Senior Associate Consultant -- Strategic Advisory Services

Sargent & Lundy•Chicago, IL

2d•$100,019 - $152,807•Hybrid

About The Position

Sargent & Lundy’s Consulting group is seeking a Senior Associate Consultant to join its growing Strategic Advisory practice. The practice serves energy-sector clients—including utilities, independent power producers, project developers, investors, lenders, government agencies, and system operators—across Strategy & Transformation, Financial & Economic Advisory, Energy System & Market Planning, and Asset & Project Management. Its work helps clients make strategic and business decisions and turn them into practical action, drawing on Sargent & Lundy’s technical expertise and energy-sector knowledge. The role focuses primarily on strategic advisory services, including business strategy, financial and economic analysis, market and system planning, organizational strategy, implementation planning, governance, and change enablement. The consultant may also support other Sargent & Lundy Consulting engagements aligned with their capabilities. They will lead major areas of client engagements, bring structure to ambiguous challenges, translate analysis into recommendations and actionable plans, work directly with clients and senior professionals, mentor junior team members, contribute to business development, and support the growth of the practice. The position has a hybrid arrangement: three days a week in the office and two days working remotely. The company does not sponsor U.S. work authorization for this position.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field.
5–10 years of relevant professional experience, including either at least 3 years of consulting experience serving power and utilities clients or at least 5 years of relevant power and utilities industry experience.
Demonstrated knowledge of the power and utilities sector, including energy infrastructure—particularly electric generation, transmission, and distribution systems—and the effects of market, regulatory, technical, and financial factors on their development, operation, and economics.
Genuine interest in the energy and infrastructure sectors and in how market, regulatory, technical, and financial considerations shape strategic, investment, and operating decisions.
Advanced analytical, quantitative, and structured problem-solving skills, including the ability to navigate ambiguity.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex topics clearly to stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise.
Experience leading major areas of engagement delivery, collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams, and engaging effectively with client stakeholders at multiple organizational levels.
Proficiency in producing clear, well-structured client work products using Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
Ability to synthesize complex analyses into actionable recommendations and communicate implications, risks, and implementation considerations.
High initiative, ownership, and accountability, with a track record of delivering high-quality work products with limited supervision.
Work authorization sponsorship in the United States is not provided for this position.

Nice To Haves

MBA or another relevant advanced degree.
Major capital project or program experience involving transmission and distribution, generation, or other complex infrastructure.
Ability to lead development of business cases, implementation plans, or transformation roadmaps, including evaluation of strategic options, impacts, risks, and implementation requirements.
Experience assessing organizational capabilities, leading process-improvement initiatives, or designing governance or operating models.
PE, PMP, or another relevant professional licensure or certification.
Interest in learning and effectively using emerging technologies where relevant to the role.
Experience with AI, automation, programming, or similar technologies, where relevant.

Responsibilities

Lead major areas of engagement delivery, including rate case support; business cases and investment evaluations; strategic assessments and business planning; emerging-technology evaluation frameworks and related market, technical, and economic analyses; process improvement; operating model design; transformation and implementation support; and advisory support for major capital projects and programs.
Conduct or oversee analyses, develop business cases and recommendations, and prepare implementation plans, client presentations, reports, and other work products.
Lead or support client meetings, interviews, working sessions, and workshops with stakeholders at multiple levels.
Contribute to the growth of the Strategic Advisory practice by developing analytical tools, frameworks, and practice collateral, and contributing to proposals and thought leadership content.
Support Consulting engagements outside the Strategic Advisory practice as needed, including power supply planning, due diligence, asset transactions, and related services.
Mentor junior team members.