Managing Consultant

We are looking for an experienced Managing Consultant to join a growing practice within ICF that provides evidence-based consulting services to UK Government. ICF is a global consulting firm and one of the largest providers of policy advisory services to the UK government. Our people have a passion for making a positive impact on the world. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.

This role is based within a team that works for a range of UK clients. We work on issues at the top of today’s policy agenda, including economic growth, energy, telecoms, the impact of new technologies, and better regulation.

You will bring an entrepreneurial, energetic, and organised approach, with an ability to see the many dimensions of a policy problem and to engage and work with leading thematic experts. Much of our work involves evaluation, technology-enabled change, and other policy-related studies: skills in one or more of these areas would be a strong advantage.

What you’ll get to do:

• From day one, you will have the opportunity to win, manage and deliver a diverse range of projects for UK central government, especially the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
• You will lead consulting assignments underpinned by qualitative and quantitative analysis, including managing others’ contributions and delivery.
• You will be a core member of our growing and collegiate team and you will be contributing innovative ideas and practices to the business, helping achieve excellent, cutting-edge research and expanding ICF’s work into new areas with a particular focus on growing our work with DBT.
• You will have the chance to develop your knowledge and skills through excellent training and development opportunities, including via ICF’s peer-to-peer communities of practice.

Your main responsibilities will be to:

• Build relationships with our clients, with a particular focus initially on DBT, to understand and address their needs.
• Lead consulting assignments, including project teams.
• Lead proposals for new work, including building teams, developing methodologies and budgets.
• Oversee policy and socio-economic research, analysis and evaluations.
• Manage project budgets, project teams including subcontractors, and oversee the delivery of project outputs to a diverse range of clients.
• Manage and develop junior members of the team.

ICF is a values-driven organisation with an enabling culture. You will be supported by colleagues across the business to deliver solutions to our clients.

What you'll need to succeed:

• You will thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• You will have a wide range of interests and be able to develop a nuanced understanding of complex issues.
• You will have a proven track record in contributing to policy assignments, policy and programme evaluation, and/or research projects.
• You will be self-motivated and able to manage a varied workload to deadlines without compromising quality.
• Your experience could have been gained in government, consulting, a regulator, or the private sector.

You will have:

• At least ten years’ relevant experience.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Experience of managing large and complex projects/teams.
• Experience of managing budgets, tasks, and senior stakeholder interactions.
• Ability to develop and convey expertise on a topic.
• Good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and/or quantitative methods.
• A relevant university degree (ideally in economics or another quantitative discipline).

About us:

Working at ICF means applying a passion for meaningful work with intellectual rigor to help solve the leading issues of our day. Smart, compassionate, innovative, committed, ICF employees tackle unprecedented challenges to benefit people, businesses, and governments around the globe. We believe in collaboration, mutual respect, open communication, and opportunity for growth.

We can only solve the world’s toughest challenges by building an inclusive workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are committed to creating a culture where we embrace our differences in ideas and identities. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals.

The benefits of joining ICF:

Our people at ICF are our most important asset, so we invest in them from the moment they arrive. When you join our team, you’ll have access to a vast array of benefits to help you live your life well.

• We offer a hybrid working policy, which will provide you with the flexibility to collaborate in the office, as well as in the comfort of your own home, ensuring you are able to successfully deliver the requirements of your role.
• To support you, our employee wellbeing hub is designed to provide highly personalised support across a comprehensive range of wellbeing issues, such as mind, body, finances, community, career programmes and HR support.
• We enjoy celebrating success, which is why we have a competitive recognition program called ‘You Matter’, which awards points as a ‘thank you’ for your work achievements. These can be spent on a large variety of high-quality items, as well as online or high-street vouchers, all with zero tax payable by the employee.
• ICF also offers a range of competitive benefits, which include:

• Single Private Medical Insurance cover with no restrictions on existing conditions.
• Dental insurance and an online GP service.
• 25 days annual leave, plus UK bank holidays (annual leave increases with years of service).
• Pension scheme with 5% of salary employer contribution.
• Life assurance paying 4x annual salary and Group Income Protection paying 66% of salary for up to 5 years if you are off work on long-term sick.
• Enhanced parental leave policies, enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental pay.

Candidate AI Usage Policy:

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair and equitable interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process. However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodations that involve the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at candidateaccommodation@icf.com. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.