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

• Identify client needs, create new access to buyers, and advance well-qualified opportunities by aligning client priorities to relevant Audit, Tax, and Advisory capabilities.
• Active Prospecting & Business Origination (Primary): Conduct active, rigorous daily prospecting across assigned accounts, targets, and markets — originating new business through outbound calls, executive meetings, and relationship development.
• Meet sales production targets and goals with discipline and minimal oversight.
• Originatenew salesopportunities by consistently and systematically initiating contacts; pursue prospects to secure meetings and win referrals.
• Commercial Growth Leadership & Account Strategy: Lead Commercial account and pursuit strategies for priority clients and prospects, identifying new Audit and Tax opportunities and where Advisory cross-sell can expand client value.
• Partner with RMPs, Audit & Tax Growth Leaders, PMDs, and pursuit teams to align client needs to relevant capabilities. Translate client needs into scalable, differentiated solutions; partner with offering and solution strategy leaders to ensure solutions are executable and repeatable.
• Lead cross-solution opportunity development by identifying where additional Audit, Tax, or Advisory capabilities may strengthen pursuit strategy.
• Build deep relationships with relevant executives and buyers across client organizations to create new access and generate qualified commercial pipeline.
• Drive proposal strategies that emphasize measurable outcomes, defined governance, and practical implementation plans (not just scopes and hours).
• Position GT's full-service approach — uniting data-driven insights, technology modernization, and shared services/outsourcing to deliver speed, efficiency, and ROI at scale.
• Champion responsible, practical AI adoption in pursuit narratives, coordinating with AI and risk leaders as needed.
• Maintain strong executive altitude in client conversations (Board/C-suite), aligning pursuits to growth, risk, profitability, and performance priorities.
• Pursuit Leadership & Win Strategy: Identifywinning strategies by deeply understanding client needs; coach pursuit teams through qualification, solutioning, pricing, and closing.
• Participate in Audit and Tax services sales presentations and executive working sessions; facilitate alignment across stakeholders.
• Negotiate and participate in pricing strategy to ensure GT is competitive while protecting value.
• Market Presence & Executive Connectivity: Project executive presence; build effective relationships with senior Partners and C-Suite executives.
• Identify key decision makers at client and prospect organizations at the C-Suite and Board levels.
• Cultivate relationships across executive networks, industry forums, and alliances to build GT relevance.
• In partnership with marketing, 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; comfort operating at the intersection of strategy and go-to-market.
• Working knowledge of Audit & Tax domains (e.g., Assurance, Atsation, Corporate Tax, Indirect Tax, International Tax, Partnership Tax, and related technology-enabled offerings, with the ability to identify relevant Advisory cross-sell opportunities).
• 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.
• 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

• Travel up to ~10%, variable by portfolio.

Benefits

• The total compensation package for this role includes base salary and bonus.
• Benefits for internship positions: Medical, dental, and vision insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, 72 hours of paid sick leave, and firm holidays.
• Benefits for seasonal employee positions: Medical, dental, and vision insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, 401(k) savings plan, employee retirement plan, and paid sick leave.
• Additional details about benefits are available at this link.

Pay

The base salary range for this position is between $185,000 and $278,000. 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.

Schedule

This position requires in-person attendance at least three days per week, either at a GT office or client site. Consistent with the firm's hybrid work model, this position will require in-person attendance at least three days per week, either at a GT office or client site.