Value Creation Director

Grant Thornton (US); Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 224,000 - 289,000; Full time

Job summary

Grant Thornton is seeking a Value Creation Director to lead high-impact engagements for PE, strategic and financial clients across multiple industries. You will drive growth, ensure rigorous diligence, and mentor teams to deliver tangible value within tight deal timelines.

The role requires extensive consulting experience, PE exposure, and strong leadership in delivering cross-functional advisory services. A hybrid in-person schedule is expected at client sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, engineering, supply chain, operations, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years total experience, with at least 5 years in a management consulting environment; industry experience valued.
• Industry recognized professional certification required.
• Private equity exposure with familiarity of portfolio operations and value creation playbooks.
• Transaction experience buy-side/sell-side with focus on supply chain, manufacturing or operations improvement delivery.
• Demonstrated experience coaching and developing consulting staff.
• Willingness to travel 25–50% to client sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee engagements, delivering strong value creation and client impact.
• Develop growth strategies for the practice and support deal teams from scoping to delivery.
• Mentor consultants and managers, ensuring methodological rigor and client presence.
• Lead business development efforts, including scoping, proposals, budgets, and client meetings.

Skills

Strategic advisory

Leadership

Client management

Financial analysis

Deal experience

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance/engineering

MBA or advanced degree

Professional certification

Job description

Job Description

As a Value Creation Director, you’ll focus on high-impact engagements with our private equity, strategic and financial clients across industries, including manufacturing (e.g. consumer, industrials), retail, business services, healthcare, and software/technology. You will work with experienced professionals who bring a full range of advisory services to validate, optimize and create value for Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions Practice – all with the resources, environment, and support to help you excel.

Your day-to-day may include

Value Creation Practice Growth

• Help build and advance the practices’ operational offering — methodology, diagnostic tooling, benchmark libraries, and the analytical standards that make our work repeatable across engagements.
• Develop thought leadership that establishes credibility with sponsors and differentiates our operational point of view in the market.
• Embed Value Creation insights into broader deal advisory engagements so that operational perspective reaches clients earlier in the transaction process.
• Contribute to the growth strategy for the practice, including capability gaps, hiring priorities, and where we should be investing to win.

Diligence Delivery

• Demonstrate a strong ability to analyze, assess and improve cost structure durability, particularly for manufacturing and business services value chains.
• Assess whether a target’s operating model can deliver the sponsor’s thesis — capacity to support the growth case, cost structure durability, and the operational risks that could impair the entry multiple.
• Quantify value creation opportunity in an EBITDA bridge — sourcing and direct material savings, footprint and network rationalization, labor productivity, indirect and G&A rationalization, freight and logistics — with sizing, phasing, one‑time cost to achieve, and confidence bands.
• Evaluate capital requirements and working capital opportunity: deferred maintenance, capacity constraints, automation readiness, inventory turns, DSO, DPO, and cash conversion cycle.
• Advise on carve‑out operational readiness, including standalone cost estimation, TSA scoping, and separation of shared manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution infrastructure.
• Support integration of bolt‑on acquisitions, including sourcing synergy capture, footprint consolidation, and back‑office integration.
• Deliver findings under deal timelines, present directly to deal teams and operating partners, and interface with the QoE, commercial, and IT workstreams so the operational view reconciles to the financial one.

Project Oversight and Team Leadership

• Oversee engagements, providing strong delivery leadership and hands‑on project management.
• Guide project teams to ensure engagements meet client expectations and drive timely, measurable value creation.
• Align project outcomes with broader practice objectives and support team development goals.
• Mentor and develop consultants and managers in diligence methodology, client presence, and analytical rigor.

