• Use your business acumen for impact
• Apply your creative thinking, analytical and facilitation skills to develop for-purpose strategies and solutions
• Be part of a fast-paced and dynamic B Corp
• Salary commensurate with experience, between $90-130k plus super.

Job description:

We are seeking an experienced consultant with 8+ years of relevant experience, including at least 3 years in consulting, to join our Melbourne team. This role will predominantly focus on leading and managing advisory projects, complemented by time dedicated to business development. The successful candidate will have a commitment to and strong networks in the social sector (e.g. not-for-profits, government, philanthropy, CSR, social enterprise, social procurement).

Consulting: Leading complex strategic advisory projects for a wide range of clients and working across the entire project lifecycle, you will consult with our clients to understand their pain points, uncover strategic opportunities, conduct research and perform complex analysis, stress test ideas and provide thorough recommendations driven by stakeholder engagement.

Business development: you will help to support the financial sustainability of the organisation, with a focus on providing and extending client value, engaging project stakeholders and generating opportunities through your network.

If you are interested in joining a profit-for-purpose consulting firm delivering a unique brand of advisory, we invite you to apply for this role to sit within our dynamic, values-aligned team. Please note that we are looking for the successful candidate to work 4-5 days per week.

We value diversity at Spark and welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

A day in the life of a Senior Strategic Advisor at Spark will include a range of tasks and subject matter, so it will lend itself to someone who likes learning and variety. The day is also likely to have more ‘facetime’ than desk-based quiet time, with interactions characterised by people seeking your advice and attention, which you’ll approach with a solutions mindset and good humour.

Examples of daily activities include:

• Running an engaging and enjoyable two hour strategy workshop with a not-for-profit board and executive team, either online or face-to-face.
• An ad hoc catch up with a junior member of the Spark team to support and mentor them with a challenge they’re facing.
• Taking stock of your to do list and re-prioritising.
• Meeting with a c-suite for-purpose leader to kick ideas around about an opportunity that’s just arisen.
• Incorporating feedback from a client on a final project deliverable, balancing being responsive with strategic integrity.
• Sending a shout out email to the whole team that celebrates something ‘Sparkie’ done by another colleague.

About us:

Spark Strategy works with leaders who are as excited by ideas as we are, who want to take action and transform. And we stick with our clients to achieve outcomes, favouring long-term relationships over draft and dash plans. Our approach is highly interactive and all about bringing energy into the process through team-based workshops and activities that spark moments of discovery. We do the heavy lifting behind the scenes, stretching and probing the ideas before rigorously planning out the execution and building the organisational stamina required for transformation. We employ both traditional consulting tools (without the consultant-speak) and creative tools to help unearth ideas that are practical yet innovative.

Our key services include strategic planning, business model design, operating model review, theory of change and impact measurement, facilitation, co-design and other strategic projects e.g. (partnerships, innovation).

Skills and experience we’re looking for:

We’re a fast-paced business working with an incredible diversity of clients, solving complex problems. We are excited by the opportunity to bring in new ideas, skills and experiences to the team. To support our business, we’re looking for someone with at least 8+ years of relevant experience in a professional services firm, the for-purpose sector and/or people-based organisations (e.g. consultancy, not-for-profit, government, philanthropy, university).

Non-negotiables:

• Passion for purpose – you really care and want to do good in the world.
• Curious by nature – you ask insightful questions that help you get to the heart of things, define challenges and unpack opportunities.
• Proven problem solver – when faced with a question or problem, you’re a constant source of answers, ideas, resolutions and alternatives. You take an outcomes-focus to move forwards.
• Comfort with ambiguity – you recognise that complex challenges are rarely simple or straightforward, and generally take time and space to navigate through. You actively move yourself and others from ambiguity to clarity.
• Thrives in fast-paced, varied and dynamic work settings – keeping busy and spinning multiple plates brings out the best in you, and you have great time management and organisational skills.
• Open-mindedness and flexible thinking – you’re open to there being a better way and better path forward. You’re responsive to feedback and actively seek opportunities to learn and improve.
• Resourceful and collaborative – you’re happy working as part of a team and with clients who have different backgrounds and personalities as well as working independently and taking initiative.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills – you effectively get your message across with both the spoken word and the pen/quill/keyboard
• Demonstrable consulting experience – you’ve been a consultant before and understand the tools of the trade, such as business model and strategic planning frameworks and processes.

Desirable:

• Board and executive engagement – you have experience interacting with (and ideally advising and building strong relationships with) boards and executive teams meaning you understand key governance and leadership considerations.
• Confidence in facilitation - you’re great at getting people to talk and engage, and ensure conversations robustly answer the big questions, reconcile strategic tensions and build consensus.
• Strong for-purpose network – you have a network of colleagues, previous clients, thought leaders and other stakeholders across the not-for-profit, government, philanthropic and/or CSR sectors. Meaningful relationships are key to your work and life.
• Skilled in synthesis - strong ability to analyse and synthesise information, including complex information and large quantities of information.

Nice-to-haves:

• You’re up for a laugh – you don’t take yourself too seriously and love cracking a joke so you’ll fit in with the playfulness and quirkiness we hold dear at Spark.
• Business development track record – you’ve been in a role with sales or fundraising targets so you’ve had a fair few networking and business development coffees over the years.
• Great attention to detail – you dot your i’s and cross your t’s.

A position description is attached.