Value Creation Director

Grant Thornton•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Value Creation Director focuses on high-impact engagements with 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, aligns with the group’s global growth strategy, and works closely with Partners leading value creation efforts. The Director shapes strategy and delivers client-centric recommendations intended to create tangible strategic value. The position advances the practice’s operational offering through methodology, diagnostic tools, benchmark libraries, analytical standards, thought leadership, and integration of value creation insights into broader deal advisory engagements. It also contributes to practice growth strategy, including capability needs, hiring priorities, and investment areas. The Director leads operational diligence and value creation work, assessing cost structures and operating models, sizing and phasing EBITDA improvement opportunities, evaluating capital and working-capital needs, advising on carve-out readiness, and supporting bolt-on acquisition integration. The role oversees engagements and teams, develops consultants and managers, builds client relationships, supports business development, collaborates across the firm, and is expected to meet or exceed targeted billing hours.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, engineering, supply chain, operations, or a related field.
At least 10 years of total experience.
At least 5 years in a management consulting environment, with progression to project and commercial leadership.
Industry-recognized professional certification.
Private equity exposure, including familiarity with standard portfolio operations practices 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.
Ability to operate in a low-data, fast-turn environment 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.

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 perspective.
Embed Value Creation insights into broader deal advisory engagements.
Contribute to the practice’s growth strategy, including capability gaps, hiring priorities, and investment priorities.
Analyze and assess cost structure durability, particularly in manufacturing and business services value chains.
Assess whether a target’s operating model can deliver a sponsor’s thesis, including growth capacity, cost structure durability, and operational risks.
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 estimates, TSA scoping, and separation of shared manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution infrastructure.
Support bolt-on acquisition integration, including sourcing synergy capture, footprint consolidation, and back-office integration.
Deliver findings under deal timelines, present to deal teams and operating partners, and coordinate with QoE, commercial, and IT workstreams.
Oversee engagements and provide delivery leadership and hands-on project management.
Guide project teams to meet client expectations and deliver timely, measurable value creation.
Align project outcomes with broader practice objectives and support team development goals.
Mentor and develop consultants and managers in diligence methodology, client presence, and analytical rigor.
Develop client relationships and convert diligence engagements into post-close and portfolio-wide work.
Lead and support pitch activity, including scoping, proposals, budgets, and work plans.
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.