Summary of Role:
The Client Relations role within the institutional Japan Client Group coordinates all client-related activities and serves as the central point of contact for both internal teams and external institutional clients. In this position, you will regularly interact with clients and collaborate with a range of internal departments to ensure that client needs are consistently met or exceeded—acting as their advocate within the organisation.
Success in the role requires developing better efficiency and quality of client relationships with institutional Sales team colleagues as well as partners in portfolio management, business development, operations, client reporting, legal, compliance, and other functions. This role supports Institutional Sales to focus on their targeted new clients and minimize time spent for supporting existing client service obligations including onboarding and offboarding. You will also build a broad network across the Japan office and maintain close connections with teams throughout the Asia Pacific region and globally.
The ideal candidate is an motivated individual with a solid understanding of the asset management industry and the ability to thrive in a challenging macro environment. Strong attention to detail, analytical capability, and excellent communication skills are essential. Collaboration, intellectual curiosity is critical to success in this role.
An undergraduate degree is preferred, and prior relevant experience is advantageous. A strong work ethic, proactive mindset, and sense of responsibility are also key requirements.
Responsibilities:
Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Provide client service to our existing institutional clients in Japan
- Collaborating with internal departments/stakeholders to successfully address client requests
- Ensuring each stage in the lifecycle of a client relationship progresses as smoothly as possible (for example, coordination of legal agreement reviews, oversight of new account on-boarding / KYC, error communications, ad hoc requests, ongoing support/client service)
- Organising and participating in internal meetings to prepare for external meetings and events, and coordinating meeting follow-ups
- Organising, attending, participating in and occasionally hosting in-person or virtual meetings with clients and prospects
- Participation in internal team meetings and discussions
- Coordinating and preparing client servicing and prospecting materials: including PowerPoint presentations, RFIs/RFPs, due diligence questionnaires, etc
- Coordinating training and educational programs for clients
- Overseeing the new account process including coordination with legal, portfolio management and operational items with the relevant internal teams
- Supporting regular and ad hoc client reporting requirements
- Ensuring the accuracy of data in AB’s client relationship management system (Salesforce)
- Identifying opportunities for process improvement, e.g. leveraging automation or AI tools
- Client Relationship Management responsibilities for a group of existing institutional client relationships
- Ownership of specific client deliverables or responses assigned by the Sales team
- Focus on supporting key sales initiatives and business development activities in partnership with the sales team
Skills / Experience Required:
- At least 5 years prior relevant work experience, ideally including 1-2 years in client servicing within the asset management industry
- Must be a team player and work collaboratively with Sales, Client Service and other internal stakeholders
- Experienced 1-2 years of client communication for daily inquiries in partnership with Sales
- General knowledge of equity, fixed income, public and private alternatives asset classes
- Undergraduate university degree – finance/economics background is desirable
- Candidates should have an interest in the financial industry and be enthusiastic and motivated to participate in the business
- Strong time management and organisation skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks to prioritise in order to meet deadlines
- Dynamic self-starter, willing to take ownership of work and ability to handle assignments and projects with minimal direction
- Strong analytical and numerical skills, detail-oriented
- Candidates should be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Business-level English skills are critical to develop yourself in this role
Tokyo, Japan