Senior Consultant - Finance

Location: Flexible, with UK travel required

Contract type: Permanent, full-time (40 hours per week)

Salary: From £45,000 per annum + benefits

About us

IMPOWER is the country’s largest independent management consultancy focused exclusively on helping our public sector clients improve services for their local communities. We hold a profound belief in the innate value of public services; a better public sector is the cornerstone of a better society. IMPOWER helps public service leaders produce lasting, positive change in complex systems. We exist because public services can be – and should be – improved. For us, improving public services is fundamentally about improving the lives of citizens.

We have consistently demonstrated that performance can be improved and that this improved performance can be sustained, citizens’ lives made noticeably better and public services left more resilient to manage future challenges. IMPOWER is ambitious and growing! We are seeking colleagues who are ready for challenge, growth and opportunity over the coming years as we build the blueprint for better public services.

About the role

We are looking for Senior Consultants with strong financial and core consulting skills to join our Delivery teams. Our Senior Consultants provide administrative, project management and analytical work across our projects. Their day-to-day tasks include conducting detailed analysis on both quantitative and qualitative information; working closely with clients at a strategic and frontline level to deliver change, and creating documented deliverables including reports and presentations – all of which aid the progress of our work.

Our Senior Consultants lead on specific elements of a project, with the support of the Project Manager. This will include tasks ranging from administration and coordination of project activities, preparing and running workshops, working with frontline professionals, and sharing key insights with senior clients. Our Senior Consultants are curious and inquisitive, and they take a genuine interest in our clients to work together in solving the important challenges they face. They are flexible, adapt positively to change, and have a great deal of emotional intelligence and empathy.

About you

• Strong financial and core consulting skills (desirable)
• Proven experience in change and transformation projects within the public sector, social care, local government, health environments, or consulting more broadly, with a history of leading project elements supported by senior management.
• Demonstrated an ability to collaborate effectively on projects, quickly building strong relationships and addressing resistance as it occurs.
• Proven experience in facilitating, developing, or supporting workshops, focus groups, or similar activities.
• Evidence of delivering high-quality outcomes and deliverables while working at a swift pace on projects.
• Comfortable with adapting rapidly to new topics, clients, or acquiring new skills as necessary.
• Demonstrated expertise in building and managing relationships across a diverse range of stakeholders in complex environments.
• High levels of empathy and emotional intelligence, combined with resilience for handling the challenges faced by consultants.
• Understanding of commercial value within the consulting partnership for both client and IMPOWER.
• Comprehensive understanding of working with values-based individuals and organizations and the ethical standards of the consulting industry.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills, with the ability to self-manage work.
• Presentation skills tailored to various stakeholders.
• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office software, including:

• Capability to analyse data using Excel.
• Producing high-quality documents and reports (in PowerPoint and Word).

About the responsibilities

Project Delivery

• Deliver specific workstreams of an overarching project – managing these workstreams from initiation, execution, and evaluation of impact – under the supervision and support of the Project Manager.
• Collaborate with a Manager on Discovery projects to:

• complete project set-up,
• host sessions with multi-agency frontline professionals, including case reviews,
• perform data analysis and trajectory mapping,
• support the delivery of resident consultation and governance approaches with clients, and formulate strategic insights and recommendations for client dissemination.

• developing data dashboards and trajectories,
• collaborating with frontline teams to advance strengths-based practices using behavioural science,
• advancing client-led initiatives through effective project management tools, creating new processes based on thorough analysis, and
• facilitating work at the interface between organisations to drive forward outcomes.

Relationship Management

• Cultivate strong client relationships, particularly with operational staff and key project stakeholders (including Head of Service level or equivalent), taking ownership of specific client interactions across projects to support the team with broader stakeholders.
• Offer support to client personnel that advances project goals; share skills, knowledge, and EDGEWORK methodologies with the client.
• Continuously monitor the quality of relationships and implement actions to enhance quality where necessary, escalating issues to Project Managers when required.
• Foster robust connections within IMPOWER, seeking support and sharing insights back into the organisation.
• Collaborate closely with the internal project team, addressing challenges with the team as needed.

Internal Business Development

• Contribute to the development of new business strategies by sharing skills, knowledge, and innovative ideas.
• Disseminate updates and lessons learned from projects to improve future proposals and project outcomes.
• Actively participate in external communications to promote IMPOWER to potential clients.
• Share expertise and knowledge with the wider company through presentations and training sessions to enhance colleagues' skills.

Personal development

• Use self-awareness, reflection, and 360 feedback to establish clear personal development objectives.
• Seek assistance from colleagues and project teams when facing new challenges and situations.
• Proactively address areas requiring improvement as necessary.
• Share individual strengths with teams and colleagues to foster personal growth and development.

About our offer

• Competitive salary, with a personal and company-based performance bonus
• 28 days annual leave (+ bank holidays), with buy/sell/rollover scheme
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance and Income Protection
• Medical and Dental Insurance
• Gym Subsidy contribution, including to online fitness subscriptions
• Parent, guardian, and carer friendly policies
• Regular training and development opportunities
• Paid volunteer/CSR days
• Regular team socials and celebrations (even virtual ones!)

About our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At IMPOWER, whilst we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer - our commitment to facilitating a safe, inclusive working environment doesn’t just stop at an Equality and Diversity Policy. We are an organisation that is actively working towards anti-discrimination of any kind against race, gender, gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, religious belief, parental or carer commitments, marital status or civil partnership. We do this through our DEI strategy, constant review of our policies and procedures, via our recruitment processes, and training and development of our staff. We have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme and we are committed to ensuring our application and interview processes are inclusive for all candidates.

Please email people@impower.co.uk if you have any questions or require any adjustments.