Associate Director / Director, Advisory

AECOM•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

AECOM Advisory is seeking a Director or Associate Director to expand its global Advisory business line in the US West Region. The role is based in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, or Chicago and focuses on advising clients across infrastructure, the built environment, and community vibrancy. AECOM Advisory helps clients develop strategy, improve operational performance, and integrate digital systems, drawing on the technical and operational expertise of AECOM’s broader platform. The role combines business development, engagement delivery leadership, and practice development. The successful candidate will originate and shape opportunities, manage proposal responses, oversee multiple consulting teams and workstreams, guide senior client interactions, and ensure high-quality delivery and project financial performance. The position also contributes to practice improvement, thought leadership, intellectual property development, and coaching junior staff. The role requires a client-service orientation, strong communication and commercial skills, and expertise in at least two relevant advisory domains. AECOM requires newly hired employees to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office. Sponsorship is not available now or in the future.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) plus 10 years of related experience, or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education, including 2 years of leadership.
Typically at least 8 years of management consulting or equivalent experience.
Domain expertise in at least two of the following: corporate or enterprise strategy, market analysis, and target operating model design; organizational assessment, business transformation, and performance improvement; capital projects advisory, including project finance and/or infrastructure investment appraisal, capital improvement planning, asset management, or portfolio strategy; decarbonization, climate action implementation, and resilience strategies or frameworks, including non-financial valuation methodologies; economic development, industrial policy, broadband and digital equity, or market transformation; technology-led business transformation; corporate finance, valuations, M&A, divestitures, divestments, or privatizations.
Strong interpersonal skills, a client-service mindset, and ability to act as a trusted adviser.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-context, client-facing environment while maintaining poise and maturity under pressure.
Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, and operate within a highly matrixed consulting organization.
Strong verbal communication and narrative development skills, including the ability to convey key insights to C-suite and senior management audiences.
Strong commercial acumen, an informed point of view, interest in enterprise challenges involving people, process, and technology, and advanced understanding of client industries and their context.
Collegial team player able to work in a small, motivated team of diverse consulting professionals.

Nice To Haves

At least 12 years of related industry experience.
MBA or another master’s degree in Operational Research, Management, Management Science, Finance, Economics, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
Fluency with Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.
Experience with ArcGIS or other spatial analysis tools.
Experience with quantitative or statistical programs such as R or Python.
Experience evaluating financial cash flows, particularly public finance, via Excel.

Responsibilities

Identify and originate business development opportunities through industry conversations and professional networks.
Use industry expertise and commercial acumen to target, define, and shape business development campaigns.
Manage proposal responses as Capture Manager, including narrative development, coordination of technical solutions, pricing, team definition, subcontractor engagement, internal risk review, and compliance procedures.
Outline, supervise, and provide quality control for multiple delivery teams of 5–8 Consultants and Senior Consultants across interdependent workstreams.
Lead client interactions on delivery progress and insight validation, including engagement with C-suite clients and senior management stakeholders.
Manage input from regional leadership, Directors, Client Account Managers, and technical experts, identifying delivery choices, considerations, and risks related to technical scope, client satisfaction, and commercial constraints.
Design analytical workstreams and provide guidance to engagement teams.
Provide timely quality assurance and control over project scope, assumptions, analyses, and insights.
Lead narrative development and production of polished deliverables that meet client expectations and firm standards.
Manage project financial performance and support practice-area operational improvement, thought leadership, and intellectual property generation.
Coach and mentor junior staff in developing core consulting skills.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability benefits, depending on employment status.
Paid time off and leaves of absence, depending on employment status.
Voluntary benefits and perks.
Flexible work options.
Well-being resources and an employee assistance program.
Business travel insurance.
Service recognition awards.
Retirement savings plan.
Employee stock purchase plan.
Training and development programs.