Director (NS)

Next Street; Boston, New York, Chicago (MA, NY, IL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Next Street is seeking a Director for Advisory in Boston to drive business development, shape client engagements, and lead teams across advisory services. You will manage relationships with senior executives, scope and oversee engagements, and ensure successful delivery while growing revenue and expanding the client base.

The role combines client leadership, strategic thinking, and people management in a mission-driven, B Corp environment with offices in Boston, NYC, Chicago and Buffalo.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree in business, finance, or other relevant field beneficial.
• 8+ years work experience with a top-tier professional services firm.
• 5+ years managing delivery teams, with demonstrated thought and client leadership.
• Demonstrated success selling professional services engagements to meet annual revenue targets and managing a book of clients.
• Demonstrated ability to be the public face of an organization through public speaking, relationship building and other channels.
• Exhibited analytical skills and sound judgment in problem-solving and decision-making.
• Proven ability to effectively set and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Act as client relationship manager and trusted advisor to senior executives.
• Cultivate long-term relationships with clients, beyond the bounds of a project, and identify opportunities for follow-on work.
• Provide strategic oversight to projects; scope engagements, provide direction to project teams and mitigate obstacles to ensure project delivery exceeds client expectations.
• Manage project delivery team members; proactively create opportunities for team to meet development goals and ensure delivery is in line with firm delivery standards.
• Manage project profitability, and ensure effective use of firm resources.
• Provide subject matter expertise and innovative thinking to enhance client recommendations and strengthen the Firm’s point of view.
• Collaborate across offices, business lines and levels to leverage the Firm’s assets to advance client solutions.
• Originate new sales, drawing on existing relationships and firm network, to meet individual origination targets in support of the Firms’ annual revenue targets.
• Partner with the Management Team to determine priority audience and offering areas to focus business development efforts.
• Identify and sell into potential new audiences and offerings that complement existing Firm focus areas and fit with Next Street core capabilities.
• Monitor market trends to understand evolving client needs and proactively design solutions to drive new sales offerings.
• Drive marketing and networking opportunities in support of business development objectives (e.g., conference attendance, publication of thought leadership).
• Oversee and draft compelling, high quality proposals, with support from the Business Development team.
• Set direction and identify opportunities to advance Next Street’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Manage talent; responsible for performance management, coaching, and development for direct reports.
• Participate in project staffing decisions.
• Contribute to codification and development of firm’s Advisory offerings.
• Participate in recruiting efforts, as needed.
• Proactively partner with Programs and Capital Markets teams to identify points of intersection and collaboration.
• Lead knowledge development and dissemination throughout the firm.
• Oversee special projects or take on other responsibilities, as needed.

Skills

Client leadership

Public speaking

Relationship building

Analytical skills

Prioritization

Collaboration

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree beneficial

Job description

Next Street was founded in 2005 with the belief that small businesses are the engines of inclusive growth in underserved markets. Serving as trusted advisor to some of the country’s most dynamic organizations, Next Street revolutionizes how organizations provide capital, customers and services to small businesses and entrepreneurs. We create strategies and tools for public, private and social institutions to drive equitable small business growth in the communities across the US. Next Street also directly serves hundreds of individual businesses every day through tailored small business development services and programs.

We look for professionals who aim to combine their diverse backgrounds and experiences with a passion for mission, offering our team members an unparalleled opportunity to work at the intersection of doing well and doing good. Next Street is a for-profit ‘business for good’ and a certified B Corporation with offices in Boston, New York City, Chicago and Buffalo.

Position Summary

Next Street’s Advisory practice is looking for a high-performing Director who will work closely with Firm leadership to drive business development, shape and lead client engagements and play a key role in people management and firm leadership.

Your Work

Client Management & Delivery (50%)

• Act as client relationship manager and serve as trusted advisor to senior executives
• Cultivate long-term relationships with clients, beyond the bounds of a project, and identify opportunities for follow-on work
• Provide strategic oversight to projects; scope engagements, provide direction to project teams and mitigate obstacles to ensure project delivery exceeds client expectations
• Manage project delivery team members; proactively create opportunities for team to meet development goals and ensure delivery is in line with firm delivery standards
• Manage project profitability, and ensure effective use of firm resources
• Provide subject matter expertise and innovative thinking to enhance client recommendations and strengthen the Firm’s point of view
• Collaborate across offices, business lines and levels to leverage the Firm’s assets to advance client solutions

Business Development (30%)

• Originate new sales, drawing on existing relationships and firm network, to meet individual origination targets in support of the Firms’ annual revenue targets
• Partner with the Management Team to determine priority audience and offering areas to focus business development efforts
• Identify and sell into potential new audiences and offerings that complement existing Firm focus areas and fit with Next Street core capabilities
• Monitor market trends to understand evolving client needs and proactively design solutions to drive new sales offerings
• Drive marketing and networking opportunities in support of business development objectives (e.g., conference attendance, publication of thought leadership)
• Oversee and draft compelling, high quality proposals, with support from the Business Development team

Firm Management (20%)

• Set direction and identify opportunities to advance Next Street’s mission and strategic priorities
• Manage talent; responsible for performance management, coaching, and development for direct reports
• Participate in project staffing decisions
• Contribute to codification and development of firm’s Advisory offerings
• Participate in recruiting efforts, as needed
• Proactively partner with Programs and Capital Markets teams to identify points of intersection and collaboration
• Lead knowledge development and dissemination throughout the firm
• Oversee special projects or take on other responsibilities, as needed

Qualifications

Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree in business, finance, or other relevant field beneficial
• 8+ years work experience with a top-tier professional services firm
• 5+ years managing delivery teams, with demonstrated thought and client leadership
• Demonstrated success selling professional services engagements to meet annual revenue targets and managing a book of clients
• Demonstrated ability to be the public face of an organization through public speaking, relationship building and other channels
• Exhibited analytical skills and sound judgment in problem-solving and decision-making
• Proven ability to effectively set and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Characteristics

• A commitment to inclusive development and a passion for small business
• An appetite to build business and take entrepreneurial initiative
• A demonstrated capacity for collaboration and teamwork at all levels of tenure
• A commitment to develop one's personal leadership, in addition to cultivating one's abilities to lead others, the work, and the organization
• A strong desire to continuously learn through work across industries, client segments, and communities of practice
• A willingness to challenge and be challenged, regardless of seniority

Next Street is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, or Vietnam era, or other eligible veteran status, or any other protected factor.