As a Client Service Manager, you'll build strong relationships with our clients to get an in-depth understanding of their requirements, aiming to become a trusted long-term partner and adviser. At Baillie Gifford, we put the interests of over 700 global clients ahead of our own. Clients as varied as pension schemes, charities, public funds and financial institutions.

When it comes to Client Service, effective listening and communication is key. Join our team and you’ll become the hub of communications between the clients and the firm. It’s your role to explain investment strategies to new and existing clients, as well as communicate the performance of our funds. When clients come to you with their bespoke requirements and queries ­– you’ll work closely with internal teams to find the solution.

Baillie Gifford is an investment management firm that takes a long-term approach to investing, seeking returns for clients over three, five or even ten years. Our investors research companies that have the potential to grow significantly over this time. That means questioning everything that happens in the world around them, and anticipating the consequences of local, regional and global trends. In other words, they try to anticipate what the future may hold.

So, as a Client Service Manager, you’ll also be staying abreast of these trends and ideas, as well as keeping up-to-date with our investment strategies. All of which will help you develop your existing client relationships into new opportunities.

Life at Baillie Gifford is about working hard, not working long hours. We want you to enjoy a healthy work/life balance as you progress in your career. This means you can enjoy our active social scene, including sporting clubs and activities, and family events.  

We also believe in treating our employees well, and that includes financially. You’ll receive an excellent, fixed starting salary that’s competitive with our peers plus a benefits package that includes an annual bonus, generous pension, life assurance, discounted private healthcare and 34 days’ holiday.

All these factors contribute to our unique culture, but there’s another key characteristic – we’re an independent business. Baillie Gifford is wholly owned by 46 partners who work in the firm. The decision makers could be sitting in your team and answering your queries. We’re a business where people matter, and you could be our investment.

There’s no one type of person we’re looking for to become a Client Service Manager. From parents returning to work to professional rugby players, we see potential in a wide range of candidates. Financial services experience isn’t necessary, but there are three key attributes that will help you to flourish here:

Personable
Relationships – that’s what this role is all about. You’re a people person who can build rapport easily with both clients and colleagues alike. It’s more than just being friendly; you have the skills to build credibility and gain trust throughout your role. You thrive on teamwork and relish the opportunity to collaborate with internal teams to achieve client goals. You know how to make clients feel in safe hands. You pride yourself on your ability to listen and fully understand client requirements, whilst also communicating solutions effectively.

Flexible
We’re open-minded about who we employ, and the same goes for our approach to client service. You’re flexible and understand that every client is different. You can adapt and think beyond the obvious solutions, and have the versatility to change your approach. Flexibility will also serve you well on the training scheme, as you find new ways of using existing skills.

Curious
Curious about our world and excited by the thought of continually learning, you are fascinated by the ever-evolving nature of our investments and clients’ requirements. You’re looking for a culture that’s open to new ideas and always searching for better ways to do things. At Baillie Gifford we’re motivated by our aim to deliver client service excellence and expect our Client Service Managers to be the same.

At Baillie Gifford we take diversity and inclusion seriously, and believe that everyone should have the opportunity to develop and maximise their potential. For a number of years, we’ve been working hard to create a truly supportive culture for our employees.

We have a variety of employee-led networks who have been responsible for driving exciting D&I initiatives forward as well as providing support and guidance to colleagues. Some of our recent initiatives include ‘Let’s talk about race’ workshops, to help people understand why our language and behaviours are important. We also have an employee-led Multicultural and LGBT+  networks, and have recently set up a Neurodiversity Group that aims to celebrate the diverse ways in which human brains are wired.In 2019 we introduced an Equal Parental Leave policy that offers 52 weeks’ leave regardless of gender or length of service. This comes with full pay for the first 26 weeks and then half pay for the next 13 weeks. In 2020 our Working Families and Carers Network launched which offers supports to parents and helps to promote family friendly policies. And this year we offered all of our employees a free subscription to the Headspace meditation app, as well as access to online courses to support wellbeing and mental health.

We recently held Baillie Gifford’s first ever Diversity and Inclusion festival- ‘Beyond Words’ in November 2020. The festival was an opportunity to hear from a range of voices, sharing personal stories and years of research. It was an opportunity to reflect on the experiences of others and expand our own horizons.

If you would like to find out more about diversity and inclusion at Baillie Gifford, read in-depth articles and interviews with our employees. You can also view our diversity and inclusion magazine.

Edinburgh is many things. A bustling cosmopolitan city with a thriving financial services industry, but also the host to the biggest arts festival in the world. The political capital of Scotland. A place where a medieval castle on an extinct volcano stands proudly facing the stately Georgian New Town.

For us, it’s an exciting place to do business. We believe that Edinburgh offers a unique social, cultural, historical and environmental place to live and work. Baillie Gifford’s offices are less than five minutes’ walk from Princes Street, one of the busiest commercial areas in Scotland. It gives our staff an excellent quality of life, our clients a fascinating and exciting city to visit and is a great base to run a global business.

For more than 100 years, Baillie Gifford has been a feature of the Edinburgh community. A community that we’re proud to be a part of by supporting a number of different organisations. Since 2014, Baillie Gifford has funded over 300 grants through Foundation Scotland’s Community Awards and Grass Roots Sports programmes, and you can find out more about the other organisations we support here. 

From building lasting relationships with investors across the globe to effectively communicating trends, the role of a Client Service Manager is exciting and dynamic. If you can bring great people skills, new ideas and a willingness to learn – you could be exactly the type of person we’re looking for.

Ready to start your journey with Baillie Gifford? Apply to our 2021 Client Service Manager programme now.