Resource Manager/Senior Manager – Advisory

Cohen & Co•Chicago, IL

About The Position

At Cohen & Co, we put people first, and that includes how we thoughtfully deploy, develop, and support our talent. As a Resource Manager/Senior Manager - Advisory, you'll play a critical role in helping our Advisory practice grow and operate at its best by ensuring the right people are working on the right engagements at the right time. You'll also help Advisory leadership anticipate future talent needs by translating pipeline activity, forecasted demand, and business growth plans into proactive hiring, staffing, and workforce planning decisions. This role sits at the intersection of workforce planning, resource management, operational excellence, and relationship management. You'll partner closely with Advisory leaders across the practice to align staffing priorities, optimize utilization, support employee development, and ensure the practice is positioned to meet both current and future client demands. As a trusted advisor to practice leadership, you'll help drive data-informed staffing decisions, improve resource management processes, and contribute to the continued growth and scalability of the Advisory practice.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required; business, accounting, finance, human resources, project management, or related field preferred.
7+ years of experience in public accounting, consulting, advisory, resource management, workforce planning, or professional services operations.
Experience working within a professional services environment required; public accounting experience strongly preferred.
Experience supporting workforce planning, resource allocation, scheduling, or utilization management preferred.
Experience working with global delivery teams, offshore resources, contractors, or alternative staffing models preferred.
Strong understanding of professional services engagement models, leverage strategies, and staffing considerations.
Advanced Excel skills required; experience with Power BI and workforce planning tools preferred.
Experience analyzing and presenting data to leadership teams.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
Ability to influence stakeholders and confidently challenge staffing decisions when appropriate.
Strategic mindset with the ability to balance competing priorities.
Strong project management and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently while collaborating across multiple teams and leaders.
High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
Adaptable and comfortable operating within a growing and evolving environment.
Experience facilitating discussions, presenting recommendations, and driving alignment among stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day staffing and deployment activities across the Advisory practice, balancing business needs, utilization goals, and professional development opportunities.
Coordinate assignments to client engagements based on skills, experience, industry expertise, career goals, and availability.
Proactively identify and resolve staffing conflicts, workload imbalances, and resource constraints across teams and geographies.
Evaluate and leverage Cohen India resources, contractors, and alternative delivery models to address capacity constraints and support business needs.
Develop short- and long-term capacity models to forecast resource demand, identify potential staffing gaps, and recommend proactive hiring, deployment, or alternative staffing solutions.
Analyze engagement pipeline, backlog, and forecasted work to identify capacity risks and workforce needs three to six months in advance.
Advise Advisory leadership on workforce strategy, leverage models, succession planning, and organizational capacity needs.
Maintain resource planning tools and ensure staffing data remains current, accurate, and actionable.
Support monthly, quarterly, and annual workforce planning activities.
Partner with Talent Acquisition, Talent Deployment, and Advisory leadership to translate projected demand into hiring plans, deployment strategies, and workforce recommendations.
Monitor and analyze key resource management metrics, including utilization, availability, capacity, billable hours, backlog, pipeline, and open staffing needs.
Develop and distribute reports, dashboards, and workforce insights to support leadership decision-making.
Identify trends and opportunities related to staffing, workload distribution, and overall practice performance.
Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and integrity across resource management systems.
Utilize reporting, analytics, and workforce forecasting to identify capacity risks and inform hiring and deployment decisions.
Leverage automation and process improvements to enhance visibility and operational efficiency.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Partners, Directors, and Advisory leaders regarding resource planning and staffing decisions.
Collaborate with engagement leaders to understand project demands, upcoming needs, and staffing priorities.
Work with leaders to determine the most effective resourcing approach, including onshore, offshore, contractor, and alternative delivery solutions.
Partner with L&D and practice leadership to align assignments with employee development goals.
Build strong relationships across service lines and office locations to facilitate resource sharing and collaboration.
Communicate staffing updates, changes, and recommendations clearly and effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
Act as a connector across teams, helping create transparency and alignment around staffing decisions.
Support the continued development and maturity of the firm's resource management function.
Identify opportunities to improve scheduling processes, workforce planning practices, and reporting capabilities.
Participate in the implementation and enhancement of resource management technology, systems, and dashboards.
Drive adoption of best practices related to staffing, deployment, and utilization management.
Support change management initiatives and operational improvement projects across the Advisory practice.
Contribute to strategic initiatives related to growth, workforce planning, and talent optimization.
Help balance business needs with employee engagement, development, and career growth opportunities.
Support leaders in evaluating staffing gaps and identifying future hiring needs.
Develop an understanding of professionals' skills, interests, and career aspirations to facilitate meaningful development opportunities.
Promote a positive and equitable allocation process that supports both client delivery and employee success.