relationships.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build productive relationships across engineering, project management, quality, operational and commercial teams.
• Coordinate internal responses to client requests, issues and changing priorities.
• Provide senior management with regular updates on client feedback, risks and opportunities.
• Represent the organisation professionally during client meetings and site visits.
• Influence stakeholders and coordinate activity without relying on direct authority.

Contract and Service-Delivery Support

• Monitor contractual deliverables and client expectations.
• Help operational teams understand client requirements and priorities.
• Identify potential risks to service delivery and escalate them appropriately.
• Support contract reviews, performance reporting and client presentations.
• Contribute to lessons learned and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Recognise opportunities for further support or growth within existing accounts.

Technical Understanding

• Develop a practical understanding of the engineering and technical services being delivered.
• Translate technical information into clear messages for non-technical stakeholders.
• Support discussions concerning technical requirements, delivery performance and client priorities.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience in client relationship management, account management or stakeholder engagement.
• Previous experience working with the Ministry of Defence, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, MOD contractors or wider defence-sector organisations.
• Knowledge of public-sector or MOD procurement processes and procedures.
• Experience managing relationships with stakeholders at different levels of seniority.
• A track record of resolving client issues and managing escalations.
• Experience working within a regulated, compliance-led, safety-critical or security-sensitive environment.
• Experience coordinating activity across several business functions or departments.
• An understanding of government procurement and contract-delivery environments.
• Knowledge of MOD structures, terminology and working practices.
• An understanding of confidentiality, information security and professional-conduct requirements.

Skills and Attributes

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building and networking ability.
• Confidence in engaging with senior clients and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to establish credibility and build trust.
• Strong organisational, planning and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to prioritise competing client and business requirements.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of contract management.
• Ability to understand and clearly communicate technical information.
• Strong listening, questioning and influencing skills.
• A proactive, resilient and client-focused approach.
• High levels of professionalism, integrity and emotional intelligence.
• Confidence in working independently and making sound decisions.
• Competence using Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Word and Excel.

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting engineering, technical, project-delivery or operational teams.
• Experience within a naval, maritime, nuclear or wider defence environment.
• Previous experience working at a major UK defence establishment or similarly secure site.
• Experience supporting contract management or service-delivery activities.
• Experience preparing client reports, performance reviews or presentations.
• Project coordination or project management experience.
• An engineering, technical, operational or project-management background.

Qualifications

• Educated to HNC or HND level, or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience.
• A degree in business, engineering, project management or a related discipline would be advantageous.
• A professional qualification in relationship management, project management or business management would also be beneficial.

Security and Travel Requirements

• Full UK driving licence.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the appropriate UK security clearance.
• Existing Security Check clearance would be advantageous but is not essential.
• Ability to access MOD establishments and comply with site-specific security requirements.
• Willingness to travel regularly between company and client locations throughout the UK.

Why Consider This Opportunity?
This is an excellent opportunity to take ownership of strategically important defence relationships within a technically focused and highly regulated environment. You will have the autonomy to build meaningful client partnerships, influence service delivery and help identify opportunities for continued improvement and account growth.

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