Client Relationship Executive - Commercial
About the role
Grant Thornton is seeking a Commercial Director Client Relationship Executive (CRE) to drive focused growth within Audit and Tax through relationship management, active prospecting, disciplined pipeline development, and strong collaboration across pursuit teams.
Responsibilities
- Active Prospecting & Business Origination (Primary)
- Meet sales production targets and goals with discipline and minimal oversight
- Originate new business through outbound calls, executive meetings, and relationship development
- Lead Commercial account and pursuit strategies for priority clients and prospects
- Translate client needs into scalable, differentiated solutions
- Build deep relationships with relevant executives and buyers across client organizations
- Position GT's full-service approach to deliver speed, efficiency, and ROI at scale
- Champion responsible, practical AI adoption in pursuit narratives
- Drive proposal strategies emphasizing measurable outcomes, defined governance, and practical implementation plans
- Partner with RMPs, Audit & Tax Growth Leaders, PMDs, and pursuit teams to align client needs to relevant capabilities
- Identify winning strategies by deeply understanding client needs
- Facilitate alignment across stakeholders during Audit and Tax services sales presentations and executive working sessions
- Negotiate and participate in pricing strategy to ensure GT is competitive while protecting value
- Project executive presence; build effective relationships with senior Partners and C-Suite executives
- Identify key decision makers at client and prospect organizations
- Cultivate relationships across executive networks, industry forums, and alliances to build GT relevance
- Activate events, campaigns, and thought leadership to build pipeline
Requirements
- 10+ years of progressive experience in business development, Audit / Tax sales, complex solution selling, or enterprise transformation pursuits with C-suite/Board-level buyers
- Demonstrated success building and expanding executive relationships and driving measurable growth outcomes in a matrixed professional services environment
- Familiarity with Audit / Tax buying processes and the ability to identify Advisory cross-sell opportunities
- Strong commercial acumen: qualification discipline, win strategy, pricing, negotiation, and executive storytelling
- Proven ability to translate complex capabilities into clear value propositions and scalable pursuit narratives
- Advanced communication and presentation skills (executive-level decks, whiteboarding, facilitating decision sessions)
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred
Qualifications
- Experience selling and structuring multi-year Audit & Tax engagements
- Direct experience in professional services firms, with working knowledge of how partner-led, client-service organizations operate
- Working knowledge of Audit & Tax domains (Assurance, Attestation, Corporate Tax, Indirect Tax, International Tax, Partnership Tax, and related technology-enabled offerings)
Skills
- Commercial acumen
- Qualification discipline
- Win strategy
- Pricing
- Negotiation
- Executive storytelling
- Translation of complex capabilities into clear value propositions
- Scalable pursuit narratives
Benefits
The total compensation package for this role includes base salary and bonus. The base salary range for this position is between $172,000 and $258,000. Placement within the pay range is at Grant Thornton’s discretion, and it is based on multiple factors, including but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, progression within the role, geographic location, and internal equity.
Pay
The base salary range for this position is between $172,000 and $258,000.
Schedule
This position requires in-person attendance at least three days per week, either at a GT office or client site.