Associate Director Consulting - State and Local Government

Gartner; New Jersey; Hybrid; USD 138,000 - 163,000; Full time

Job summary

Gartner is seeking an Engagement Manager ( Consulting Associate Director) to lead project delivery for state and local government clients, manage teams, and shape project scope and design. You will guide engagements, build client relationships, and coach staff in a fast-paced, AI-enabled environment.

The role emphasizes budgeting, scoping, and creating deliverables, with a focus on delivering on time and within SOW objectives, while fostering growth and high performance across diverse teams.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience supporting state and local government clients.
• MBA/ MPA or other advanced degree preferred.
• Experience within a well-regarded management consultancy in project delivery; sales experience is a plus.
• Prior experience in a problem-solving capacity such as a workstream lead.
• Experience working with multiple IT or Technology solutions.
• Proven track record of leading people and building high-performing teams.
• Ability to inspire and motivate professionals from technical and non-technical backgrounds.
• Willingness to provide constructive/corrective action when needed.
• Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and development of solutions; adapt Gartner frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing consulting engagements, budgeting, scoping, and roadmaps to align with timelines and SOW objectives.
• Creating high-quality project work-products and models.
• Building credibility with client management and managing expectations.
• Developing engagement hypotheses based on client context and problem-solving techniques.
• Providing timely feedback on projects and coaching.
• Leveraging AI knowledge to apply it in client projects.
• Assisting in client interviews and workshops.
• Meeting utilization and sales targets.
• Participating in hiring new associates.
• mentoring junior associates in project delivery.

Skills

Engagement leadership

Client relationship

Team mentoring

AI awareness

Cross-cultural collaboration

Problem-solving mindset

Project delivery oversight

Sales exposure

Education

MBA/MPA or advanced degree

Tools

Multiple IT/Tech solutions

Job description

About This Role

Our Consulting Associate Directors are responsible for project delivery and oversight along with client relationship management. You will manage teams as an engagement manager, responsible for leading the team to completion and ensuring deliverables are turned in on time. You will also help to create the scope and the design of the overall project.

Our diverse teams of experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough use of technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results. Our teams advise clients at the highest strategic level on both big-picture and tactical matters, focusing on how technology enables a wide range of business outcomes.

What You'll Do

As an Engagement Manager, you will function as an engagement manager responsible for:

• Overseeing consulting engagements, contributing to budgeting, scoping, and designing project roadmaps to ensure deliverables align with timelines and statement of work objectives.

• Creating high-quality project work-products/deliverables such as slide decks/presentations, technical or business documents (manuals, requirements), and quantitative models.

• Building credibility with client management-level staff, setting the standard for engagement teams, and proactively managing client expectations of engagement scope.

• Developing engagement hypotheses based on client context, identifying problem-solving techniques, and training others on these techniques.

• Providing timely, constructive feedback on projects and proactively engaging in formal and informal feedback/coaching.

• Leveraging knowledge of AI to identify opportunities for its application in client projects, enhancing effectiveness and efficiency.

• Assisting in client interviews and workshops (facilitation/content).

• Meeting utilization and sales targets.

• Participating in hiring new associates.

• Mentoring junior associates and guiding them in project delivery.

What You'll Need

• 7+ years of experience supporting state and local government clients

• MBA/ MPA or other advanced degree preferred.

• Experience within a well-regarded management consultancy in project delivery. Sales experience is a plus.

• Prior experience in a problem-solving capacity such as a workstream lead preferred.

• Experience working with multiple IT or Technology solutions.

• Consistent track record of leading people and building high-performing teams that leverage technology and research to drive the mission-critical priorities of state and local government entities.

• Ability to inspire and motivate professionals from both technical and non-technical backgrounds towards a common goal.

• Unwavering commitment to the success of your team, with willingness to provide constructive/corrective action when needed.

• Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and creative development of solutions and strategies to solve client problems; must adapt Gartner frameworks and methodologies to address clients' most pressing business challenges.

• Ability to be hands-on and manage multiple client priorities simultaneously.

• Comfortable influencing and building trust-based, value-added relationships with senior executives, both internally and externally.

• Coachable and embracing of best practices and feedback as a means of continuous improvement.

• Consistently high achiever marked by perseverance, humility, and a positive outlook in the face of challenges.

• Relentless focus on delivery excellence and client satisfaction.

• Ability to set a high standard of achievement on engagement teams and internal initiatives, helping instill a growth mindset in others.

Who You Are

• You enjoy learning and challenging yourself every day through working with colleagues from different backgrounds.

• Self-starter and a quick learner, you demonstrate a no-limits mindset.

• Passionate about technology and helping clients in the time of industry disruption led by technology evolution.

• High-performing team player with a passion for intercultural communication and collaboration. #LI-BH3

Who are we?

At Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT), we guide the leaders who shape the world.

Our mission relies on expert analysis and bold ideas to deliver actionable, objective business and technology insights, helping enterprise leaders and their teams succeed with their mission‑critical priorities.

Since our founding in 1979, we've grown to 20,000 associates globally who support over 13,000 client enterprises in ~90 countries and territories. We do important, interesting and substantive work that matters. That's why we hire associates with the intellectual curiosity, energy and drive to want to make a difference. The bar is unapologetically high. So is the impact you can have here.

What makes Gartner a great place to work?

Our vast, virtually untapped market potential offers limitless opportunities - opportunities that may not even exist right now - for you to grow professionally and flourish personally. How far you go is driven by your passion and performance.

We hire remarkable people who collaborate and win as a team. Together, our singular, unifying goal is to deliver results for our clients.

Our teams are inclusive and composed of individuals from different geographies, cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and generations.

We invest in great leaders who bring out the best in you and the company, enabling us to multiply our impact and results. This is why, year after year, we are recognized worldwide as a great place to work.

Gartner is the world authority on AI

At Gartner, you'll join a company at the very center of the AI revolution. Gartner has proactive, objective guidance throughout clients' AI journeys. We set the standard for how organizations leverage artificial intelligence to drive meaningful impact. You'll have access to unmatched resources, expertise, and technology, and play a key role in helping Gartner and our clients innovate and grow as we leverage AI to transform business and technology landscapes.

It's an exciting time to be at Gartner, with limitless opportunities to make a real impact, grow your skills, and build a lasting, meaningful career in a field that's reshaping the way we operate. If you're passionate about AI and want to be part of a team that's guiding the leaders who shape the world, Gartner is the place for you.

What do we offer?

Gartner offers world-class benefits, highly competitive compensation and disproportionate rewards for top performers.

In our hybrid work environment, we provide the flexibility and support for you to thrive - working virtually when it's productive to do so and getting together with colleagues in a vibrant community that is purposeful, engaging and inspiring.

Ready to grow your career with Gartner? Join us.

Gartner believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is 138,000 USD - 163,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based, uncapped sales incentive plan. Our talent acquisition team will provide the specific opportunity on our bonus or incentive programs to eligible candidates. We also offer market leading benefit programs including generous PTO, a 401k match up to 7,200 per year, the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount, and more.

The policy of Gartner is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status and to seek to advance the principles of equal employment opportunity.

Gartner is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers, including job seekers with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the Company's career webpage as a result of your disability. You may request reasonable accommodations by calling Human Resources at [phone] or by sending an email to [e-mail].