Executive Client Partner

Overview

Our company is at the forefront of delivering impactful solutions, driven by a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the markets we serve. We pride ourselves on fostering an environment where innovation thrives, collaboration is key, and every team member contributes to meaningful outcomes. Joining us means becoming part of a dynamic collective dedicated to making a tangible difference through insightful data and strategic partnerships.

We are seeking a senior Client Partner to join our Professional Services Department in Pretoria, South Africa. This pivotal role is central to our mission, taking overall responsibility for managing and strengthening vital client relationships. The senior Client Partner serves as a critical bridge, transforming complex research and data into clear, actionable insights that empower our clients to make informed, strategic business decisions. This position offers a unique opportunity to drive significant impact, influence client success, and contribute directly to our company's growth and reputation.

Duties & Responsibilities

• To lead and manage a team of Client Parters by defining and directing activities, monitoring performance, and developing staff to ensure that the desired client outcomes are achieved on an ongoing basis at the required professional standard as set by ASK AFRICA.
• To drive the Ask Africa culture throughout the team to ensure that they live according to the Ask Africa values and uphold the professional reputation of the business at all times.
• Achieve account growth and retention targets by delivering exceptional client service and managing client account relationships.
• Proactively build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to improve project efficiency, secure renewals, and increase cross-sell opportunities.
• To ensure projects are delivered within the allocated budgets while maintaining the profit margin agreed upon with the client. This entails providing accurate input into costings, effectively managing allocated billable hours across the team, optimizing resource productivity, and upholding quality standards to minimize rework and maximize profitability.
• To effectively manage the execution of multiple research/ benchmarking projects by taking overall accountability for the premium experience including: Understanding the client’s needs. Scoping and conceptualizing the solution; together with internal and external stakeholders to ensure overall profitability of work delivered by the team Ensure the client’s desired expectations are met/exceeded within the agreed timeframe and budget, thereby guaranteeing client satisfaction and key account growth for the business.
• To take responsibility for the overall integrity of report outputs moving through the team thereby ensuring superior quality of outputs and achieving the client's needs.
• To liaise and provide ongoing expert advice to all stakeholders (internally & externally), thereby ensuring the business provides an integrated and efficient service to all our clients resulting in consistent profitability and growth.
• In collaboration with the Commercial & PMO Team, prepare and present proposals, reports, and quarterly business reviews for key accounts, ensuring compliance with the brand, quality standards and scope of the allocated projects.
• Execute projects consistently to approved standards and methodologies while controlling costs and preserving agreed profit margins to enable scalable, high-quality delivery.
• Champion and implement cutting‑edge research innovations—including AI, automation, tools and methodologies—to improve efficiency, accuracy and insight quality of client outputs, aligned with Ask Africa strategic priorities.

Performance Objectives Framework

Our performance management approach is structured around Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to ensure clarity, focus, and measurable impact:

• Objective: Defines 'what' we aim to achieve. Objectives are typically qualitative, motivating, and ambitious, with a focus on a limited number to ensure strategic concentration.
• Key Results: Specify 'how' we measure achievement of an objective. Key Results are qualitative, easy to understand, achievable, and often Specific, Measurable, and/or Time-bound. We typically set 2-5 Key Results per objective.

Competency Evaluation Framework

Our competency framework categorizes skills based on their impact on role success:

• Important: Competencies in this category are needed to achieve some of the job objectives.
• Essential: Competencies designated as Essential are critical for the success of the role, being vital to achieve most, if not all, job objectives.