Consultant
Over the past twenty years, Common Impact has built a leading model to connect talented professionals from global companies to high-potential local nonprofits through skills-based volunteerism. As corporate engagement and investment in social challenges deepens, Common Impact is expanding and evolving to meet the new demands of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) space. In 2018, Common Impact embarked on a three-year strategic plan to vastly increase the scope of its impact through targeted partnerships, the development of a comprehensive train-the-trainer platform, and the identification and execution of critical social sector projects where corporate talent can play a transformational role. The Consultant position is an excellent opportunity for a professional 5-7 years into their career to join a high-performing, cross-sector consulting team. The Consultant will manage corporate partnerships as well as shape capacity building solutions for Common Impact’s corporate and nonprofit clients.
Key Responsibilities
As a Consultant, you will be responsible for:
- Leading Corporate Skills-Based Volunteering Programs: As a member of the Consulting Team, the Consultant will manage select client accounts, including consulting on clients’ skills-based volunteering goals, designing solutions, managing the implementation of clients’ skills-based volunteering programs, and honing clients’ programs to meet their goals. The Consultant will be expected to consider Common Impact’s business interests while managing program work, identifying areas for new business growth within current programs and seeing that program work is executed as efficiently and effectively as possible to ensure strong financial performance of the account.
- Scoping Skills-Based Volunteer Projects: The Consultant will be called upon to lead some of Common Impact’s nonprofit client selection processes. The Consultant will field questions and read proposals from interested nonprofit applicants, hold interviews to assess a good two-way fit between the nonprofit and the opportunity, help nonprofit clients understand what models would be of greatest benefit as they prepare for a skills-based volunteer project, summarize the needs heard, and provide recommendations about how the organization could address its challenges through skills-based volunteering. While the Consultant is not expected to be an expert in any one area, the Consultant should be able to speak across disciplines (Strategy, Technology, Marketing, Human Resources, Operations, and Finance) to ensure projects provide meaningful outcomes for our nonprofit clients.
- Managing Cross-Sector Engagements: Common Impact designs projects that bring together nonprofit executives and teams of corporate associates. Some popular models include four month team consulting projects, days of “flash consulting,” and one-on-one mentoring with a senior nonprofit leader. The focus of the Consultant’s time is on designing and executing more complex models and engagements. The Consultant will develop strategic solutions to the talent development and social impact goals of Common Impact’s corporate clients. The Consultant will work with corporate clients to identify and recruit for the skills needed to support a nonprofit challenge (including matching employee teams or individuals to nonprofits based on a skills profile provided), prepare the volunteer(s) and nonprofit for the project, oversee volunteer teams and their nonprofit counterparts during project implementation, and gather feedback at the end of each project.
- Training and Management: Consultants consistently demonstrate the ability to teach and mentor members of the Consulting Team on key program areas, including but not limited to nonprofit sourcing, project management, and program evaluation. While not all Consultants will formally manage other members of the Consulting Team, you will manage elements of their work through effective delegation of tasks, communicating accountability, and supporting them in delivering strong results.
- Living Common Impact’s Values: At Common Impact, we strongly believe that the spirit in which we do our work is as important as the work itself. We pride ourselves on excellence, innovation, fostering collaboration between groups that might not otherwise interact, and a willingness to have fun with our work. A successful candidate for this position will embody and protect our organizational values of service, unlikely partnerships, ingenuity, and levity.
Requirements
Experience: 5-7+ years of consulting, nonprofit, and/or cross-sector experience. Business strategy and finance experience preferred.
Location: New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, or California
Travel: Our clients have a national footprint. This role will require approximately 10% domestic travel to service those clients (when it is safe to do so based on public health guidelines.
Skills:
- An ability to bring clarity and solutions to challenges with a high level of ambiguity and uncertainty; an ability to synthesize large amounts of data quickly, draw conclusions, and define solutions
- An ability to deliver consistently high-quality, meaningful consultation to our corporate and nonprofit clients by following Common Impact’s model and understanding where to move “off script” or break from process when it best suits our clients’ needs
- An excellent problem solver and critical thinker who can synthesize information, ask insightful questions, and spot trends quickly
- An independent worker who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and can juggle a wide range of simultaneous projects and competing priorities
- A superior written and oral communicator who can translate complex concepts into understanding and action
- Comfort understanding and discussing topics in a variety of service areas, including technology, marketing, financial management, and human resources
- Able to interact effectively and professionally with a wide range of individuals and organizations
- Able to inspire and engage others with Common Impact’s mission and work
- Committed to working with diverse, cross-sector communities
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $57,000 - $77,000 annually and commensurate with experience. Common Impact offers competitive benefits, including 3 weeks of vacation, 10 holidays, the final week of the year off, and 12 sick days; a 401k plan and 2% match; paid parental leave; and medical and dental coverage
How to Apply
Common Impact is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse community. Common Impact strongly encourages people of color and women to apply. We are accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis. To apply, please complete the application on this page.
In your cover letter, please address the following questions:
1. Why do you want to be a Consultant? What excites you about this position and Common Impact? What skills do you bring that are relevant to this role?
2. What does effective consulting mean to you?
3. What are the skills that you hope to develop in this position?