Purpose of the Position
The purpose of this role is to lead major engagements, achieving clear business impact for client organizations. As an expert-level practitioner, you will support the design of the client solution (often a multi-disciplinary solution) and then execute the delivery of relevant services. This role will interact at a senior level in client organizations; continuously evaluating the client's needs, adjusting the solution as required or identifying additional areas of support that may be needed. The role is also responsible for building and maintaining strong client relationships to retain clients, ensuring future Korn Ferry A&S business, and identify new opportunities within the client for Korn Ferry KF A&S and other parts of Korn Ferry.
Primary Responsibilities
Principal consultants work closely with colleagues to deliver complex, customized and multi work-stream solutions that meet and exceed client expectations. At this level, business development and client relationship management feature as an important focus of the role in addition to delivery. Your major will be within the A&S space but we will also want you to have an understanding on our other solutions (LPD & S&S0 to ensure you are able to manage/lead a mixed portfolio of projects.
- Implementation of the A&S Solutions.
- Driving projects within a large, complex program, including managing international, multi-cultural, and virtual cross-functional teams.
- Identify and implement client usage strategy and effectively enable clients utilizing Delivery Implementation Model. Managing the client after implementation to suggest and implement feature improvements to existing business practices.
- Manage relationships with internal clients and act as a business partner to them, building high levels of professional credibility and mutual trust, and managing the deployment of appropriate internal and/or external resources to support in delivering business strategy and plans.
- Responsible for retaining clients through strong client relationship management
- Responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with senior client stakeholders (principally C-suite, VP of HR/OD). Needs a deep understanding of clients’ business needs and strategic objectives and acts as a strategic advisor Responsible for production and execution of client account plans (linked to US, regional, and/or global account plans where relevant).
- Delivers business and organizational insights, helping clients take action on survey findings, and finds ways to track ROI on business improvements. Takes a lead role in conducting interviews with senior management and other stakeholders, and delivering insightful presentations.
- Support less experienced consultants through mentoring and project-based development and coaching.
- Develop deeper expertise in at least one expertise area and become conversant in Korn Ferry (KF) Digital offerings in order to draw on appropriate practice expertise to provide business solutions, including those that may require inter-service line approaches.
The Candidate: Experience and Professional Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience in a client facing consultative role
- Proven success in building and driving projects within a large, complex program, including managing international, multi-cultural, and virtual cross-functional teams.
- Ability to build consensus, create momentum, and work well cross-functionally with other departments and varying levels of management.
- Comfortable partnering with Senior Leaders to drive strategy, planning, and process improvements.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with focus on listening to stakeholder and customer needs.
- Solid process and analytical skills tied with creative thinking and sharp decision-making abilities
- Strong comprehension skills for understanding needs and concerns while developing and applying solutions.
- Ability to resolve challenging issues.
- Excellent, accurate, and effective oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to prioritize and meet tight deadlines.
- Ability to learn and adapt to new technologies and principles.
- Must be team oriented and able to work with minimal supervision.
- Significant personal initiative, high energy with a “can do” attitude and professional drive.
- Proven agility to work in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment.
- Exhibit and lead with strong change management skills.
- Must be able to manage complexity
- Must have strong customer focus
