Principal Client Partner

ustwo is looking for an exceptional, high-impact Principal-level Client Partner to grow a portfolio of client relationships, each valued multiple millions. You'll own the commercial growth, strategic direction and overall health of your accounts, serving as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders.

The core mandate is horizontal growth. You'll take our product design, technology and strategy services into new business units, divisions and geographies within existing clients.

This is a hands-on growth role. Alongside leading established relationships, you'll network into assigned target accounts and run outbound activity into cold accounts, turning first conversations into long-term partnerships. You'll work closely with the Exec Director of Client Services & Growth, Growth, Marketing and our global Client Partner community.

Key responsibilities

Account Leadership & Horizontal Growth

• Horizontal account growth: Proactively identify, shape and close new workstreams by extending ustwo's services across divisions, business units, regions and brands within existing clients.
• Portfolio & P&L ownership: Be accountable for revenue, profitability and forecasting across accounts valued at multiple millions with a clear plan to grow each one.
• Account planning: Build and maintain account plans that map the client organisation, its decision-makers and budget holders, and the whitespace where ustwo can add value.
• Executive relationships: Act as the primary strategic partner for VP to Director-level stakeholders, and build new relationships with adjacent leaders beyond your day-to-day contacts.
• Strategic leadership & value delivery: Partner with leads across Strategy, Technology, Product, Delivery and Design to deliver high-quality work with commercial rigour.
• Global Collaboration: Collaborate with ustwo’s global leadership and Client Partner community to leverage global studio talent, share best practices, and drive continuous improvement.

New Business & Outbound Growth

• Networking into target accounts: Use your network, referrals, events and warm introductions to open new doors within assigned target accounts across our five verticals.
• Outbound into cold accounts: Run consistent, targeted outbound activity (research, personalised outreach, follow-up sequences) to engage cold accounts where ustwo has no existing relationship.
• Pipeline building: Build and manage a pipeline of new opportunities aligned with ustwo's commercial priorities and your assigned verticals.
• Early-stage conversations: Lead first meetings and discovery with senior decision-makers, qualify opportunities, and bring in studio leadership and specialists at the right moment.
• Account-based marketing: Partner with Marketing on campaigns, events, thought leadership and account-based initiatives that warm up target accounts.
• Market insight: Develop a point of view on your verticals' challenges and industry trends, and use it to shape outreach and proposals.
• Tools & reporting: Keep CRM data, pipeline forecasting and commercial reporting accurate, and use AI-enabled tools to sharpen research and prospecting.

About you

• 10+ years in client services, account leadership or business development within a digital agency, consultancy or design and technology environment.
• A track record of managing and growing client accounts valued at multiple millions annually, including growing accounts from the lower end of that range to the upper end.
• Demonstrated success expanding services horizontally into new business units, divisions or geographies, within existing clients and in newly won organisations.
• Proven experience networking into target accounts and turning introductions into qualified opportunities with senior decision-makers.
• Hands-on experience running outbound activity into cold accounts, and comfort owning that activity yourself rather than handing it off.
• Strong commercial judgement across revenue forecasting, margin, risk, pipeline management and opportunity qualification, using CRM tools such as Pipedrive or Salesforce.
• Solid understanding of digital product development, human-centred design and technology transformation.
• A skilled communicator, facilitator and negotiator who builds trust quickly and collaborates well with multidisciplinary teams.
• Inspiring, inclusive team lead who thrives on collaborating with multidisciplinary digital specialists to deliver tangible business outcomes.
• Able to rapidly understand client contexts, build relationships quickly, and deliver impact with minimal onboarding.
• Curious, proactive and self-directed, with a hands-on approach to execution.

Benefits

Why ustwo?
We’re a design and technology studio that believes thoughtful design creates better outcomes for people and businesses. You’ll join a collaborative team that values curiosity, generosity and craft, with the opportunity to shape one of the industry’s most respected design brands.

Details and benefits
Our full benefits package is available to all permanent and fixed term contract employment, please see further details here. We will also be able to share a benefits deck to showcase local benefits.

Location
This is a hybrid role based out of our Malmö studio or remote from a major Northern European city with regular travel to the Malmö studio. Given our global studio model, regular international travel across Europe may be required to build deep relationships, oversee key strategic initiatives and collaborate with colleagues in person when required.

We encourage applications from people with different backgrounds and experiences. If this role excites you, we’d love to hear from you, even if you don’t meet every requirement.

10+ years in client services, account leadership, or business development within a digital agency, consultancy, or design/technology environment. Proven track record of managing and growing multi-million dollar client accounts, including horizontal expansion. Demonstrated success networking into target accounts and leading outbound activity into cold accounts. Strong commercial judgement across revenue forecasting, margin, risk, pipeline management, and opportunity qualification using CRM tools. Solid understanding of digital product development, human-centred design, and technology transformation. Skilled communicator, facilitator, and negotiator who thrives in multidisciplinary team collaboration.