Client Relationship Manager (CRM) - Expat Banking

Position             

Client Relationship Manager (CRM)

Group

NBKI London

Reports To

Head of Expat Banking 

Direct Reports

N/A

Internal Relationships

• London Management and Staff All Levels
• NBK Group Staff and teams, including business, strategy, IT, branding

External Relationships

• Prospective and existing Expat Clients

Number of full-time equivalent employees – 1  

Grade

E- Principal

Job Purpose

The Client Relationship Manager is responsible for managing and developing relationships with onboarded expat banking clients, ensuring they receive proactive engagement, high-quality service and continuous support throughout their journey with the bank. 

This role blends new-client welcome activities with ongoing portfolio management, ensuring every client experiences a seamless transition from onboarding to long-term relationship development. CRM serves as a source of contact for complex banking needs, delivering a compliant, client-centric service experience. 

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Client Relationship Management:

• Act as the primary point of contact for complex needs for onboarded expat clients, ensuring they receive a seamless, high-quality experience from onboarding through their long-term relationship with the bank.
• Build trusted relationships with clients through ongoing engagement, proactive outreach and timely follow-up.
• Conduct welcome calls to new clients, helping them understand the bank’s services, digital access and available products.

Portfolio Management & growth:

• Manage the Expat portfolio, monitoring client behaviours, needs and opportunities for deepening the relationship. 
• Drive growth in client liabilities and deposits through tailored financial conversations and needs-based recommendations.
• Identify and execute cross-sell opportunities for relevant products and services, ensuring suitability and compliance.

Client Experience & Service Delivery:

• Provide responsive, accurate and professional support to client queries, ensuring high satisfaction levels.
• Maintain strong ownership of each client’s experience, resolving issues quickly and co-ordinating with internal partners as necessary. 
• Monitor client satisfaction through surveys and feedback, acting promptly on areas of improvement. 

Compliance and Risk Management:

• Ensure all client interactions and recommendations align with regulatory requirements, internal policies and best practice standards.
• Maintain accurate client records, ensuring KYC, documentation and risk assessments remain up to date.
• Identify and escalate any concerns, unusual activity or potential risks appropriately. 

Collaboration and Internal Coordination:

• Work closely with onboarding teams, operations, products, compliance and other partners to ensure smooth client servicing. 
• Provide insights from client interactions to inform proposition development and service improvements.
• Collaborate with market teams to support consistent delivery across regions. 

Client Insight and Reporting: 

• Track client activity, engagement and product utilisation to identify trends and opportunities. 
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of expat client needs and market conditions.
• Provide accurate portfolio performance updates and contribute to reporting as required. 

Continuous Improvement: 

• Contribute to enhancing processes, digital journeys and service models based on client feedback and operational experience.
• Participate in training and development to stay current with products, regulatory requirements and industry best practices. 

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Sanctions Responsibilities

As a client-facing department, the Expats Banking department serves as the first line of defense to prevent NBKI from being used to facilitate money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions breaches (collectively known as “Financial Crime”). 

The role has a responsibility to:

1. To reinforce to the Department that, as owners of the relationship that generates Financial Crime risks, the Department also has responsibility for mitigating those risks
2. To ensure that Departmental business is conducted in accordance with NBKI Financial Crime Policy and Procedures applicable to the Department and Bank as a whole 
3. To ensure that Financial Crime controls are operating effectively within the Department
4. To understand the Financial Crime Risk within the Department and contribute to the annual Business AML Risk Assessment produced annually by the MLRO
5. To bring to the immediate attention of the MLRO and/or the Managing Director any material Financial Crime risk of which they become aware within the Department.

Qualification & Experience

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Economics, Business Administration, or Accounting
• Any relevant certificates: CII, CISI, CBI or CeMAP

Essential Experience:

• Proven experience in client relationship management within financial services, wealth management, or international/expat banking for a minimum of 3 to 5 years in a customer-facing role within retail or commercial banking.
• Strong background in supporting high-net-worth or international mobile clients, with the ability to manage complex cross-border needs.
• Demonstrated experience in portfolio management, including client engagement, retention and growth of deposits or liabilities. 
• Experience delivering high-quality client service, handling enquiries, resolving issues and maintaining long-term relationships.
• Strong understanding of banking products, including deposits, FX, international mortgages and savings products, with the ability to identify cross-sell opportunities.
• Solid awareness of regulatory and compliance requirements, including AML, KYC and suitability obligations. 

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in digital or remote servicing environments supporting globally mobile clients.
• Exposure to expat markets such as GCC, Europe, Africa or Asia.
• Experience in onboarding clients or working closely with onboarding, operations or KYC teams.
• Familiarity with CRM systems or workflow platforms used in client servicing. 

• This role requires strong communication and relationship skills, with the ability to engage clients proactively and deliver seamless service experience. 
• The CRM must demonstrate sound judgement, commercial awareness and the ability to identify client needs and growth opportunities, while maintaining a strict compliance and risk mindset. 
• Excellent organisation, attention to detail and the capacity to manage the Expat client portfolio efficiently are essential. 
• The role also demands collaboration across teams, adaptability to evolving client and regulatory requirements and a client-centric approach grounded in professionalism. 

Skills

Core Competencies & Success Drivers

• Proven ability to grow client liabilities and identify cross-sell opportunities while maintaining high satisfaction and proactive engagement.
• Expert at building trust through clear communication, professional integrity, and efficient, client-centric problem-solving.
• Deep understanding of KYC and industry standards, ensuring 100% accuracy in record-keeping and risk management.
• Insight-driven approach to identifying trends, deepening relationships, and delivering on key performance targets.
• Highly organised with the digital competence to navigate complex systems and collaborate across internal teams to resolve issues.
• Adaptable professional committed to personal accountability, process enhancement, and staying current with market conditions.

Committee membership/involvement

N/A

AML/KYC responsibilities

• Adhering to NBKI’s Financial Crime Policies & Procedures.
• Responsibility for conducting KYC in accordance with NBKI’s due diligence procedures.
• Ensure periodic reviews are being conducted in accordance with the risk classification of the client.
• Address any material changes to the clients’ circumstances. 
• To notify the MLRO or Deputy MLRO of any potential suspicious activity.
• Complete training on a timely basis as assigned by the Financial Crime Department.
• Assist and help the AML Middle Office with any transaction monitoring queries.