Senior Consultant - Advisory

Role
Senior Consultant, Advisory, United States
Location
Houston, Texas, or New York City, New York We ask our teams to be in the office 3 days a week.
Who are LRQA?
LRQA stands for dedication to clients, market firsts, and deep expertise in risk management. We've grown to become a leading global assurance provider, bringing together outstanding expertise in certification, customized assurance, cybersecurity, inspection and training.
While we're proud of our heritage, it's who we are today that really matters, because that's what shapes who we and our clients can become tomorrow. By staying true to our shared values and combining decades of collective experience, we support our clients in building a safer and more sustainable future.
What do we do?
We help our clients negotiate a rapidly changing world, by working with them to manage and mitigate the risks they face. We serve a wide variety of industries, with a core focus on Food & Beverage, Consumer Goods, Transportation & Mobility, Technology & Telco, Construction & Manufacturing, Energy and Renewables and Chemical & Processing.
Our products and services range from independent third-party auditing to certification and training; we also offer consultancy services, real- time assurance technology and data-driven supply chain transformation programs. our innovative end-to- end solutions help our clients shape their own future, rather than letting it shape them.
LRQA currently operates across 51 countries, has more than 2,500 colleagues, generates around $450M in revenue, and supports more than 60,000 clients across a diverse range of sectors and markets.
Job overview
We are looking for a highly motivated and passionate professional to help grow our practice and to design and implement leading ESG programs for our clients. This role will be client-facing and require direct engagement with senior stakeholders at companies (e.g., sustainability/ESG, sourcing and/or procurement teams), investment firms, and law firms. Responsibilities will cover both business development (lead qualification, leading presentations and pitch calls, proposal writing) and client engagement and project delivery. You will have an annual sales target, set in advance each year, leading commercial meetings and contributing to fully proposal writing and budgeting and RfP management.
Our ideal candidate is motivated by the opportunity to work at the cutting edge of ESG & sustainability and is energized by fast-paced, innovative, and challenging environments.
Key Responsibilities:

• Project Leadership (40%)
  • Serve as both project and business development lead for major client relationships; establish themselves as key client thought partner and point of contact.
  • Lead project teams to develop high-quality analyses and product outputs for clients, such as: double materiality analyses, responsible sourcing roadmaps, supply chain risk analyses, climate risk analyses, etc.; client deliverables should synthesize complex findings into concise themes and should contain actionable recommendations.
  • Plan and manage projects in a way that accounts for and ensures profitability.
  • Take accountability for timely and high-quality service delivery, project staffing, efficient workplans and client management, taking corrective action as needed, to fill any shortfall at any stage.
  • Manage associates and / or consultants, as part of project work and / or as part of independent managerial duties; set clear expectations for team members and provide timely and useful feedback.
  • Build positive team environment; should be viewed internally as a team leader.
• Business Development (40%)
  • Actively contribute to business development efforts, including expanding existing client relationships and generating/cultivating opportunities with new clients.
  • You will be account for timely and high-quality service delivery, project staffing, efficient workplans and client management, taking corrective action as needed, to fill any shortfall at any stage.
  • Lead and / or actively participate in all parts of the business development process: end-to-end proposal writing, presentations, budget preparation, and communication/negotiation with clients and potential clients.
• Product Development / Knowledge Management (20%)
  • Lead product development and refinement and play an active role in knowledge management efforts, working together with peers across the organization to ensure continuous improvement and efficiency
  • Develop thought leadership at the organizational level, including by writing blog posts, newsletters, and technical articles

The Right Candidate will possess the following:
Experience:

• Minimum 5-7+ years professional experience in management consulting and/or sustainability/ESG. Master's degree in a relevant discipline preferred.
• Expertise in sustainability strategy, responsible sourcing, GHG emissions measurement & management, human rights due diligence, and/or other relevant topics.
• Established track record of contributing to, and leading, business development / sales (e.g., opportunity cultivation, proposal writing, project scoping, negotiation) with demonstrated performance against ambitious targets.
• Plus: Experience with environmental standard-setting and disclosure bodies (e.g., SBTi & VCMI), GHG accounting frameworks (e.g., GHG Protocol), environmental attribute registries, and climate / ESG reporting frameworks (e.g., TCFD, CDP, GRI, & SASB) with relevant technical skills.
• Plus: Familiarity with regulations and standards related to workers' rights in supply chains (including EU CSDDD, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights & the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises) and related processes (e.g., human rights due diligence, salient risk analysis, Human Rights Impact Assessments, and supplier mapping).

Skills:
Business Development Skills:

• Ability to lead business development / sales (e.g., opportunity cultivation, proposal writing, project scoping, negotiation).
• Ability to deliver against ambitious sales targets in a fast moving environment

Communication and Presentation Skills:

• Strong writing skills and a high bar for output quality (e.g., leading teams to develop compelling presentations and proposals).
• Strong verbal communication skills (e.g., active listening, persuasion, public speaking); Ability to present ideas in a clear and succinct manner.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills:

• Strong information and data processing skills. Advanced Excel capabilities are a plus.
• Strong analytical abilities, including multiple approaches to reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
• Attention to detail and conceptual/systems thinking.

Time Management and Organizational Skills:

• Effective time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to respond positively to pressure and take a flexible approach to a dynamic, fast-moving, and changing work environment.

Expertise and Credibility:

• Ability to quickly establish credibility and demonstrate expertise across topics and sectors.
• Capacity to work across different time zones, i.e., to hold meetings outside of regular local working hours when required.

Interpersonal and Leadership Skills:

• Relationship building and networking skills.
• Negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Team leadership skills, either on a project basis or as a line manager.

Language Skills:

• Fluency in written and spoken English; additional language(s) a plus.

Key health & safety responsibilities:
Eliminate or minimize employee exposure to risks by regularly reviewing the health and safety risk register, applying appropriate controls, communicating results of risk assessments, and ensuring health and safety is considered in the planning and execution of all LRQA activities.
Manage your own, and your team's, compliance with health and safety rules, instructions, systems and legal requirements to ensure employees are suitably trained and adequate resources are available to work safely.
At LRQA we focus on developing an enabling environment. One in which our people can flourish and succeed, by delivering insightful and innovative solutions to our clients while remaining knowledgeable and good partners. Our workforce is made up of many individuals with unique skills, values, backgrounds and experiences. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we value diversity in our workforce and foster an environment that promotes inclusion, recognizing the organizational capability and business performance that diversity brings.
To learn more about career opportunities at LRQA, please visit our Careers Page here: