Would you like to play a key part in Aston’s growth?
Become an Account Manager and help us to cultivate our external
relationships
What is Account Management?
32 organisations are currently benefiting from a central Account Management approach and
the list is growing. These range from SMEs to large corporates that are involved at many levels
across the University. They may offer placements and graduate opportunities, collaborate on
research projects, engage in training and development courses, input into the curriculum or
sponsor events and prizes (this list isn’t exhaustive!) To ensure that we remain responsive and
offer an exceptional level of service, each organisation has a dedicated Account Manager from
Aston who makes it easier for their organisation to navigate the University. Feedback to date
from the organisations has been extremely positive and Account Managers have helped to
deliver some great returns for Aston.
The Business Front Door team within the Research and Enterprise Office (REO) act as a central
hub and support Account Managers by helping them to make connections. Organisations are
selected to be account managed based on the breadth of their engagement with the
University and the impact that the relationship has (or could have) on revenue, student
employability, reputation and rankings.
Why do we need Account Management?
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To deliver exceptional and consistent customer service to our external partners
To demonstrate that Aston has a joined up approach
To avoid duplication of work and effort
To understand the current scope of the relationship and move beyond this to
strategic partner level
To improve internal communication around business engagement
To ensure that we are responsive to company needs
What does being an Account Manager involve?
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Building the most up-to-date picture of engagement with a company across the
wider university and inputting this intelligence into an account map
Attending regular Account Managers meetings (these take place every 6 weeks for
one hour)
Networking at internal and external events when the opportunity arises
Identifying opportunities for collaboration across the wider university
Referring contacts made to the relevant department and following these up
Helping to solve any problems that may arise
Encouraging a culture of openness, sharing and trust
Why become an Account Manager?
Enhance your internal network. The Account Management team is a friendly, proactive
group made up of colleagues from across the University helping you to share best practice
and build relationships with people you may have never met before.
A chance to shine. From student recruitment to collaborative R&D, the scope of opportunities
available is huge. Account Managers so far have spotted some fantastic ways to collaborate.
If you like to make an impact and get results, we would love to hear from you. Your Line
Manager will be informed of your participation so that it is recognised in your PDR and there
is also an Excellence Award up for grabs.
Learn new skills. This is an opportunity to do something different to your day job and
develop a new area of expertise. You will receive training on how to be an effective Account
Manager, something to add to your LinkedIn profile!
To view the full list of organisations and Account Managers, please take a look at the
Account Management webpage: http://www.aston.ac.uk/staff/bc/account-management/
Successes that you could be part of…
Some of the achievements from Account Management to date include:
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Increase in placement and graduate recruitment
Research collaborations underpinned with funding
Postgraduate scholarships and student bursaries
Event sponsorship
Increased take-up of MBAs and professional development courses
Curriculum design and case study provision
Job shadowing and mentoring opportunities
What we are looking for…
If you have any of the following attributes and would like to get involved, then please get in
touch!
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Proactive
Experience or interest in business/relationship development
Good listener
Friendly and professional
Ability to network within Aston and externally
Willingness to share contacts and work collaboratively
Knowledge and experience of working with industry
Good negotiation and persuasion skills
Ability to think and plan strategically
Contact Emma Mason, Business Relationship Manager to find out more
[email protected] x3448
“If you enjoy making new contacts, finding solutions to queries or
problems, and feel a sense of achievement seeing things through to
completion, then this is a great opportunity!”
Paul Harper, Account Manager for National Express