Client Services Director

Company Description

SGS is the world's leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,700 laboratories and business facilities across 119 countries, supported by a team of 99,250 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, safety and compliance.

Our brand promise, when you need to be sure, underscores our commitment to reliability, integrity and trust — enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.

SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH0002497458, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).

Job Description

NOTE TO CANDIDATES - This is a remote position that will require the selected candidate to travel upwards of 50% of the time.

The Director, Client Services is a key leadership role responsible for the overall strategic health, retention, and growth of our major client portfolio across the North American laboratory network for the assigned business. Acting as the ultimate bridge between our key clients and lab operations, you will lead our client-facing Client Service teams to ensure seamless service delivery, technical communication, and proactive account management. This role will drive efficiency and standardize processes across the entire service delivery lifecycle. The successful candidate will possess deep change management expertise, with a demonstrated ability to champion new initiatives, align diverse teams, and drive organizational adoption.

Key responsibilities:

• Directs, coaches, and supports our Client Service teams across the lab network, fostering a pro-active, solution-oriented customer service culture.
• Proactively identifies and captures organic upselling, cross-selling, and wallet-share expansion opportunities within the existing client portfolio to drive sustainable revenue growth.
• Acts as the strategic liaison and ultimate escalation point to steer conflict resolution. Provide and support Corrective and Preventive Action Plans (CARS) and communicate CARs to customers to protect client relationships and align with project deliverables.
• Leads the standardization and continuous improvement of Client Services processes and workflows across the laboratory network to enhance service quality, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Defines strategy and targets for Client Service within the segment in conjunction with VP, including measurable KPI allowing the business to grow successfully and profitably.
• Develops and ensures client service-related process harmonization along with the development of segment from both organic and acquisitive growth.
• Serves as the functional Client Services lead for the rollout of the new systems and technology by leading digital client enablement. Present digital excellence through customer and Client Service team training for external facing tools.
• Directs and mentors the Project Manager Assistants and Client Success teams to ensure the timely delivery of project objectives and generation of final deliverables including automated uploads to client-specific portals.
• Standardizes and oversees all internal and external subcontracting workflows, ensuring operational consistency, regulatory compliance, and high-performance management of key strategic vendors across the network.
• Ensures ongoing contact and communication with existing clients, implement support processes and build relations with new clients.
• Coordinates and handles client complaints and claims in conjunction with other business partners as needed (legal, sales, technical experts, management, etc.).
• Ensures accountability of team to highest quality and integrity standards (according SGS QM standards and Code of Integrity) as well as current legislation and HSE requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in related discipline
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience managing customer relations or sales
• Previous environmental laboratory experience as asset
• Ability to manage and coordinate multiple projects in a fast-paced, highly professional environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, and interpersonal skills
• Excellent analytical, reasoning and problem-solving skills
• Ability to develop and deliver presentations and communicate effectively at all levels within the organization
• Ability to communicate and interact with officials at all levels of business and government and to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community
• Ability to translate strategy into actions
• Ability to analyze and interpret regulatory requirements impacting the service portfolio to support both laboratory and clients
• Strong ability to motivate teams and lead through influence
• Ability to build high-performance teams, ensure collaboration and develop others
• Possess the qualities of self-motivation
• Works well under pressure, challenges the status quo
• Ability and willingness to solve problems in a pragmatic and compliant manner
• Fosters innovation
• Intermediate level user of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Compensation

The expected salary range for this position is $146,800 – $170,000 annually and is eligible for the EHS North America commission plan. This range represents the minimum and maximum base salary we reasonably expect to pay for this role. Actual compensation within the range will depend on skills, experience, and qualifications.

Our Benefits

We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role.

• Health: Medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, employee assistance programs.
• Wealth: In addition to base pay, we offer 401(k) with company match (immediate vesting upon enrollment).
• Happiness:
  • Professional Growth: Online training courses, virtual and classroom development experiences, tuition reimbursement program
  • Work-Life Balance: Paid-time off and family leave

In compliance with applicable state and local pay transparency laws, we provide clear and equitable compensation information for all applicants.

Additional Information

SGS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such we recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and Indigenous status, or any other characteristics protected by law.


To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.


This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts the company's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.


Accommodations are available on request for qualified candidates during each stage of the recruitment process.


Please note that candidates applying for Canadian job openings should be authorized to work in Canada.