Director / Senior Director

San Francisco, California, United States

Job Title: Director/ Senior Director

Location: San Francisco, CA

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Base Salary Range: $210,000 - $323,000 base 

Who We Are

Propeller is a people-focused management consulting firm that helps individuals, teams, and organizations thrive in change. Organizations hire us to solve problems, inspire transformation, and drive change. We work with clients to align teams and priorities, clear hurdles, and deliver customized solutions. And in doing so, Propeller helps spark, regain, and accelerate the most impactful and energizing force we know: momentum.

Our clients are generally large and mid-size organizations in the retail, tech, energy and utilities, and public sector industries. These organizations are where we drive the most impact, but we serve all different types of clients. We have teams in Portland, San Francisco, and Denver - and are growing into Dallas.

Propeller may be for you if you have an unyielding passion for unraveling complex challenges, delivering creative, impact-driven solutions, and creating lasting progress. You are curious, you thrive in the unknown, and you have the grit to continue moving projects forward while guiding leaders and teams through ambiguous challenges.

What You’ll Do

In this role, you’ll lead business development and client delivery, building strong relationships while driving impactful work across our four service lines: People & Change, Customer & Experience, Strategy & Operations, and Technology & Data. We’re looking for leaders who can identify and grow accounts, ensure client satisfaction, and develop high-performing teams. You’ll play a key role in shaping Propeller’s growth and culture—spending time with clients, in the office, and out in the community to champion our brand and values.

We are open to hiring at the Director or Senior Director level, depending on experience. Senior Directors are expected to manage higher revenue targets and lead more complex sales efforts, in addition to overseeing larger portfolios of client work.

Manage Established Accounts

• Develop and implement strategic sales plans to achieve revenue targets and maximize profitability at one large account or a portfolio of medium sized accounts.
• Identify emerging client needs and develop tailored solutions at established accounts. Expand accounts through upselling and cross-selling.
• Develop proposals, presentations, and statements of work (SOW) that align with client objectives and Propeller’s capabilities. Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with clients to secure profitable deals.
• Oversee administrative aspects of client account management, ensuring seamless coordination and execution of tasks.

Drive New Business

• Drive strategic business development initiatives by identifying and pursuing new business leads, qualifying high-potential opportunities, and crafting compelling proposals. Leverage market insights and client needs to secure business that aligns with Propeller’s long-term growth strategy.
• Build and nurture executive-level relationships with clients, partners, and key stakeholders. Cultivate opportunities through participation in relevant events, and representing Propeller at conferences, forums, and other public-facing platforms.
• Act as a thought leader in the industry, using your influence and expertise to position Propeller as an innovator. Leverage speaking engagements, thought leadership content, and industry panels to enhance the firm’s reputation as a leader in driving impactful change and solutions.

Lead Client Engagements & Deliver on Strategic Work

• Utilize creativity, business acumen, and strategic problem-solving in client solution creation and delivery.
• Lead engagement teams, ensuring quality and client satisfaction through regular check-ins and deliverable reviews.
• Oversee the scope and quality of client projects, ensuring alignment with client expectations, project goals, and resource allocation.
• Meet with clients on a regular cadence to check-in on progress, request feedback for the team, and assess overall client satisfaction.
• Build strong client relationships through executive-level communication, proactive problem-solving, and a deep understanding of client needs.

Develop People

• Lead and mentor a cohort of 6-8 consultants, fostering a collaborative community focused on professional growth and excellence in service delivery.
• Provide development opportunities through regular 1:1 meetings, coaching, and tailored feedback, actively identifying areas for skill enhancement.
• Conduct mid-year and annual performance reviews, making informed recommendations for competency and compensation decisions, and documenting development conversations and feedback for smooth transitions.
• Collaborate closely with the talent team to identify and nurture emerging talent for future growth and development, as well as support in recruitment efforts.
• Support firm growth by sponsoring initiative teams and cultivating talent within these teams.

What You’ll Bring to the Team

A wide variety of backgrounds and experiences may be aligned to the work we do. If you believe you have the qualifications, even if your role titles did not necessarily use the same words, we encourage you to apply. A real person reads all our applications, and your background and experience will be assessed holistically.

Must-have:

• 10+ years of consulting experience, including at least 5 years of leading teams and selling work at a management consulting firm
• Expertise in one or more of our service lines: People & Change, Customer & Experience, Strategy & Operations, and Technology & Data
• Experience selling into the retail and/or technology industries
• Proven track record in developing relationships, driving new business, and crafting innovative solutions for complex client challenges
• Skilled in scoping projects, writing proposals, and delivering compelling presentations to senior stakeholders throughout the client engagement process
• Bachelor’s degree
• Ability to travel based on client need (up to 25%)
• Ability to demonstrate a legal right to work in the U.S. 

Nice-to-have:

• Familiarity with the Bay Area market and a strong local professional network, ideally built through 5+ years of living and working in the region
• Master’s degree or relevant certifications

More About This Opportunity

Compensation: We believe in fairly and equitably compensating our employees for their time, skills, and experience. The base salary for this position ranges from $210,000 - $323,000. Total compensation, including short- and long-term incentive pay, falls between $255,000 - $471,000. Individual salaries are determined by factors such as experience, specific skill sets, marketability to clients, and internal pay equity. While hiring at the top of the range is not typical to allow for future salary growth, our base pay ranges are reviewed and updated annually based on performance. Our compensation plan also includes a generous benefits package, which you can learn more about here.

Location: We believe being physically present with each other and our clients strengthens our relationships, promotes creativity and innovation, and ultimately produces a stronger, more durable result for our clients and ourselves. Propeller directors work in a hybrid model, spending at least 3 days per week working from their local Propeller office or client office.

Propeller is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We are committed to attracting, developing, and advancing the most talented individuals regardless of their race, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, disability status or any other dimension of diversity. In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. You can read more about our commitment to diversity here.

Also, Propeller is committed to meeting our applicant’s accessibility needs throughout the hiring process. If you need any accommodation during the process, such as accessibility accommodations to assist with email, phone, or video communications, or other accommodation matters, please do not hesitate to email [email protected]. 

Propeller is committed to maintaining and safeguarding the privacy of the information you share with us. Read our privacy policy here.