Tier 1 · Know coldModule 9 of 12

Cross-functional leadership with Delivery, Sales, Marketing, Finance & LOB

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Confidence:

Learning objectives

Define a RACI across AM, CSM, delivery, and sales.
Protect the trusted-advisor delivery relationship while layering commercial ownership.
Translate fluently across functions.

Why this matters for the Orium role: The role works across every function; the classic failure is delivery order-taking or commercial/delivery friction.

60-second executive explanation

The role is connective tissue, so I'd define a clear RACI across account management, CSM, delivery, and sales — with rules of engagement, like who leads at which deal size. In a consultancy delivery holds the relationship, so the trick is layering commercial ownership without fracturing that trusted-advisor bond: delivery surfaces and is credited for expansion signals, account leadership qualifies and closes, and Sales comes in for complex negotiated scope. I translate fluently across Finance, Marketing, and LOB owners because I've been the business lead on delivery teams.

Core concepts

RACI

Explicit Responsible/Accountable/Consulted/Informed across new logo, onboarding, renewal, expansion, delivery — with rules of engagement.

Protect delivery trust

Delivery is the expansion radar; credit and incentivise signal-surfacing; don't turn them into quota-carriers.

When Sales engages

Complex, negotiated, multi-stakeholder scope; delivery/AM handle in-footprint expansion.

Translation

Speak Finance (bookings/margin), Marketing (pipeline/brand), Delivery (capacity), and exec (NRR/strategy).

Commercial implications

Clear RACI prevents the friction that loses expansion and frustrates clients.
Crediting delivery for signals aligns incentives without breaking the relationship.

Account-growth angle

The delivery→account-leadership handoff is the mechanism that converts delivery trust into expansion.

Orium-specific angle

Orium works across Delivery, LOB owners, Marketing, Sales, Finance, and exec — this is the role's daily reality.

Darren relevance

Business lead on scrum teams + 60+ hybrid engineers = proven cross-functional orchestration.

Senior-client conversation

Delivery lead

I don't want account management turning my client relationship into a sales pitch.

Darren

Agreed — you own the trusted-advisor relationship and you're the radar. The RACI is clear: you surface and get credited for signals, I qualify and orchestrate the close, and Sales only comes in for complex negotiated scope. The relationship stays yours.

Weak answer

“I'd work closely with all the other teams and keep communication open across functions.”

Strong answer

I'd define a clear RACI across AM, CSM, delivery, and sales with rules of engagement, protect delivery's trusted-advisor relationship by making them the credited expansion radar rather than quota-carriers, and bring Sales in only for complex negotiated scope. I translate across Finance, Marketing, and LOB because I've been the business lead on delivery teams.

Mini case

Situation: Delivery resents account management 'selling' into their client.

Move: Co-define the RACI and a credit/incentive model so delivery surfaces signals and keeps the relationship; AM closes.

Outcome: Aligned incentives convert delivery trust into expansion without friction.

Active recall

How do you protect the delivery relationship while growing the account?

When should Sales engage in expansion?

Quiz

1. In a consultancy, who usually holds the client relationship?

2. A RACI's main value is:

Go deeper with the Tutor

Role-play a defensive delivery lead and make me defuse the tension with a clear RACI and credit model.

Open the Tutor (top-right) and paste this prompt, or tap a mode.