The Advisory Services Team
As trusted advisors and expert pro bono practitioners, Taproot’s Advisory Services team enables and delivers the highest quality pro bono service to social good organizations and sets the standard of excellence for the field by demonstrating, innovating, and sharing pro bono best practices.
The Advisory Services team provides:
- Pro Bono Strategy & Advisement: We design and develop pro bono programs that maximize the impact potential of our clients, including companies, foundations, and other institutions.
- Pro Bono Program Service Delivery: We implement pro bono programs that connect social good organizations and skilled volunteers by leveraging our extensive pro bono expertise.
- Pro Bono Field Building: We develop tools and resources that enable pro bono users and practitioners to provide high quality pro bono services and share them with the field through convenings or thought leadership.
Position Summary/Objective
The Consultant serves as a go-to practitioner and subject-matter expert on the team, including running a portfolio of client engagements, serving as the day-to-day contact for clients and the lead on client calls, being accountable for the quality control of scoping calls and deliverables and the success of pro bono projects within Pro Bono Consultant and corporate engagements, and leading the execution of practice-building projects.
The responsibilities and duties of the Consultant consist of (but are not limited to):
Client Relationship Management and Service Delivery (60-70%)
- Manage and lead the delivery of a portfolio of 6-9 engagements, ensuring that work is completed on time, in scope, and at the highest level of quality.
- Lead internal project teams to support assigned portfolio of engagements, as needed, helping to ensure teammates are effectively utilized and coached on their performance.
- Lead engagement-related calls and meetings with clients. This includes setting the agenda, facilitating discussions, facilitating meeting content (delegating facilitation of content, as desired), and driving decision-making related to engagement next steps.
- Accountable for quality control of scoping calls and deliverables and the success of pro bono projects within Pro Bono Consultant and corporate engagements.
- Elevate client challenges and scope creep or questions to the client relationship manager, as relevant.
- Input and monitor revenue recognition for assigned engagements to provide Advisory Services leadership with relevant engagement information to support the organization's monthly financial reporting process.
Practice Building/Training (5-35%)
- Lead the development of resources that help build the field of pro bono. Resources could include tools, presentations, or original research that equip pro bono practitioners and users with best practices and insights. Resource development will likely require partnering with Partnerships and Marketing & Communications and may include co-developing content with third party organizations and partners.
- In conjunction with Strategic Partnerships and MarCom, push the field of pro bono forward by contributing to and leading (when assigned) the development of thought leadership, including case studies, resources, webinars, convenings, the Advisory Services newsletter, and other content.
- Support the execution of the Pro Bono Summit, including facilitating Summit sessions, as requested.
- Contribute to process improvements related to collecting content and partnership efforts with MarCom.
- Join business development calls, particularly renewals, and support creation of proposals.
- Drive greater awareness of our work and build the field of pro bono service through attending conferences and other externally facing opportunities to build and educate key audiences, including corporate pro bono practitioners, social good organizations, and skilled volunteers, as requested or desired.
- Active contributor to Marketing and Communications and Strategic Operations practice-building projects, owning the execution of assigned projects, delegating project task and ensuring the completion of projects based on agreed-upon timeline.
Team Management and Performance (0-5%)
- Support team member development through coaching and mentoring team members on client engagements.
- Accountable for implementing standard practices of project and team member management on engagements, including setting goals, establishing roles and responsibilities, providing feedback, and delegating effectively.
- Train team members by leading onboarding sessions and team upskilling sessions.
- Support the recruitment process for new Advisory Services team members.
Strategic Direction and Vision (0-5%)
- Support the successful execution of Advisory Services’ strategic and operational priorities through leading the execution of program delivery and execution of practice building project work.
- Provide proactive strategic analysis and recommendations for senior Advisory Services team members and clients to inform engagement strategy.
- Help guide and inform the strategic direction of Taproot’s Advisory Services team by participating in strategic planning and implementation and contributing to the performance measurement and management of the Advisory Services team. This could include tracking and evaluating trends in performance data to help drive decisions that improve team infrastructure and approach.
- Perform other job-related duties, as assigned.
Requirements
- Minimum of five (5) + year(s) of professional experience with relevant non-profit, corporate and/or consulting experience. At least two (2) years of experience are in a relevant consulting, professional services, or corporate social responsibility function.
- Proven ability to build strong, senior-level client relationships
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications is required.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to be a strong project manager with the capacity to multi-task.
- Creativity in problem solving.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
- Moderate travel may be required (~10-15%).
Job Specific Performance Competencies (Outside of Core)
Client Management/Service- Utilizes techniques required to develop, maintain and manage business relationships with clients and partner organizations in order to implement and manage projects and to identify new opportunities.
Consulting- Partners with clients to identify and resolve complex or sensitive issues.
Attention to Detail- Carefully and thoroughly attends to details and pursues high quality when completing tasks.
Verbal/Presentation Skills- Conveys ideas and facts verbally using language the audience will best understand. Formally delivers information to groups.
Facilitation Skills- Enables cooperative and productive group interactions.
Deliverable Development- Able to identify both short-term and long-term objectives and set timeline for completion of objectives in a reasonable and logical order.
Influencing/Persuading Others- Influences and persuades others to be excited and committed to furthering the Taproot’s objectives.
Creativity/Innovation- Generates new ideas, challenges the norm, takes risks, supports change, encourages innovation, solves problems creatively.
Coaching and Mentoring- Enables Co-Roots to grow and succeed through feedback, instruction, and encouragement.
Comfort with Ambiguity- Ability to take action without having each and every detail, especially when presented a problem. Having confidence with making a good decision.
Taproot’s Core Performance Competencies
Interpersonal- Has knowledge and understanding of the needs and requirements of the job, as well as its systems and processes. Understands how the job impacts other areas of the department and the Company.
Is sought after by others for expertise in their field.
Written Communication Skills- Work is thorough and complete. Shows attention to detail and produces work that is consistently free of errors. Sets high personal standards and monitors, evaluates and adjusts own work to ensure those standards are met.
Collaboration- Effectively manages a defined workload. Sees tasks through from concept to completion. Prioritizes tasks accurately, identifying and addressing those that are most critical. Demonstrates persistence in spite of obstacles. Demonstrates flexibility inside and outside of the department.
Critical Thinking- Works independently and is a solution seeker by using resources efficiently and effectively.
Self-starter: takes charge in the absence of detailed instructions. Innovator: creates new ideas by thinking outside of the box and takes action to implement. Actively pursues growth and development by seeking and accepting feedback and learning from others. Volunteers for additional work.
Problem Solving- Accomplishes tasks and submits work in a timely manner. Accepts responsibility for the outcome of one’s work and decisions made. Reports to work on scheduled days/times and attends required meetings, calls and other business obligations on time. Understands purposes, objectives, practices, and procedures of the department. Upholds Company policies, procedures, corporate governance and utilizes fair and consistent business practices.
Project Management- Assembles all available facts and considers alternatives before making decisions.
Is creative in formulating and implementing solutions to difficult issues. Thinks strategically by setting direction and implementing tactical plans. Makes wise and fair judgments/decisions based on solid facts.
Embodying Taproot’s Values- Employee understands and can effectively communicate the definition of Taproot’s Values.
Taproot employees are currently working remotely, but the organization expects to reopen its permanent offices, when appropriate. We are open to candidates working from a city where we have an office (i.e. Chicago, Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco).