Consultant or Senior Consultant

JOB POSTING: CONSULTANT / SENIOR CONSULTANT*

• Title commensurate with experience and skills. We invite candidates to apply once for either the Consultant or Senior Consultant position, and we will collaborate with you to identify the best fit.

ABOUT CRE

For over 45 years, CRE has prepared leaders and strengthened organizations to drive social change. As a nonprofit consulting organization , we provide the strategies and tools needed to build equitable and sustainable, high-performing organizations, working with 300 organizations each year. As we adjust to our new reality and work to bolster our team, organization, and sector, we are seeking a skilled, thoughtful, seasoned leader to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a deep commitment to the social sector and alignment with CRE’s mission of strengthening organizations to reduce poverty, promote equity, and increase opportunity.

Critically, the ideal candidate also will exemplify and promote CRE’s values:

• Collaboration: We are smarter and more creative when we work together (and it’s more fun too).
• Diversity, Equity + Inclusion: We believe that true impact can only be achieved when we lift up diverse voices that have not always been heard.
• Accountability + Excellence: We promise excellence in all that we do and hold ourselves accountable to the community, the people we serve, and each other.
• Reflective Practice: We appreciate the big questions, tough discussions, and unexpected answers.
• Power of Change: We believe that change is always possible and unleashes opportunity and the potential for creative solutions that improve communities.
• Courage: We embrace bold ideas and risks that allow us to partner with clients as they overcome challenges and move toward change.

ABOUT OUR TEAM

Our team of 13 program/consulting and operations staff comprise dynamic, diverse, mission-aligned thought-partners, deeply invested in advancing social change. We co-create, transform, and challenge organizations to be their best. We value our people, the journey, and the promise of change. We believe all communities are rich in ideas, capacity, and care. We believe in love—love for our work, our clients, ourselves, and for each other. We lead with an unapologetic commitment to equity, especially in times of stress and uncertainty. For more, see our staff page.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Consultant/Senior Consultant is a vital part of CRE’s consulting team. This role will partner with client organizations to develop practical solutions to challenges that facilitate real change in their communities, and support internal projects that are crucial components in CRE’s effectiveness and impact. The right candidate will plan, implement, and lead a variety of consulting, coaching, and training engagements, and will be accountable for achieving high-quality outcomes and deliverables.

In the Consultant role, you will partner with Senior Consultants, Program Manager and support staff in the design and delivery of client engagements, building your consulting practice within a collaborative and supportive team structure. This position also participates in prospect outreach, pitch presentations, client cultivation, and networking opportunities. The Consultant reports directly to a Director.

In the Senior Consultant role, you will do the aforementioned duties and you will generate new client engagements ; increase CRE’s visibility in the sector by contributing to thought leadership; assist in developing or expanding CRE’s products, programs, and services; and lead and engage in continuous learning and sharing of new practices that deepen CRE’s expertise. The Senior Consultant may also have supervisory responsibility for other consulting team members, and will report directly to the Chief Program Officer.

As a representative of CRE to internal and external partners, the Consultant/Senior Consultant must have the ability to maintain a broad focus while attending to details, and to prioritize and complete multiple tasks effectively and efficiently. This position requires significant writing, speaking, critical-thinking, teamwork, and interpersonal skills—at a level that builds trust within our team and with our social sector clients and partners, and achieves timely, high-quality outcomes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Client Management and Project Delivery (approx. 60-70%)
  • Partner with and/or lead consulting team members in the design and delivery of client engagements, including strategic planning, board development, diversity, equity and inclusion planning, talent management, and other practice areas
  • Design and facilitate leadership and professional development programs using coaching, peer-based learning, team facilitation, and training
  • Develop high-quality and professional work plans, project budgets, reports, and other deliverables and documents
  • In the Senior Consultant role: Lead multiple client engagements simultaneously within specified timeframes and budgets, with full accountability for project outcomes and client relationships.
• Business Development (20%)
  • Support outreach and marketing efforts through client cultivation and networking, and contribute to thought leadership content, including posts, blogs, and articles.
  • Contribute to the development of bids and proposals for specific client engagements
  • Promote CRE’s offerings and special events
  • In the Senior Consultant role: Lead proposal development and pitch preparations for new clients, and stay current on industry trends to guide CRE's market positioning and expansion.
• Organizational Leadership (10%)
  • Ongoing contributions to CRE’s institutional knowledge and, where appropriate, supporting the development and sharing of that knowledge externally through writing case studies and serving as a resource to other colleagues and teams
  • Participate in internal projects and other internal activities to help CRE advance its goals
  • Support, model, and advance equity within CRE
  • Adherence to CRE’s contracting and program policies and processes (e.g., time entry, budget management, relationship management, documentation)
  • In the Senior Consultant role: Supervise and mentor staff as needed

