Director - Cost Transformation/Operational Restructuring - Operational Strategy - EY-Parthenon in London

At EY-Parthenon (EY-P), our unique combination of transformative strategy, transactions and corporate finance delivers real-world value – solutions that work in practice, not just on paper. Benefiting from EY’s full spectrum of services, we’ve reimagined strategic consulting to work in a world of increasing complexity. With deep functional and sector expertise, paired with innovative AI-powered technology and an investor mindset, we partner with CEOs, boards, private equity and governments every step of the way.

The Operational Strategy practice within EY-Parthenon provides clients with pragmatic, results-oriented solutions that transform cost structures and drive performance improvement, helping solve their most significant financial and operational challenges. At the core of our value proposition are Cost Transformation and Operational Restructuring, encompassing rapid and sustained transformation of organisations requiring strategic or structural change to their cost base or business performance.

We develop strategies that enhance overall business value, leveraging deep sector and functional expertise, including:

• Cost Transformation – reimagining our clients’ cost structures across people and non-people costs, S&GA and COGS, opex and capex - including the use of ‘zero based’ approaches.
• Value Realisation – hands-on management of delivery and financial impact in value creation, cost reduction and/or turnaround programmes.
• Culture change – architecting the soft and hard measures required to instill a cost-conscious mindset in the organisation and to sustain the benefits of a cost transformation.
• Turnaround / Operational Restructuring - including accelerated cost out, crisis management.
• Fix-Sell-Close - developing and implementing strategic restructuring options for underperforming businesses (or divisions/functions of businesses).

Our teams work closely with executive leadership to identify significant improvement opportunities, develop actionable delivery plans, and lead/support implementation at pace.

Your key responsibilities include advising clients across a variety of sectors, supporting key decision makers (e.g. Board, C-suite, lenders, investors) to develop and implement strategic transformations and to identify and realise value. You’ll drive aspects of business origination, including pitches and presentations to potential clients to help sell work, own meaningful client relationships and lead project delivery, working with senior stakeholders for some of EY’s most demanding clients.

Given the client-facing nature of the role, strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential to effectively engage with clients and pragmatically address their needs, including the production of concise, executive-ready reports and recommendations. You will be expected to operate with a high degree of independence, owning programmes, workstreams end-to-end and translating operational insights into clear financial outcomes (EBITDA, cash or CAPEX improvements, risk mitigation).

We expect Directors to play a leading role in new business development efforts by leading pitches/pursuits and preparing compelling go-to-market collateral. You will also help shape the Cost Transformation and/or Operational Restructuring value propositions, contributing to thought leadership and practice growth. We expect you to establish, maintain and strengthen internal and external relationships to help build the profile of the Operational Strategy practice. As an important member of a growing team, you will be expected to take a leading role to grow the practice and in coaching and counselling junior team members to help them develop.

Skills and attributes for success

• Project Delivery – Proven ability to lead project delivery teams, driving transformational change at pace, managing project teams, and overseeing engagement management (e.g. project commercials and risk management) with direct ownership of cost transformation and/or operational restructuring projects.
• Account / client management – Proven ability to manage key client accounts effectively, demonstrating consistent commercial success through the development and maintenance of strong client relationships.
• Financial Analysis – Excellent financial analysis and quantitative skills, including ability to review analysis of other team members, quickly identify key insights, and link operational drivers to P&L, cash and balance sheet impacts.
• Business and Commercially Driven – Demonstrable track record of working in a fast-paced environment, while leveraging strong business acumen to add value to clients.
• Value Creation – Proven ability to identify the strategic priorities / challenges facing our clients, rapidly quantify the associated potential and pragmatically develop measures to realise the value.
• Report Writing – Proven ability to produce clear, concise and client-ready reports that effectively communicate complex findings and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Business Development – Credibility to lead on business origination, including pitches and presentations. Lead on practice development initiatives, ensuring the continued focus on our team as a great place to work.
• Learning – Strong desire to develop technical and personal skills to support achievement of career goals, through a blend of structured learning, coaching and client experiences.
• Stakeholder management and communication – Ability to effectively engage and manage senior stakeholders by tailoring communication to influence, align, and drive outcomes. Ability to build personal relationship based on deep content, integrity and trust.
• Role Model – Enthusiasm and ability to act as a role model to support the development and coaching of team members, coupled with recruitment and training responsibilities.

To qualify for the role you must have

• Extensive experience in multiyear enterprise-wide / cross-functional transformation programmes with experience across 1) senior leadership alignment, 2) value identification and realisation and 3) driving organisational change.
• Cost Transformation: large scale cost reduction programmes, zero-based budgeting / approaches and / or large-scale value creation / realisation initiatives.
• Operational Restructuring: experience in turnaround, strategic options assessments, crisis management, and/or exit / closure implementations (cross-sector).
• We will consider relevant work experience in both consulting and industry but have a preference for experience with Tier 1 strategic consultancies.
• We are open to cross-industry experience but our preferred / focus sectors are: Consumer Goods and Retail, Automotive, Industrials, Aerospace & Defence, Energy (Oil & Gas) and Utilities.

Additionally you must have:

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to link operational analysis to financial statements, and the ability to understand the implications for client strategy.
• Experience in building strong working relationships with senior clients, including influence, advice and support to key decision makers.
• A passion for and an understanding how to drive organisational change: from drafting a ‘case for change’ and building leadership alignment to constructing change programmes and designing soft and hard measures to ensure change ‘sticks’.
• Experience in leading on sales and business development processes for professional services projects in a large-scale consulting environment.
• A track record of successful project delivery in corporate businesses where you are responsible for managing project team members and vendors.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and experience of producing and reviewing high calibre reports, papers, presentations and thought leadership.

What we offer you

We will fuel your ambition and potential with future-focused skills development that equips you with state-of-the-art methodologies and technology-enabled solutions. With more than 15,000 people in 150 countries, you will join an inclusive and empowering culture that values your uniqueness, prioritises your wellbeing, and immerses you in the diverse thinking and cross-cultural experiences necessary to help deliver impact to clients across the globe and to help build a better working world.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.

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