Associate Director, London, South East and Financial Services

About the CBI

Founded 60 years ago and representing some of the biggest names in business, household brands and globally traded corporations that employ people in all sectors and across every region and nation of the UK, the CBI is the voice of business. The CBI represents 850 members who themselves comprise 1,100 separate registered companies and 150,000 trade association members. Find out more about some of the businesses in membership here.

The CBI is committed to ensuring a safe, supportive and inclusive people-centric culture where our people can excel to achieve their full potential and be their best authentic selves in an environment where ethical values and respectful behaviours are at the very heart of who we are in our everyday interactions.  

Role Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and commercially-minded professional, who is adept at building relationships with senior business leaders, to join the CBI team. You will join us at an exciting time in our 60-year history, as the CBI builds its membership to strengthen the voice of business into Whitehall and to policymakers.

Based at our Cannon Street offices, within the CBI’s London, South East and Financial Services membership team, this is an exciting opportunity to join a team tasked with driving the ambitious growth plans of the business. It will be your job to help develop our membership base by managing external relationships with existing CBI members and supporting the new income ambitions of the wider Commercial team.

As Associate Director, you will have front-line responsibility for a portfolio of up to 35 high-value strategic CBI member relationships primarily located across London, the Thames Valley, and the South East. You will be working with some of the most significant and influential FTSE and multinational organisations within the CBI’s membership from across the UK’s economy including financial services, professional services, education, and manufacturing.

You will also be liaising daily with the CBI’s policy, campaigns, products, and events teams for up-to-date product information; build external relationships with existing members; and support both the recruitment and onboarding of new CBI members through collaboration with the CBI’s Sales team.

This is a permanent position.

Key Responsibilities

Managing CBI member relationships

• Maintaining and deepening relationships with large, complex, and strategically significant CBI members in the London, Thames Valley, and South East regions, ensuring they are kept informed of regional and national opportunities to shape CBI and government policy and participate in CBI activities.

• As Associate Director, you will be directly responsible for a portfolio of up to 35 members, valued at up to £1m.

• Driving increased membership retention and satisfaction by delivering a compelling and efficient membership offer based on policy, networking, and intelligence.

• Developing a deep understanding of those issues impacting the competitiveness of member companies and being able to articulate how the CBI can influence these policies to the benefit of our members.

• Increasing the value of the membership portfolio with a strong focus on the delivery of high-quality account management, ongoing renewals of membership, and uplifting membership values.

• Maintaining accurate records by tracking activity on the CRM system and ensuring relevant information is shared with the appropriate stakeholders.

Supporting new sales, sponsorship, and products and services to members

• Contributing to the London, South East, and Financial Services team’s overall recruitment targets by supporting the sales activities of the wider Commercial team.

• Assisting the sales process, drawing on member insight to both help identify potential targets and leading on these relationships where appropriate.

• Cross-selling CBI’s policy intelligence and events into a commercial offer to members within your portfolio, including flagship events and specialist policy products.

Developing specialist expertise to help deepen the CBI’s member offer

• Reflecting the composition of your membership portfolio and your policy interests, working with teams from across the CBI to gain greater experience and knowledge in your area of expertise. An interest in working with financial services and city firms is particularly welcome.

• Deploying this expertise to help improve the CBI’s offer around specific sectors of the economy and distinct policy areas. This can be through helping to influence policy agendas, sharing insight on new developments, and by providing access to new member networks.

Success criteria

• Level of retention of existing members meeting annual target of renewals and uplifts in subscription values in your portfolio.

• Level of renewals and uplifts within the wider team in line with annual targets.

• Positive and productive relationships with member companies and their senior representatives.

• Successful onboarding of new members, evidenced by renewal of membership at first-year anniversary.

• Level of senior engagement in member companies.

• Maintenance of the CBI’s profile and authority within the City of London and the wider London & South East region.

• Demonstrating and fostering good practice in account management administration including CRM use.

Knowledge & Experience

• Experience in strategic account management dealing with senior business people in large and complex organisations through long-term relationships.

• Can demonstrate clear understanding of the principles and application of best practice relationship management.

• Strong relationship-building and networking skills.

• Strong interest in and awareness of the political and economic environment in the UK and the impact of the broader geopolitical landscape.

• Well-developed awareness and understanding of evolving opportunities and pressures within the business environment.

• An interest in and experience of working with financial services and city firms is welcomed.

To apply, please send your CV and covering letter by the closing date 13 June 2025.