Director - Consumer Sector - Retail Strategy

master-TMS•Chicago, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Simon-Kucher is seeking a Director-level individual to support its growing Retail business within the North American Consumer sector. This role focuses on expertise in revenue management and merchandising, coupled with broader end-to-end commercial excellence experience. The successful candidate will join a high-performing unit delivering best-in-class topline strategies across the retail universe and will have the opportunity to advance quickly into a leadership role within the practice.

Requirements

Outstanding drive, determination, and desire to be part of a growing, top-tier consulting firm.
Strong knowledge of and passion for the Consumer sector, with specific focus on the Retail industry.
An undergraduate degree is required; MS, MA, MBA, or other advanced degrees are preferred.
Minimum 6+ years of experience in a professional services environment, ideally in management consulting, serving the Consumer sector, specifically the Retail industry.
Proven business consulting expertise in commercial and go-to-market topics
Access to an existing network within the Consumer Retail industry in North America, preferably with senior executives within Retail organizations.
Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain deep relationships with senior clients.
Demonstrated record of achievement in selling and managing new and follow-on engagements.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to distill insights/takeaways from large sets of data.
Demonstrated record of solving complex problems, directing teams, and completing challenging project activities within tight project timelines.
Record of accomplishment of managing multiple engagements, including work plans, deliverables, budgets and schedules, and accounts receivable.
Effective presentation and communication abilities to present findings, takeaways, and key recommendations to a senior audience.
Proven ability to build, grow, and maintain a high-performing consulting team.
Highly inclusive and empathetic approach to leadership and team management that enables tangible return for clients and fosters cooperation across teams.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work seamlessly and collaboratively with various internal and external colleagues and stakeholders.
Ability to travel at least 40% of the time.

Nice To Haves

Expertise in revenue management and merchandising coupled with broader end-to-end commercial excellence experience.

Responsibilities

Cultivate trusted-partner client relationships, source project opportunities, and develop project proposals leading to revenue generation.
Bring knowledge across commercial and go-to-market topics within retail including but not limited to pricing strategy and setting, promotion effectiveness, markdowns and clearance optimization, assortment optimization and white space identification, merchandising and value proposition, consumer segmentation, loyalty program design, and omnichannel strategies.
Have deep expertise in sub-industries within Retail, such as specialty retail, apparel/fashion, footwear, retail services across brick-and-mortar stores and online channels.
Lead and guide a large and incredibly talented team of junior consultants to develop innovative and actionable insights and recommendations using data, analytics, and market research that deliver impactful recommendations for clients.
Owner of multiple client engagements and projects within Consumer sector, specifically Retail organizations.
Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, scale, and manage delivery which balances customer success, project profitability, and employee satisfaction.
Actively participate in proposal development and pre-sales meetings with potential new clients to address their needs, priorities, and challenges, while expanding SK's commercial growth strategy footprint, offerings, and client base.
Proactively steer the continued growth and development of Simon-Kucher's Consumer sector, specializing in Retail practice by contributing to priorities (e.g., developing new capabilities, supporting thought leadership articles/research relevant for clients), by identifying and pursuing new business opportunities (e.g., lead generation, new content creation, supporting end-to-end proposal development, and participating in client pitches), and proactively pursuing follow-on opportunities with existing clients.
Stay abreast of current business and industry trends relevant to our clients' businesses.
Analyze existing processes and tools and recommend opportunities for continued improvement.
Demonstrate an elevated level of empathy and emotional intelligence when managing conflict and/or communicating change.
Play an integral role in the recruitment and integration of new consultants with a focus on the Retail industry.
Be a leader in the firm and contribute to Simon-Kucher's culture and success.