Principal Consultant

Job Description A specialist advisory firm is looking for a senior leader to play a critical, high-impact role in shaping strategic direction and strengthening organisational effectiveness. Positioned at the intersection of sustainable finance, climate strategy, and systems transformation, this position is designed for an experienced professional who brings exceptional strategic judgement, operational maturity, and institutional leadership. This is a full-time, permanent, hybrid role (3 days in-office per week, remaining days remote). Acting as a trusted thought partner to the executive director, the successful candidate will focus on guiding complex portfolios, mentoring senior teams, and building the scalable systems necessary for sustainable growth within a highly collaborative, purpose-driven environment. Key Responsibilities Strategic Consulting Leadership: Shape the intellectual framing and strategic direction of multifaceted advisory engagements; guide teams toward practical, high-impact recommendations while ensuring all major deliverables maintain rigorous analytical, commercial, and strategic quality. Organisational & Portfolio Oversight: Provide high-level oversight across the project portfolio to align delivery priorities with team capacity; refine management structures, improve operational workflows, and eliminate execution bottlenecks to enhance overall organisational discipline. Team Development & Mentorship: Actively coach and mentor senior team members, fostering capability development, robust succession planning, and an internal culture rooted in high trust, performance sustainability, and mutual accountability. Client Advisory & Ecosystem Growth: Cultivate long-term, trusted relationships with senior executive clients and ecosystem partners; support business development efforts through strategic proposals and represent the organisation via thought leadership. Requirements Experience: 8–10+ years of progressive experience within management consulting, sustainable finance, climate advisory, corporate strategy, or institutional leadership. Leadership Track Record: Proven ability to steer complex projects, manage diverse portfolios of work, and guide executive-level stakeholder interactions. Core Competencies: Advanced systems-thinking capabilities, excellent commercial acumen, and a demonstrated ability to transition fluidly between macro strategic thinking and practical operational problem-solving. Local Framework Knowledge: Strong alignment with South African corporate, financial, or developmental landscapes. Preferred Qualifications A post-graduate qualification (Master's or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Sustainability, Environmental Science, Public Policy, or a related academic discipline. Required Software Skills Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Asana, Trello, or Monday.com (or similar project portfolio management platforms) Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams (collaborative ecosystem tools)