Business Development and Client Growth

• Deliver memorable client results while developing strong client relationships to convert diligence engagements into post‑close and portfolio‑wide work.
• Lead and support pitch activity, including scoping, proposals, budgets, and work plans, and participate in fund‑level and management meetings with prospective clients.
• Collaborate across the firm to bring the full range of advisory capabilities to sponsor clients.
• Meeting or exceeding targeted billing hours (utilization)
• Other duties as assigned

You have the following technical skills and qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, engineering, supply chain, operations, or a related field required. MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of total experience, including a minimum of 5 years in a management consulting environment with progression to project and commercial leadership required. Relevant industry experience also highly valued.
• Industry recognized professional certification required.
• Private equity exposure, including familiarity with standard operating practices of portfolio operations and value creation playbooks.
• Transaction experience, either buy‑side and/or sell‑side, preferably with a focus on supply chain, manufacturing, procurement or operations improvement delivery — not exclusively corporate or market strategy.
• Demonstrated experience in managing, coaching and developing consulting staff.
• Comfort operating in a low‑data, fast‑turn environment with direct exposure to deal partners and portfolio company executives.
• Willingness to travel to client sites, estimated at 25–50%.

The base salary range for this position is between $223,514 and $289,171. Placement within the pay range is at Grant Thornton’s discretion, and it is based on multiple factors, including but not limited to, job‑related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, progression within the role, geographic location, and internal equity. At Grant Thornton, compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

About Us

At Grant Thornton, we believe in making business more personal and building trust into every result – for our clients and you. Here, we go beyond your expectations of a career in professional services by offering a career path with more: more opportunity, more flexibility, and more support. It’s what makes us different, and we think being different makes us better.

About The Team

The team you’re about to join is ready to help you thrive. Here’s how:

• Whether it's your work location, weekly schedule, or flex time off, we empower you with the options to work the way that it best serves your clients and your life. Consistent with the firm's hybrid work model, this position will require in-person attendance at least three days per week, either at a GT office or client site.
• Here, you are supported to prioritize your overall well‑being through work‑life integration options that work best for you and those in your household.
• We understand that your needs, responsibilities and experiences are different — and we think that’s a good thing. That’s why we support you with personalized and comprehensive benefits that recognize and empower all the identities, roles and aspirations that make you, well, you. See how at www.gt.com/careers
• When it comes to inclusion, we are committed to doing more than checking boxes. Explore all the ways we’re taking action for diversity, equity & inclusion at www.gt.com/careers

Here’s what you can expect next

If you apply and are selected to interview, a Grant Thornton team member will reach out to you to schedule a time to connect. We encourage you to also check out other roles that may be a good fit for you or get to know us a little bit better at www.gt.com/careers.

Benefits

We understand that your needs, responsibilities and experiences are different, and we think that’s a good thing. That’s why we support you with personalized and comprehensive benefits that recognize and empower all the identities, roles and aspirations that make you, well, you. For an overview of our benefit offerings, please visit: https://www.grantthornton.com/careers/rewards-and-benefits

• Benefits for internship positions: Grant Thornton interns are eligible to participate in the firm’s medical, dental and vision insurance programs and the firm’s employee assistance program. Interns also receive a minimum of 72 hours of paid sick leave, and are paid for firm holidays that fall within their internship period.
• Benefits for seasonal employee positions: Grant Thornton seasonal employees are eligible to participate in the firm’s medical, dental and vision insurance programs and the firm’s employee assistance program. Seasonal employees may also be eligible to participate in the firm’s 401(k) savings plan and employee retirement plan in accordance with applicable plan terms and eligibility requirements. Seasonal employees receive a minimum of 72 hours of paid sick leave.

Grant Thornton employees may be eligible for a discretionary, annual bonus based on individual and firm performance, subject to the terms, conditions and eligibility criteria of the applicable bonus plan or program. Interns and seasonal employees are not eligible for bonus compensation.

Additional Details

It is the policy of Grant Thornton to promote equal employment opportunities. All personnel decisions (including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, working conditions, promotion, transfer, compensation, benefits, evaluations, and termination) are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital or civil union status, pregnancy or pregnancy‑related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, veteran status, disability, handicap, genetic predisposition or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws, it is the policy of Grant Thornton LLP to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. To make an accommodation request, please contact [e-mail].

For Los Angeles Applicants only: We will consider for employment all qualified Applicants, including those with Criminal Histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

For Massachusetts Applicants only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Gran Thornton does not require or administer lie detector tests as a condition of employments or continued employment.