Client Services Director

THE OPPORTUNITY:

This is a chance to join a rapidly growing London-based, global food labelling consultancy and service
provider as Client Services Director (CSD). Ashbury Labelling have established themselves as a
leading provider of technical and regulatory services to retailers and manufacturers in the UK, across
Europe and wider international markets. Since starting with 3 employees in April 2011, Ashbury have
grown to over 120 employees covering a wide spectrum of knowledge, backgrounds, languages and
cultures. The Ashbury Labelling UK team work closely with our US and Australia based teams.

Our USP is our ability to deliver a comprehensive end-to-end multi-lingual service covering
specification, pack copy and artwork approval as well as associated regulatory advice in over 30
languages. However strong our USP, it is our people that make the difference, always willing to go
the extra mile to ensure total client satisfaction.

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

You will play a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining relationships with our major retail clients
and key manufacturing clients. You will support the expansion of the business in the UK by ensuring
satisfaction across all of our clients.

The focus of the role is to ensure the consistent delivery of all activities to our clients to ensure they
are consistently delighted with our service – and to ensure our service continues to improve to meet
their stated needs and exceed their expectations. The CSD’s role has a responsibility working with
other senior positions in our business to set the strategy and development of our service to the major
clients in the portfolio. As well as ensuring service expectation are met and exceeded the role
includes leading the management and delivery of both the operational and commercial KPIs.

This role at Ashbury is key to maximising our growth potential over the coming years. The CSD will
report to the Managing Director and work closely alongside the Business Development Director and
Regulatory Affairs Director as part of the Senior Management team responsible for the overall
Ashbury Labelling strategy delivery. The CSD role will initially have 5 direct reports; 4 x Account
Directors (one at each major client site), and one Continuous Improvement Director (working across
all clients and all internal teams).

Although the word ‘Technical’ does not appear in the job title, the role requires a deep understanding
of the technical and regulatory processes to deliver accurate pack copy and artwork, and the
important relationships at client site are invariably with technical stakeholders. The key internal
relationships are with the Technical and Regulatory teams who are responsible for the accurate
delivery of all work within our process, these roles report in to the Regulatory Affairs Director. All
 client-based Account Management and Operational roles report into the CSD; and as such, it is the
CSD who is responsible for refining and improving the technical delivery to the client.

The Ashbury Way is our philosophy for delivering our service to our retail clients. The CSD role will be
responsible for the relationships with the retailers and all their suppliers to ensure inputs from
suppliers are accurate and timely. This will ensure that Ashbury can fulfil its Right First Time™
philosophy and meet its performance targets.

In addition to ensuring Ashbury deliver the agreed service, the role includes taking responsibility for
identifying new business opportunities that would expand our service offering, for example training,
specification writing or supplier technical support services.

Client Services Director role and responsibilities:

 Positioned with both clients and internal teams as a subject matter expert on the spec/pack
copy/artwork process and associated regulatory consulting services.
 The ability to share best practice and encourage clients to constantly improve their utilisation of
Ashbury services.
 Anticipate broader client needs, highlighting where new opportunities may arise for supplementary
services to the Business Development teams, and working closely with them to contribute to the BD
process.
 Develop an in-depth knowledge of each client's business, organisation and objectives.
 Core consultancy skills: a good all-round consultant, with strong client management and
communication skills. They need to be able to diagnose and articulate the client problem, work out the
best approach to solving it, and then communicate the findings back in a way that is relevant to the
business.
 Practicality: Takes a highly practical approach to problem solving
 The Client Services Director role will also have responsibility for financial performance of accounts to
ensure the Ashbury Way is delivering repeatable, profitable business (including contract management
and negotiation).

Project Direction:

 Be accountable and responsible for the efficiency and effective delivery of all client projects.
 Be accountable for seeking out opportunities to contribute to the quality assurance and client
management processes utilised.
 Deputise for the Account Director where required in order to perform the day-to-day management of a
set of clients or projects.
 Work with the Account Directors to deliver accurate monthly and quarterly reporting packs.
 Attend quarterly (and monthly where appropriate) meetings with clients.
 Provide appropriate commentary and improvement plans for delivery of Ashbury services.
 Team Management and Mentoring:

 Successfully and profitably oversee all commercial client projects, taking responsibility for the
performance of all team members to ensure cohesion, guidance and consistency across clients and
projects.
 Drive marketing of Ashbury strategic imperatives within the business development team
 Lead, mentor and be responsible for the management and development of any aligned project team
members.

Client Services Director Skills and Experience:

Ashbury are seeking someone who is excited and motivated by new opportunities; someone who
naturally continues to grow and learn and someone who can be supportive and nurture a team.

 A minimum of 8-10 years successful senior management experience within a direct, client-facing
technical role in the food or allied FMCG industries, ideally with a food manufacturer or professional
services/consultancy provider
 Demonstrable experience of managing commercial technical projects to deliver profitable growth
 Strong team management experience, managing 5 direct reports and their associated teams
 Experience in UK, EU and wider International markets
 Foreign language fluency or working knowledge is an advantage, but not essential e.g.
German/French/Spanish

THE REWARDS:

 Competitive salary commensurate with the role

 Contributory Pension Scheme
 Private Health Care
 25 days annual leave