Client Account Manager

Lord Abbett•Jersey City, NJ

About The Position

Lord Abbett is seeking a senior member of the Client Account Management team to lead complex onboarding, implementation, and operational service activities supporting the firm’s institutional business. This role serves as both an operational lead and client service partner, responsible for managing the full client lifecycle— from pre-sale operational support through onboarding, ongoing servicing, and lifecycle changes. The role requires deep operational expertise, strong project management capabilities, and the ability to coordinate across internal stakeholders and external partners to deliver a seamless, high-quality client experience while maintaining a robust control environment. The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented team-player who can manage complexity, drive execution, and enhance the institutional client experience while maintaining strong operational discipline. This individual will play a critical role in scaling Lord Abbett’s onboarding and client lifecycle capabilities in support of the firm’s institutional growth.

Requirements

8–12+ years of experience in asset management or financial services, with a focus on institutional client onboarding, implementation, transitions, or operations.
Strong knowledge of institutional investment products, including fixed income, equities, and separate accounts.
Deep understanding of the end-to-end client lifecycle, including onboarding, funding, servicing, and account changes.
Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects in a fast-paced environment.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and coordinate across stakeholder groups.
High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and sound judgment.
Familiarity with custodial platforms, client reporting, and operational processes supporting institutional clients.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with CLM systems and workflow tools preferred.
Experience supporting large, complex institutional mandates and client transitions.
Familiarity with guideline compliance, benchmark implementation, and portfolio change events.
Familiarity with product needs.

Responsibilities

Serve as the operational lead for institutional clients, supporting pre-sale operational diligence, onboarding, and post-sale operational servicing.
Lead end-to-end onboarding and implementation of new mandates, including separate accounts and institutional fund vehicles.
Manage complex lifecycle events such as account transitions, portfolio launches, guideline updates, benchmark changes, and account restructures.
Oversee account setup, documentation, funding, and system configuration to ensure alignment with client mandates and regulatory requirements.
Drive onboarding and change events by defining timelines, key milestones, and dependencies across stakeholders.
Coordinate internal and external partners (Sales, Relationship Management, Portfolio Management, Legal, Compliance, Operations, Technology, custodians, and other service providers) to ensure timely and accurate execution.
Maintain and monitor onboarding pipelines, activity dashboards, and SLAs, ensuring strong governance and execution discipline.
Lead sign-off processes and control functions to ensure readiness prior to implementation events.
Act as a senior point of contact for client servicing needs, delivering a high-touch, solutions-oriented experience.
Support client and consultant requests, including RFIs/RFPs, operational due diligence (ODD), and ad hoc inquiries.
Partner with Client Reporting teams to ensure timely and accurate delivery of standard and customized reporting.
Facilitate cash flow coordination and funding instructions across client accounts.
Identify, escalate, and mitigate operational risks, ensuring adherence to firm policies, client guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance scalability, efficiency, and client experience, including technology-enabled workflow enhancements.
Partner with Technology teams to enhance client lifecycle management tools and operational workflows.
Act as a senior resource and role model within the team, providing guidance and mentorship to junior members.
Support training, workflow prioritization, and best practice development across onboarding and servicing processes.