Engagement Manager (Financial Services)

Kenway Consulting•Chicago, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking experienced financial services (FS) management professionals interested in generating strategies and delivery of those strategies to drive a greater future for our clients. As an Engagement Manager at Kenway, you will have the opportunity to manage a diverse set of stakeholders, drive critical decisions, and solve complex problems. From day one, you’ll lead projects, teams, and solutions that target the latest business and technical challenges companies are facing today. Engagement Managers at Kenway are responsible for leading end-to-end delivery of complex client initiatives and managing scope, budget, risks, and teams to ensure high-quality outcomes while applying deep industry and technical expertise. Engagement Managers are also expected to build trusted client relationships, drive account growth, mentor team members, and contribute to cross-functional initiatives that enhance Kenway’s impact and capabilities. Within Kenway’s Financial Services vertical, Engagement Managers are expected to demonstrate, deploy, and deepen proficiency delivering across the financial services ecosystem, inclusive of banking and capital markets, insurance, wealth and asset management, payments and fintech, and related industries.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in leading complex business or technology initiatives
Financial services strategy consulting experience is preferred, but a combination of strategy consulting and financial services industry experience will be considered
Bachelor’s degree, with advanced degrees or certifications in related finance, business, economics, or quantitative fields preferred (e.g., MBA, CFA, CPA, CAMS)
Proficient understanding of one or more of the unique value chains across the Financial Services ecosystem, including but not limited to the following: Banking & Capital Markets : Retail and commercial banking, lending and credit, treasury, capital markets operations Insurance : Underwriting, claims processing, policy administration, actuarial and risk assessment Wealth & Asset Management : Investment management, wealth advisory, fund administration, trading operations Payments & Fintech : Payments processing, digital banking, embedded finance, fintech platform integration
Deep understanding of key financial services data domains and concepts (e.g., transaction and payments data, credit and risk data, customer/KYC data, regulatory reporting data) and experience translating data into actionable business, risk, and compliance outcomes
Strong command of the financial services regulatory and compliance landscape (e.g., Dodd-Frank, Basel III/IV, BSA/AML, KYC/CDD, GLBA, SOX, PCI DSS, GDPR and state privacy laws) and its implications for project delivery across the FS ecosystem
Familiarity with industry-standard platforms (e.g., core banking platforms such as FIS, Fiserv, and Temenos; CRM/wealth platforms such as Salesforce Financial Services Cloud; trading and portfolio systems such as Bloomberg AIM, Charles River, and Aladdin; policy administration systems such as Guidewire and Duck Creek) and an understanding of the technical nuances unique to the financial services sector
Demonstrated success identifying, scoping, and implementing high-impact financial services use cases (e.g., fraud and AML detection, regulatory reporting automation, customer 360/personalization, risk and credit analytics, digital transformation) with measurable business outcomes
Deep knowledge of core consulting skills, including, but not limited to, strategic planning and road-mapping, program governance, risk management, stakeholder management, financial and resource allocation, and change management
Proven experience in leading resources, preferably in a project-based model
Demonstrated success in client business development, identifying new opportunities, and authoring impactful client proposals and SOWs

Nice To Haves

Financial services strategy consulting experience is preferred, but a combination of strategy consulting and financial services industry experience will be considered
advanced degrees or certifications in related finance, business, economics, or quantitative fields preferred (e.g., MBA, CFA, CPA, CAMS)

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end delivery for client engagements, managing scope, budget, timeline, risks, and quality, while taking ownership of bookings, minimizing variance between bookings and actuals, and managing discrepancies
Lead complex business and technology initiatives across multiple industries
Apply deep industry, business, and technical knowledge to solve client challenges and achieve project objectives
Drive project teams to deliver high-quality outcomes, coaching, and empowering team members
Lead working sessions, presentations, and executive discussions, communicating complex topics clearly and confidently
Proactively manage risks, escalations, and resource needs, ensuring alignment with project and account objectives
Build trusted, long-term relationships with client stakeholders, understanding their goals and challenges
Identify business problems and opportunities, facilitating discussions and connecting clients with Kenway expertise
Support account-level strategy by contributing to proposals, SOWs, pitches, and revenue forecasts
Expand and nurture client networks, driving engagement beyond immediate projects, and strategically leverage Kenway deliverables to broaden our footprint and influence
Leverage mastery of client industries, documenting and sharing knowledge to grow Kenway’s expertise
Coach and mentor team members, preparing talent for future leadership opportunities
Contribute to initiatives and passion projects that drive Kenway’s growth, culture, and capabilities
Leverage Challenger Sale behaviors to advance client outcomes, delivering insights, recommendations, and innovative solutions