Page 24 - FCW, October 2016

Jay Finch
As director of agency partnerships, Jay Finch is responsible for ensuring that 18F maintains a steady pipeline of clients and that those clients have an exceptional experience.
Developing partnerships with other agencies and delivering exceptional customer service are critical to 18F’s mission. Finch performs a crucial function because “our lifeblood is clients coming to us,” said Chris Cairns, director of transformation services at 18F.
Finch has established a set of processes for clearly defining client needs, designing effective solutions and
positioning 18F to deliver results for clients, who consistently praise his work. On a number of
occasions, he has stepped into projects to help the client and the team achieve
effective outcomes. “These are complicated
engagements,” Cairns said. “We’re introducing new ways of working
in many cases, and new ways can challenge historic ways of
thinking.... Old habits die hard, and you have to assure the
client they’re going to get what they want out of this process.”
At every step, Finch excels at providing guidance to
business partners, making them feel confident even when they must venture
outside their comfort zones and ensuring that their
diverse needs are fully met.
— Chase Gunter
22 October 2016
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