Director - Financial Services - Americas Division

master-TMS•Chicago, IL

3d•$215,000 - $230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Director - Financial Services - Americas Division In the United States -New York (preferred) | Chicago An emerging leader of the practice—built to grow client impact, teams, and the FS business. If you’re at the point where you can run major engagements, influence senior executives, and help shape what a practice becomes, this role is for you. As a Director in Financial Services, you’ll sit at the intersection of client leadership, team leadership, and practice growth—operating as an emerging leader of the FS practice in North America. Simon-Kucher is the world’s leading growth specialist. We help clients unlock measurable revenue and profit by optimizing the full commercial engine—customer engagement, product, pricing, innovation, marketing, distribution, and sales—grounded in quantitative analytics, research, and behavioral science. You’ll work across Banking, Fintech, Payments, Wealth & Asset Management, Capital Markets, and Insurance, partnering with operating companies and private equity investors. In the Americas, you’ll join a dedicated FS team (20+ consultants led by partners across the US, Canada, and LATAM) supported by a global bench of ~125 FS specialists. What makes us special: Become part of a unique entrepreneurial team. Think independently, use your initiative, and take some risks. Entrepreneurship is a powerful force that drives the growth not only of our firm but our clients and people. Unlock the power of opportunity. Advance your career in a thriving company with a startup feel. We invest in your professional development every step of the way. Work in a values-driven culture. At Simon-Kucher, our vision is to become the world's leading growth specialist. Our values guide the way we do business and communicate our distinctiveness. They sum up to what we stand for, influence our culture, and drive how and why we do things. Invest in your future. All US and Canadian employees enjoy 401(k) & RRSP benefits with company matching. Prioritize your health and well-being. No matter where you live, we offer a competitive suite of health benefits to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Enjoy balance and flexible working. Be empowered to do your best work – whether it’s from home or in the office. How you will create an impact: Why this role is different This isn’t “one more step up.” It’s where you start to build. As a Director, you’ll be expected to not only deliver exceptional work—but to actively grow the business: expanding relationships, shaping opportunities, mentoring future leaders, and contributing to thought leadership and capability development.

Requirements

Deep Financial Services expertise—and genuine curiosity about where the industry is heading across Banking, Payments, Wealth/AM, Capital Markets, Insurance, and Fintech.
A strong academic foundation: Bachelor’s degree required; MS/MA/MBA (or equivalent) preferred.
8+ years of experience in professional services, ideally management consulting with a focus on Financial Services clients.
Proven consulting experience across the commercial growth toolkit, including growth strategy, go-to-market, segmentation/advanced analytics, product & portfolio design, pricing, marketing, value proposition development, distribution/omnichannel (digitization + orchestration), sales effectiveness (process, incentives, motivation), and monetization strategy.
A track record of building relationships and winning trust with senior executives—and expanding those relationships into durable client partnerships.
Demonstrated success selling, shaping, and delivering new and follow-on engagements (you can spot the opportunity and lead the work).
Strong analytical horsepower: you can turn complex data into clear insights and practical recommendations.
A reputation for solving hard problems under pressure—leading teams through ambiguity, tight timelines, and high expectations.
Experience managing multiple engagements end-to-end, including workplans, deliverables, budgets, schedules, and accounts receivable.
Executive-ready communication: you can present crisp storylines, key takeaways, and recommendations with confidence and clarity.
A proven ability to build, coach, and retain high-performing teams-raising the bar while creating an environment where people thrive.
An inclusive, empathetic leadership style that drives better outcomes for clients and strengthens collaboration across teams.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to partner seamlessly with stakeholders across levels and functions.
Willingness to travel ~25% with in-office presence of 2-3 days per week in alignment with our hybrid working model.

Nice To Haves

North America FS network is a plus (especially senior relationships).

Responsibilities

Lead high-impact client engagements
Own end-to-end delivery of major Financial Services engagements—setting direction from problem framing through executive decision support.
Elevate analytics into action: translate complex data into clear commercial recommendations clients can execute.
Ensure delivery excellence across scope, timeline, team cadence, and quality—while managing engagement economics (margin, resourcing, and risk).
Partner with clients to drive implementation momentum, not just slideware.
Become a trusted advisor to senior executives
Build durable relationships with senior client leaders by delivering tailored, practical, high-value recommendations.
Lead senior stakeholder alignment—navigating ambiguity, competing priorities, and high-stakes decision-making.
Present confidently at the executive level and guide clients through tough trade-offs.
Lead and grow teams
Lead multiple teams across parallel workstreams and engagements; develop managers and consultants through coaching, feedback, and apprenticeship-style leadership.
Set a high bar for quality while creating a team culture of ownership, inclusion, and growth.
Play an active role in recruiting, onboarding, and developing FS talent—and be a visible culture carrier in the practice.
Grow the Financial Services practice
Contribute to practice strategy: identify where the market is moving and help shape Simon-Kucher’s FS offerings accordingly.
Support business development—shaping opportunities, writing proposals, and participating in client pitches.
Create follow-on opportunities with existing clients by helping them see “what’s next.”
Build thought leadership with partners and peers (articles, points of view, research, event participation).

Benefits

All US and Canadian employees enjoy 401(k) & RRSP benefits with company matching.
Prioritize your health and well-being. No matter where you live, we offer a competitive suite of health benefits to help keep you and your loved ones safe.
Enjoy balance and flexible working. Be empowered to do your best work – whether it’s from home or in the office.

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