Strategic Account Director (Perm, UK, Remote)

Strategic Account Director (Perm, UK, Remote)

About Nearform  

Nearform is an independent team of data and AI experts, engineers, and designers who build intelligent digital solutions and capabilities at pace. We create AI‑enabled solutions that enhance digital experiences, empower developers, and deliver measurable results. In these ways, we partner with ambitious enterprises to deliver enduring impact. Our deep expertise in solving complex digital problems, along with our collaborative, people‑first approach, enables enterprises to build breakthrough products and modernise legacy systems by unleashing the power of AI. Today, our team of 500 experts in 20+ countries is trusted by leading enterprises including Lululemon, Puma, Sun Life, Starbucks, Travelex, Virgin Media O2, and Walmart

About the role

Nearform has worked with this Client for over a decade. They are one of our most strategically important clients — a Client that we both sell to (as a direct client) and sell with (as a partner taking joint propositions to their end-clients). 

We're hiring a strategic account director to own the commercial growth of this account. This is a senior, hands-on role: equal parts business developer, marketer, account strategist, and trusted operator inside one of Nearform's most important relationships. You will be the commercial centre of gravity for everything Nearform does with this Client.

What you'll do

• Own the executive relationship. Build and maintain a network of senior sponsors across the Client’s consulting and technology leadership teams, creating new advocates for Nearform and deepening executive engagement over time. 
• Own the business development plan. Build, maintain, and execute a multi-year account plan with clear targets, named opportunities, and a credible path to growth.
• Win new business, across both sides of the relationship. Lead pursuit of new opportunities — directly into this Client and jointly into their end-clients — from origination through to close.
• Bring commercial framing to technical pursuits. Partner with Nearform's Technical Directors and Solutions leaders to translate strong technical propositions into compelling commercial cases that win.
• Manage marketing for the account. Own how Nearform shows up in and around this Client — joint content, co-branded propositions, events, case studies, and the steady drumbeat of presence that keeps us front of mind.
• Define and align the account management model. Agree with the Client (and internally) how the relationship is governed — who meets whom, on what cadence, with what outcomes — and keep that model healthy as the account scales.
• Be a commercial face of the relationship. Build and maintain senior stakeholder relationships across this account, and act as the internal owner of the commercial health at Nearform.
• Forecast, report, and run the rhythm. Maintain accurate pipeline, forecast confidently, and run the operational cadence (QBRs, pipeline reviews, account standups) that keeps the account predictable.
• Work with local GTM teams where appropriate so we are bringing local intimacy with global consistency. 

What we're looking for

Commercial track record

• Demonstrable experience growing a strategic enterprise account, ideally one that combines direct selling and partner/channel motions
• Track record of winning new business in a services or technology environment — not just managing existing revenue
• Comfortable owning a number and forecasting against it

Consulting and Partner fluency

• Has worked with, in, or alongside consulting firms — understands how they sell, how they buy, and how to be useful to them in front of their clients
• Knows how to navigate a "sell-to and sell-with" relationship without confusing the two
• Knows how to elevate the partnership-building dimension to develop and execute joint GTM strategies with the client by identifying repeatable plays, solution offerings and routes to market that creates growth for both organisations. 

AI and technology background

• Strong working knowledge of modern technology delivery — software engineering, cloud, data, and (especially) applied AI
• Credible in technical conversations: doesn't need to architect the solution, but can shape, qualify, and commercially frame it
• Conversant in the AI landscape as it applies to enterprise — agents, AI-native engineering, the difference between hype and production

Operator instincts

• Plans the work and works the plan — strong account-planning discipline
• Confident running marketing for an account: brief, prioritise, and partner well with central Marketing
• Builds trust quickly with senior stakeholders, internally and externally
• Comfortable holding the commercial line in a room of technical specialists, and the technical line in a room of commercial buyers

Nice to have

• Existing relationships in the management consulting ecosystem
• Experience standing up or refining an account management operating model
• Background that includes time in a delivery or technical role earlier in career