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Lead Consultant-Job Description

The ESC Lead Consultant collaborates with ESC consultants to form a cohesive, professional team to provide management consulting services to nonprofit clients. The Lead Consultant coordinates the delivery of ESC services through the management of the assigned team of volunteers and at times, serves as the primary contact for the client to ESC.

Qualifications

Lead Consultants must meet all necessary qualifications for ESC Consultants. In addition, the following qualifications must be met.

Competence: Skills & Experience Needed

• Minimum of one year experience as an ESC consultant demonstrating knowledge and understanding of ESC operations; methods of consulting; positive interaction with clients; and excellent communication skills.
• Successful completion of 2 ESC projects as a team member.

Time Requirements

• Attendance at a Lead Consultant training session is required before assignment can be given as a Lead Consultant.
• ESC Workshops and Trainings provide an excellent opportunity to meet and assess abilities of consultants to serve as team members. Attendance at a minimum of one Special Topic Workshop, as either participant or trainer, annually is expected, and attendance at as many workshops as possible, is encouraged.
• Lead Consultants need to be available to team members to answer questions concerning the consulting process, as well as specific client issues. The Lead Consultant serves as a sounding board for team members.
• Participation in on-going professional development opportunities is encouraged. This may include, but not be limited to Lead Consultant meetings, additional training, practice group meetings, etc.

General Responsibilities

The Lead Consultant serves as an ESC Consultant on the project, with the duties and responsibilities outlined in the Consultant's job description, as well as the following additional duties.

• Act as key client liaison and supervise assigned projects from initial assessment to project report and successful completion of the Consulting Agreement.
• Consult with client as required and coordinate work of one or more ESC consultants assigned to the team.
• Mentor, coach, train new consultants in quality consulting practices.
• Evaluate status of assignment at scheduled intervals with both client and teams.
• When possible, seek additional consulting opportunities and coordinate with ESC staff.

Specific Duties

Project Assessment and Agreement Preparation

• Review Request for Assistance and meet with client representatives to discuss nature of client's concerns. Obtain clear mutual understanding of specific results the client expects to obtain from the engagement. Provide client with information about ESC policies and procedures. Obtain background information about client organization and mission.
• Assess the client's primary areas of concern and needs, the nature and amount of consulting work required, the time (days, months) required, and the number and qualifications of ESC Consultants needed for the project.
• Complete or assist in the completion of the Statement of Work to be sent to the client, including the estimated duration of the project (in months or hours) and recommended staffing (including number of consultants needed and required background).

Staffing

• Design a work plan and consulting strategy that spells out the role of each team member and anticipated timetable.
• With Executive Director, review available and qualified consultants and select team members
• Include new consultants whenever possible and discuss mentoring needs with Executive Director.
• Provide mentoring to all consultants working on team, as needed. Keep Executive Director informed of needs and abilities of consultants on Team.
• Provide feedback to Executive Director about consultant skills/participation after conclusion of project. As requested, complete team member evaluations.

Assignment Management

• Prior to the start of the project, engage the team in planning. At a minimum, conduct an initial meeting (or meetings) of the Team to acquaint with client background; review the Request for Assistance, Statement of Work, and Consulting Agreement; further develop the Work Plan based on the Consulting Agreement, and clarify consultant expectations.
• Schedule meeting for ESC Team to meet with key client board management and staff. Clarify assigned areas of consulting for each team member and primary contact person(s) on client staff and/or Board.
• Initiate the process of obtaining the necessary records and documents from the client and, with client approval, from other sources, which may be outside client's organization.
• Provide every effort to keep sensitive internal information confidential.
• Decide on the assignment of the team member to write the project report and determine how interview notes and other data will be provided to him/her.
• Monitor the progress regularly with the client and the team to see that it is moving forward as planned. From time to time, compare what is being accomplished to the action language of the Consulting Agreement; to assure the work is on target.
• At a minimum, hold a mid-point project review, with the client and the team. Commonly, this is done routinely and informally many times throughout the project. Keep client informed of findings as you learn of them and of possible recommendations.
• Remember the objective is not just to provide advice but also to help the client to be able to initiate change.
• In some instances, after an assignment is under way, your understanding of the client's need and the scope of the assignment change. The Consulting Agreement may need to be amended. Confer with the Executive Director to make such changes and ensure communication of such changes is disseminated to the client and Team members.
• At a minimum, on a monthly basis, communicate the status of the project and other pertinent information to the Executive Director, based on discussions with ESC team members and appropriate client personnel.
• If not personally writing the Project Report, closely supervise the writing. Be sure the report includes specific practical recommendations that address client needs. All team members should have an opportunity to review/critique first draft of the report. Forward the draft report to the Executive Director for review prior to providing it to the client.
• Review the draft report with key client personnel for changes or corrections.
• Prepare project report for delivery to client. Project report should contain suggestions of additional areas where the client may benefit from additional ESC consulting assistance.
• Schedule presentation of the final Project Report to the client management, Board members and/or staff as best suits the client organization.
• Offer to provide assistance with the implementation of the recommended actions, as necessary and within the scope of ESC services.
• Facilitate a post-project team review of the outcomes and lessons learned.
• Personally acknowledge the work of the consultants and advise them of final project outcomes.

Marketing

• Maintain a high level of awareness for additional ESC consulting opportunities with the client agency throughout the duration of the engagement.
• Discuss potential projects with the ESC Executive Director as appropriate.
  

If you are interested in becoming an ESC consultant please fill out our online Volunteer Application or printable form. For more information, please e-mail Nancy Long at execdir@escwa.org or call her at (206) 682-6704.