Director, Performance Improvement

Ankura is a team of excellence founded on innovation and growth.

Practice Overview

Our Performance Improvement practice leads the market in providing extensive industry expertise combined with data-driven, objective, and innovative approaches to the most complex business challenges. We help the world’s most sought-after clients solve problems our competitors can’t.  Our significant experience working with companies at critical inflection points in their lifecycles has informed our approach and instilled a sense of urgency in solving problems.  

Our collaborative, high intensity team works with clients around the globe to build value across the life cycle and accelerate business performance through strategy setting and execution, business and operating model design, acquisition and merger support, market-entry strategy, and channel and product strategy.  We connect the sky to the ground by driving strategy into execution.

We generate higher performance for clients across every industry sector and functional area working from the shop floor to the C-Suite.  If you’re ready to learn and grow your career at an accelerated pace you’ve found the right place, and we’d love to meet you!

Role Overview

The ideal candidate for this role will be based in Chicago or New York. When not traveling for clients, this role would be working in a dynamic office environment 3-4 days per week (hybrid).

Responsibilities

Rapidly understand client data and operations

• Work directly with Client to obtain relevant data

• Lead executive interviews to understand complex company operations concepts

• Understands various operating concepts informed by prior experience (i.e. pattern match to what you’ve seen before) and able to clearly articulate those early views to others

Lead teams through often complex analyses:

• Independently develop understanding of analytic tools including and outside of Excel to bring an

experienced/informed view on how to structure required analyses

• Bring your top insights to independently identify patterns in complex data and drive hypotheses

• Independently disaggregate complex problems into simpler parts

• Critique and provide guidance on complex analyses developed by your delivery teams

• Demonstrates clear understanding of different workstreams

• Helps to set priorities across multiple work streams

Independently identify patterns in complex data and drive hypotheses

Develop executable recommendations into high quality deliverables and present to client:

• Actively challenges assumptions and hypotheses

• Analyzes risks to existing or proposed operations

• Understands key elements of advisory consulting

• Coordinates with team on schedules to meet agreed upon deadlines

• Identifies key milestones and manages accordingly

• Directly manages work of Associates and Senior Associates

• Lays out an effective approach to a presentation with guidance from more senior teammates

• Prepares full decks and presents sections of a report both internally and to clients

• Presents effectively to C Suite level clients and other professionals related to basic and moderately complex analyses/issues

• Handles client interactions at multiple levels

• Provides guidance and feedback to early career professionals

• Maintains constant communications with senior professionals to ensure coordination of activities and manage expectations

Requirements

• The ideal candidate will bring a minimum of 5 years of relevant consulting and line management experience focused in one or more of the following areas:

  • Merchandising & Category Management

  • Sales & Marketing effectiveness, processes, incentives

  • Distribution & Logistics, Network Modeling

  • Manufacturing and Contract Manufacturing

  • Direct & Indirect Procurement

  • SG&A cost reduction

  • M&A: Divestitures/Carve-Outs and Integration

• An undergraduate degree from a top academic institution with a strong GPA

• Advanced degree(s) and applicable professional certification(s) are preferred

• Intense curiosity and a relentless hunger toward lifetime learning

• Ability and willingness to travel is required

• Willingness to work at times, long hours during the week and on weekends due to client demands may be necessary

• Experience with analytical tools and financial analyses that show a proper understanding of competing needs (timing, flexibility, detail, risk) with limited direction

• Experience with Excel modeling

• Identifies and articulates opportunities for more advanced analytic approaches outside of basic Excel

• Demonstrates ability to contribute to identification of key issues

• Able to understand concepts of data patterns and trends

• Exhibits critical thinking and problem-solving capability

• Demonstrates ability to synthesize analysis and draw conclusions

#LI-MJ1

#LI-Hybrid

• For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in California, Colorado, New York or other states with relevant pay transparency laws, Ankura is required to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This compensation range is specific to the said markets and considers a broad range of factors including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled.  The range does not include additional benefits outside of salary. At Ankura, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each role. A reasonable estimate of the current base pay range is between $85,000 to $200,000; this range is not a promise of a particular wage.

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Ankura is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability. Equal Employment Opportunity Posters, if you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening, submit an online application, or participate in an interview/assessment, please email [email protected] or call toll-free +1.312-583-2122. This email and phone number are created exclusively to assist disabled job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or technical issues unrelated to a disability, will not receive a response.