Sr Client Advocate I

Companion Data Services•Columbia, SC

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Client Advocate serves as the central point of contact for all Contract related issues, managing a constant flow of incoming requests and forward each request to appropriate support area. Triage and direct all communication, gather and validate cost estimates for any requested changes, and ensure those costs are appropriate and fulfilled. The role functions as a liaison between the I/S division and the customer, overseeing budget and project components tied to the contract, with a particular focus on Lab Claims operations supported by CDS. This is a full‑time and onsite position with Companion Data Services, a subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, located in Columbia, SC.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree (Equivalency: Associates degree plus an extra 2 years job related work experience for a total of 9 years of required work experience OR 11 total years required work experience)
7 years I/T related experience to include experience in client relationship management, I/S marketing, and process/product improvement
Exceptional communications (verbal and written) skills with assertive yet customer-focused style
Strong leadership, teamwork skills and the ability to communicate with all management levels
Strong technical knowledge along with strong analytical and conceptual skills
Understanding of information systems, business processes, and the key drivers and measures of success for the business unit and the organization
Knowledge of the company’s business practices and direction along with the assigned business area’s products and processes
Understanding/knowledge of technological trends used to bring solutions to business units
Strong business analysis experience across multiple lines of business
Strong LOB experience to include working closely with I/T in the development/implementation of systems
Demonstrated competency in strategic thinking with strong abilities in client management and relationship building/management along with a service attitude
Demonstrated competency in management of resources to meet goals and multiple projects
Participation on multidiscipline, high-performance work teams
Ability to negotiate terms and scope of work documents
Ability to prepare and present formal presentations
Effective problem solving and conflict resolution skills
Microsoft Office

Nice To Haves

Prior IT project management, IT Business Analysis, IT Account Management, IT Solutions, IT Operations or similar experience
Knowledge of Commercial Healthcare Claims

Responsibilities

Acts as an account manager responsible for the collection, analysis, review, documentation, and communication of customer needs and requirements. Ensures I/S solutions are tailored to the customer’s strategies by continually obtaining a complete understanding of the customer’s business needs from initial requirements to final implementation. Communicates quickly and accurately. Manages political and interpersonal issues. Fosters relationships between the customer and the I/S organization as well as analyzes problems, settles disputes, and negotiates with the customer within current contractual boundaries. Acts as specialists in client’s business and generalists in I/S products and services.
Helps the customer define their business needs as specific changes and works with the customer on priority setting. Allows the customer to have major influence over I/S work priorities, therefore improving customer control over costs of products and services that I/S delivers. Assists in the definition of I/S work/audit requests and completes the packaging and delivery of I/S work/audit requests estimates and supporting documentation to customer. Negotiates final estimates, authorization, and start/completion dates for each request with customer. Provides tracking of work requests to allow better control of costs. Monitors work requests to ensure delivery of products and services based on customer’s priorities, estimates, and dates.
Monitors service levels, reports actual versus agreed to service levels, and reviews service levels with the customer to determine opportunities for improvement. Establishes and reports metrics that measure I/S performance and satisfaction to customer. Reports Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance. Analyzes requested and existing SLAs for reasonableness and takes appropriate action. Reports overall customer status to the I/S Management. Provides strategic consultancy support to assigned customers in defining of designing business or technological processes. Responsible for quality oversight of the project work being done to ensure on-time delivery, within budget, with high quality, and to the customer specifications.
Takes proactive marketing approach when communicating with customer in response to external requests for change or internal I/S product activity. Focuses on customer needs and makes customer aware of potential offerings that could meet those needs and/or add value. Designs products and services with common components that can be leveraged across many customers. Establishes pricing, obtains approval by LOB management, and packages/delivers to customer. Focuses the communication with the customer on features offered and works with I/S team to propose and build tailored, customer-focused solutions.
Research/discovers opportunities to employ the proper subsets of I/S and its products and services. Identifies the customer’s strategic business strategies and finds the right products and services to fill the customer’s need and uses internal Marketing to sell the solution. Research and tracks industry trends and maintains knowledge of new technologies in the area of expertise to better evaluate business unit service requests, requirements, and proposals. Summarizes the customer’s business strategies and communicates the customer’s needs to the I/S organization.