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Client Operations Specialist

Richmond, Virginia, United States

Want to make a meaningful career move? Think: Padilla. We celebrate our people – and honor their potential. It starts with a warm, inclusive workplace. Ample opportunities to learn and to lead. Other pluses? Fulfilling mentorship opportunities and great celebrations. And caring workers who love creating award-winning work. Come build, grow, and connect with Padilla. We’ll help you be your best.

As a Client Operations Specialist, you'll serve as a critical member of one of the agency's largest and most complex client teams. Working closely with account leadership, client stakeholders and Padilla's finance team, you'll help coordinate day-to-day operations, manage project timelines, oversee financial workflows and ensure client deliverables are completed accurately and on schedule. This is a highly visible, client-facing role that requires exceptional organization, attention to detail and the ability to keep multiple priorities moving simultaneously. 

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys creating order from complexity, and takes ownership of keeping client work organized, accurate and on schedule. 

 

What You'll Do 

Drive Operational Excellence 

  • Own recurring operational processes and documentation that keep the client program running smoothly 
  • Coordinate deadlines, drive follow-up on action items and keep work moving across the team 
  • Build and maintain project timelines, trackers and shared resources across multiple workstreams 
  • Identify opportunities to improve recurring workflows and operational efficiency 

 

Support Client Financial Operations 

  • Coordinate and maintain client-specific budgeting, billing and compliance workflows  
  • Verify financial documentation, budgets and invoices for accuracy and compliance before client submission, partnering with Padilla’s finance team to resolve discrepancies 
  • Assist with budget and hours tracking across multiple workstreams 
  • Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation 

 

Provide Administrative Support 

  • Anticipate operational needs and provide day-to-day support for account leadership 
  • Coordinate travel, meeting logistics and administrative processes  
  • Partner with client administrative staff on scheduling and coordination 
  • Coordinate client meetings, agendas, action items and follow-up communications 

 

Ensure Quality and Compliance 

  • Proofread and quality-check client-facing presentations, reports, budgets and correspondence to ensure accuracy, consistency and a polished final product 
  • Verify alignment between client requirements, approved budgets and supporting documentation  
  • Maintain version control and document integrity across workstreams  

 

What You Bring 

  • Experience supporting complex client accounts, programs or business operations 
  • Experience coordinating financial, compliance or reporting-related processes 
  • Exceptional organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and follow through 
  • Experience working with budgets, invoicing processes or financial documentation 
  • Experience managing project timelines, coordinating multiple stakeholders and driving work to completion 
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously 
  • Strong written communication and proofreading skills 
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment 
  • Comfortable interacting directly with clients and senior executives 

 

Technical Skills 

  • Advanced Microsoft Office proficiency 
  • Strong Excel skills 
  • PowerPoint formatting and production experience 
  • Experience working with shared document platforms (SharePoint of similar)  
  • Document management and version control experience 
  • Experience leveraging AI tools  

 

Personal Attributes 

  • Proactive and resourceful 
  • Highly organized 
  • Strong follow-through 
  • Comfortable managing ambiguity 
  • Service-oriented mindset 
  • Collaborative and team-focused 
  • Dependable and accountable 

 

#LI-Hybrid

US salary range

$45,000 - $55,000 USD

Padilla is a full-service agency that transforms brands and organizations through strategically creative communications. Our work across a range of industry sectors is consistently recognized by the PRWeek Awards, PRovoke IN2 SABRE Awards and PRSA Anvil Awards, among others. Padilla operates in seven cities in the U.S. through its family of brands, which includes SHIFT (performance communications), FoodMinds (food and nutrition affairs) and Joe Smith (brand strategy). As an AVENIR GLOBAL company and a founding member of the Worldcom Public Relations Group, the agency provides services to clients through 155 offices worldwide. Transform with purpose at PadillaCo.com.   

 

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