Value Creation Director

Grant Thornton • Philadelphia, PA

4d • $223,514 - $289,171 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Value Creation Director will lead high-impact engagements for private equity, strategic, and financial clients across industries including manufacturing, retail, business services, healthcare, and software/technology. The role helps establish and advance Grant Thornton | Stax Transactions Practice’s value proposition and growth strategy, working closely with Partners to develop client-centric recommendations that create tangible strategic value.

The Director will develop the practice’s operational offering, including methodologies, diagnostic tools, benchmark libraries, and analytical standards; produce market-facing thought leadership; and integrate value creation insights into broader deal advisory engagements. The position also leads operational diligence, assessing operating models, cost structures, value-creation opportunities, capital requirements, working capital, carve-out readiness, and acquisition integration considerations. Findings must be delivered on deal timelines and reconciled with financial, commercial, and IT workstreams.

The role oversees engagements and project teams, mentors and develops consultants and managers, and supports business development through client relationship building, proposals, budgets, work plans, and prospective-client meetings. Travel to client sites is estimated at 25–50%. The position follows the firm’s hybrid model and requires in-person attendance at least three days per week at a Grant Thornton office or client site.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, engineering, supply chain, operations, or a related field.
• 10+ years of total experience, including at least 5 years in management consulting with progression to project and commercial leadership.
• Industry-recognized professional certification.
• Private equity exposure, including familiarity with portfolio operations and value-creation playbooks.
• Transaction experience on the buy side and/or sell side, preferably focused on supply chain, manufacturing, procurement, or operations improvement delivery rather than exclusively corporate or market strategy.
• Demonstrated experience managing, coaching, and developing consulting staff.
• Comfort operating in low-data, fast-turn environments with direct exposure to deal partners and portfolio-company executives.
• Willingness to travel to client sites, estimated at 25–50%.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced degree.
• Relevant industry experience.
• Transaction experience focused on supply chain, manufacturing, procurement, or operations improvement delivery.

Responsibilities

• Help build and advance the practice’s operational offering, including methodology, diagnostic tooling, benchmark libraries, and analytical standards.
• Develop thought leadership that establishes credibility with sponsors and differentiates the practice’s operational point of view.
• Embed value creation insights into broader deal advisory engagements so operational perspectives reach clients earlier in the transaction process.
• Contribute to the practice’s growth strategy, including identifying capability gaps, hiring priorities, and investment opportunities.
• Analyze, assess, and improve cost-structure durability, particularly for manufacturing and business services value chains.
• Assess whether a target’s operating model can support a sponsor’s thesis, growth case, cost structure durability, and operational risk profile.
• Quantify value-creation opportunities in an EBITDA bridge, including sourcing and direct material savings, footprint and network rationalization, labor productivity, indirect and G&A rationalization, and freight and logistics, with sizing, phasing, one-time costs to achieve, and confidence bands.
• Evaluate capital requirements and working-capital opportunities, including deferred maintenance, capacity constraints, automation readiness, inventory turns, DSO, DPO, and cash conversion cycle.
• Advise on carve-out operational readiness, including standalone cost estimation, TSA scoping, and separation of shared manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution infrastructure.
• Support integration of bolt-on acquisitions, including sourcing synergy capture, footprint consolidation, and back-office integration.
• Deliver findings within deal timelines, present to deal teams and operating partners, and coordinate with QoE, commercial, and IT workstreams to reconcile operational and financial perspectives.
• Oversee engagements with strong delivery leadership and hands-on project management.
• Guide project teams to meet client expectations and deliver timely, measurable value creation.
• Align project outcomes with practice objectives and support team development goals.
• Mentor and develop consultants and managers in diligence methodology, client presence, and analytical rigor.
• Deliver strong client results and build relationships that can convert diligence engagements into post-close and portfolio-wide work.
• Lead and support pitch activity, including scoping, proposals, budgets, and work plans, and participate in fund-level and management meetings with prospective clients.
• Collaborate across the firm to bring advisory capabilities to sponsor clients.
• Meet or exceed targeted billing hours (utilization).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Personalized and comprehensive benefits; specific benefit offerings are described on the company’s careers website.
• Employees may be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus based on individual and firm performance, subject to applicable plan terms and eligibility criteria.
• Work-location, weekly-schedule, and flex-time-off options consistent with the firm’s hybrid work model.
• Work-life integration options and support for overall well-being.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director