JOB TITLE: Managing Consultant / Senior Managing Consultant
STATUS: Exempt, 40 hours per week
LOCATION: Offices in Madison, WI or Tucson, AZ, Remote Considered
CULTURE AND COMMITMENT AT ILLUME
Our Vision: ILLUME is the premier consultancy for advancing, re-envisioning, and equitably transforming the energy industry. We align with clean energy and social justice imperatives and give primacy to human dreams and aspirations so that all can thrive in a clean energy future.
Our Commitment to Team Values: At ILLUME, we value the diverse lived experiences of our team. We view diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as an on-going commitment and investment in the growth of our employees, the growth of our company culture, and the growth of our industry. By centering environmental justice, climate change mitigation, and social justice in our work, we aim to transform the way the energy industry looks at its challenges. We believe that our collective well-being depends on how well we explore, elevate, and communicate the experiences of all people who use the electric grid. We quantify the impacts of our public investments to reduce energy demand and mitigate climate change.
ILLUME considers our investment in our team as a long-term and mutual investment. At ILLUME, we’re committed to building a valued business while ensuring rewarding careers to our employees. ILLUME does not discriminate in its employment practices with regard to age, ancestry, arrest record, color, conviction record, creed, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, military obligations, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
JOB SUMMARY
The Managing Consultant/Senior Managing Consultant will be responsible for leading ILLUME’s projects end-to-end. Drawing upon the work and expertise of colleagues, as well as your own professional and industry experiences, the Managing Consultant/Senior Managing Consultant will complete deliverables that provide clients a cohesive story that both inform and present realistic paths forward. The successful candidate will have industry experience in utilities, policy, energy efficiency, market research and/or advanced data analytics, and program evaluation.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & KEY RESULTS AREAS (KRAS)
Below we show the key result areas (KRAs) for the Managing Consultant/Senior Managing Consultant position. The Managing Consultant will be in the lower to mid-range for expected competency levels for this position while the Senior Managing Consultant will be at the higher end of this range. Levels may vary by individual based on focus areas.
Project Leadership & Administration
- Lead and own the planning, budget management, reporting and successful delivery of all assigned projects.
- Continuously communicate expectations, roles and accountabilities with assigned project team on tasks, timelines and deliverables; revisit expectations as needed to ensure project team is operating as planned and identify team process issues.
- Keep the project leadership, including the project’s Executive-in-Charge (EIC), informed on project progress, budget, cost-to-complete, key milestones, and status of deliverables.
- Schedule and lead critical meetings including kick-off meeting, debrief meetings (as needed and at project conclusion), and monthly financial meetings.
- Set up and lead weekly or bi-monthly project meetings ensuring all project team members are aware of upcoming tasks, deliverables, budget concerns, staffing, and review needs.
- Identify project resources and keep the project and ILLUME leadership team apprised of any resource-related issues.
- Be available to respond to and address client requests and questions in a timely manner (e.g., within same day as request).
- Practice effective project management fundamentals and procedures, fully understanding the need and strategies around those fundamentals for project success.
Staff Development, Training, and Mentorship
- Provide timely and clear feedback to members of the project team, both constructive and positive, related to project work.
- Identify the need for and provide task-level training to ILLUME staff based on the project and individual team member’s needs.
- Communicate overarching company training needs to ILLUME leadership as they arise, either technical or management related, based on personal or other staff needs.
- Work with the executive team to develop and deliver trainings in area of SME.
Area(s) of Expertise
- Identify with at least one area of expertise for growth and development. Expertise can be wide-ranging, and include project management excellence, social science research and analytics, complex data analytics, and topical areas related to our industry.
- Stay abreast of industry trends and opportunity in areas of expertise and identify strategic opportunities for ILLUME in these areas.
- Take ownership of development of areas of expertise through project work (including setting stretch goals within projects), reviewing existing publications and literature, and contributing to thought leadership in that area.
Business Development, Upselling, and Proposal Development
- Identify project expansion opportunities with current clients.
- Cultivate client relationships so as to secure continued or renewals in work.
- Track rebids or new bids and inform marketing and business development of timing and needs with current clients.
- Support the development of proposals through writing and budgeting.
- Share and support the development of project marketing opportunities with the marketing and business development team (webinar topics, podcast, magazine articles, blogs, etc.).
- Represent ILLUME at key industry events and in key organizations.
- At project close-down, ensure that project summaries are created, updated, and archived for use in marketing and business development.
OTHER DUTIES
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
COLLABORATION
Collaboration is the minimum standard at ILLUME. Team members build trust through regular, open, and honest communication and by working together across the company to ensure the success of every project. By working together, we create the momentum to accomplish our company objectives and together attain exceptional results.
REQUIRED EDUCATION
Bachelor’s degree in relevant area of study such as statistics, mathematics, engineering, building science, sociology (or other applied social science fields), economics, environmental science, psychology, or policy.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
- Four to eight years of experience managing research or evaluation projects that include qualitative and quantitative research techniques (knowledge of which may be gained through academic and/or practical work experience), preferably in energy research. Commensurate experience will be considered
- Industry experience with utilities, policy, energy efficiency, market research, program evaluation, and/or energy program design and planning
- Experience in data analysis and interpretation
Management Experience
- Demonstrated experience managing projects of various sizes and complexities, including project planning, contingency planning, client management, proactive and appropriate communication (upward and downward), and budget tracking and management
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize effectively in the face of multiple and shifting priorities, with the ability to switch between complex analytical thinking and attending to mundane tasks without compromising quality or losing one’s focus
- A clear history of exceptional time management, with an ability to manage many activities at one time and flexibility to adjust as needed based on project, client, and/or team needs
- Demonstrated independent decision-making experience with solid judgment
- A history of successful, creative problem-solving
Reporting & Communication Skills
- Experience applying critical thinking and attention to detail resulting in accurate and high-quality end-products
- Experience effectively identifying and conveying relevant messages, findings, and recommendations through various reporting mechanisms
- Superior verbal and written communication skills, demonstrating clarity and conciseness
- Presentation skills
- Intermediate experience with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint
WORKING CONDITIONS
The Managing Consultant/Senior Managing Consultant will work in an office setting the majority of the time under normal conditions. Due to COVID-19, ILLUME employees will work remotely at their homes (or other, socially distant locations), until it is deemed safe to resume work in office. This position requires sitting (or standing) for long periods of time at a computer; and communicating by telephone and email. Dress code at ILLUME is business casual (“pulled together”). This position requires some travel.
TO APPLY
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing samples/report samples from past work to hiring@illumeadvising.com.
In the subject line of your email, indicate the following:
Last name_First name_ Managing Consultant or Senior Managing Consultant
In your cover letter, provide us with:
- A sense of who you are by being honest, creative, and “yourself”
- Any experience with DEI in the workplace, and your own professional growth
- Please include your desired location (Madison, WI or Tucson, AZ Office), or indicate if you wish to work elsewhere and how you will ensure collaboration and availability to your colleagues in a remote environment.
Expect that we will carefully review all materials, including your cover letter. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
ILLUME will accept applications until the position is filled.