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

All Candidates

• Experience in consulting or executive leadership in the social sector- particularly in NYC, and with organizations that address poverty and social justice
• Demonstrated experience analyzing, synthesizing, and presenting data in a clear and compelling way
• Strong project management skills; demonstrated ability to effectively organize time and priorities to accomplish work goals across teams and roles
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Executive or peer coaching experience/training is a plus
• Ability to cultivate ongoing, productive relationships, internally with peers and colleagues and externally with clients and client prospects
• Demonstrated ability to relate to people of different backgrounds and identities
• Proficiency in a second language (in addition to English) is a strong plus

For the Consultant role, we are looking for:

• A minimum of 5-7 years professional experience with at least 3 years of consulting experience in the social sector; experience with social justice organizations is a plus
• Effective facilitation of group learning activities and understanding of adult learning

For the Senior Consultant role, we are looking for:

• A minimum of 10-12 years professional experience with at least 5 years of consulting experience in the social sector or 5 years senior leadership at a nonprofit
• Experience in organizational development and capacity building
• Understanding of and experience with strategic planning and change management principles
• Ability to identify and design appropriate consulting strategies and interventions for clients, as well as the ability to pivot when situations require a different course of action
• Familiarity with organizational assessments and diagnostics, quantitative and qualitative research methods, nonprofit finance, operations, compliance, and governance
• Experience in research and design methodologies such as survey design, program design, prototyping, scaling or innovation, and financial modeling is a plus

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Authentic client-service orientation and empathetic approach to working with clients as partners
• Commitment and openness to learning, including giving and receiving feedback
• Commitment to high-quality work and creating impact within and beyond CRE
• Insightful and creative in problem solving, with an ability to leverage diverse resources and opportunities to benefit CRE and its clients
• Effective facilitator of group learning activities, especially in virtual environment, and understanding of adult learning
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Strong project management skills; demonstrated ability to effectively organize time and priorities to accomplish work goals across teams and roles
• Open, collegial, and supportive with colleagues
• Proactive, can-do attitude with a sense of humor
• Flexible and able to work effectively in a dynamic environment

CRE currently operates on a hybrid work schedule. This position is based in New York City and the Consultant/Senior Consultant is required to be physically present in the office on in-office days. Travel throughout the 5 boroughs of New York City is required based on project or client needs, including attending in-person meetings or working on-site based on client and project requirements regardless of our hybrid schedule. Bilingual, multilingual, and BIPOC candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $80,000-$90,000 for the Consultant position, and $105,000-$120,000 for the Senior Consultant position. Actual salary from this range will be based on the candidate's experience and qualifications. CRE offers a generous benefits package that includes 100% premium employee only coverage of health, dental, and vision insurance, plus life and short and long-term disability insurances as well as paid family leave; flexible spending accounts for medical, dependent care, transit and parking expenses, as well as a health reimbursement account for employees enrolled in CRE's health plan; 20 days of paid time off annually, with increases every other year based on tenure, 11 office holidays, winter closure, in addition to a Summer Fridays schedule; and investment in professional development.

HOW TO APPLY / SELECTION PROCESS

For consideration, please send your resume and a cover letter that clearly explains your fit for this role and the level you are applying for (Consultant or Senior Consultant); the value you will add; how you have engaged, collaborated, and uplifted diverse, marginalized clients, communities, and/or colleagues; and your alignment with CRE's values.

Prior to hire, candidates will complete at least two interviews and a written and/or case presentation exercise. Please inform CRE within a reasonable time period prior to administration of the interview or exercise of any reasonable accommodations needed.

CRE is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the Americans with Disability Act. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with all backgrounds. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or other legally protected classification.

CRE offers a generous benefits package that includes 100% premium employee only coverage of health, dental, and vision insurance, plus life and short and long-term disability insurances as well as paid family leave; flexible spending accounts for medical, dependent care, transit and parking expenses, as well as a health reimbursement account for employees enrolled in CRE's health plan; 20 days of paid time off annually, with increases every other year based on tenure, 11 office holidays, winter closure, in addition to a Summer Fridays schedule; and investment in professional development.