Manager, Client Development & Strategy

ABOUT HIGHPOINT ASSOCIATES

HighPoint Associates (HPA) is a management consulting firm founded over 20 years ago. HPA advises on strategy and operations challenges for clients ranging from the mid-market to Fortune 1000, as well as private equity-backed businesses across industries. HPA was founded with a vision for a different kind of management consulting firm, one that delivers results through true partnership with our clients. We advise leaders who are open to change and ready to engage at deeper levels to transform their organizations, and we build highly curated consulting teams to deliver on critical initiatives. With the ability to support clients across industries and functions, HPA's results-oriented, agile business model has resulted in growth through various market cycles and continued exponential growth.

THE ROLE

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Client Development \& Strategy, the Manager will serve as a critical right hand in owning and elevating the firm's proposal processes, driving internal strategy projects, and building the capabilities of the Client Development team. This is a high-visibility role for an experienced consultant who is ready to step into ownership, not just execution, and who thrives at the intersection of strategic thinking, team development, and entrepreneurial problem-solving.

Initially, the Manager will take full ownership of the end-to-end proposal process and lead internal strategy initiatives while actively mentoring and coaching associates on the team. Within 3–6 months, the role will expand to include formal people management responsibilities. This is a role with meaningful growth potential to Director level for strong performers, as well as the potential for significant variable compensation tied to company performance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Proposal Process Ownership \& Client Strategy

• Own the end-to-end proposal development process, ensuring consistently high-quality, strategically rigorous, and visually compelling deliverables that elevate HPA's market positioning.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership, proactively dissecting client needs, identifying opportunities, and framing perspectives that sharpen our approach.
• Attend and actively contribute to client discussions, synthesizing needs and context to inform proposal strategy.
• Collaborate with senior Independent Consultants, including former C-Suite executives and MBB consulting alumni, who contribute to the proposal process, building strong working relationships and effectively leveraging their expertise.
• Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to continuously improving proposal quality, efficiency, and impact, challenging the status quo and raising the bar.

Internal Strategy Projects

• Lead and project-manage internal strategic initiatives from scoping through execution, ensuring clear workplans, milestones, and accountability.
• Manage up effectively, keeping the VP and senior leadership informed with well-structured updates, proactive risk identification, and clear recommendations.
• Drive projects to completion with strong organizational skills, balancing multiple priorities and adapting to shifting demands.

Team Development \& Mentorship

• Mentor and coach associates from day one, investing in their growth, sharpening their strategic thinking, and elevating the quality of their work product.
• Transition into formal people management within 3–6 months, owning performance development, feedback, and career growth for direct reports.
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative team culture rooted in intellectual curiosity, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Business \& Client Development

• Monitor key industry and market trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging themes to inform client discussions and go-to-market strategies.
• Identify potential areas of impact and growth within existing client relationships, contributing to the firm's broader client development efforts.

Thought Leadership \& Knowledge Management

• Lead knowledge management efforts by capturing key insights from past engagements and proposals, maintaining internal archives and templates, and driving consistency across the team.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Consultant SMEs to develop internal intellectual capital and thought leadership.
• Explore and implement opportunities to enhance knowledge sharing and proposal development through AI tools and new technologies.

Opportunistic Projects

• As an entrepreneurial firm, additional business-related projects will arise. The Manager will have opportunities to contribute beyond core responsibilities at the intersection of business needs and individual strengths.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic Owner, Not Just Executor

– Experienced consultant who is ready to own processes and outcomes, not just contribute to them. Combines strategic thinking with the drive to build, improve, and take things to the next level.

• Entrepreneurial Mindset

– Energized by the opportunity to shape and elevate how things are done. Sees white space and acts on it. Comfortable building structure in ambiguity rather than waiting for direction.

• People Developer

– Genuinely passionate about mentoring and coaching others. Invests in people's growth, gives direct and constructive feedback, and leads by example. Excited to grow into formal management.

• Strong Project Manager

– Brings discipline and rigor to managing complex, multi-workstream initiatives. Organized, proactive, and reliable in driving work to completion across competing priorities.

• Effective at Managing Up

– Communicates with clarity and confidence to senior leadership. Proactively surfaces issues, frames decisions, and provides well-structured recommendations without needing to be asked.

• Strong Attention to Detail

– Holds work product to the highest professional standards and instills the same in others.

• Work Ethic \& Grit

– Hardworking self-starter who takes ownership. Agile, comfortable in ambiguity, and displays natural intellectual curiosity and a desire to learn and solve problems.

• Indomitable Spirit

– Energized by personally and professionally challenging themselves, with the resilience to step into a high-performing group, absorb feedback, and grow.

• Results-Oriented, 80/20 Prioritization

– Delivers impactful results with the ability to balance prioritization and detailed execution, adapt to changing priorities, and execute with reliable follow-through.

• Service-Oriented Team Player

– Humble, no ego. Works both independently and as part of a team with a service-oriented mindset to deliver high-quality results.

• Technical Skills

– Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, and AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) with a mindset toward leveraging technology to improve quality and efficiency.

• Aligned with Our Values

– Our values govern our decisions, influence our relationships with clients, and impact all aspects of our business.

HIRING CRITERIA

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.
• Undergraduate degree from a leading four-year university.
• 3–6 years of experience as an external management consultant, with demonstrated experience in proposal development, client strategy, and/or internal strategy projects.
• Prior experience mentoring, coaching, or informally leading junior team members.
• Ability to work in El Segundo, California 3 days/week (hybrid model; no relocation will be offered).

WHY THIS ROLE

• Impact – High-visibility role with direct access to senior leadership in a firm that favors action over bureaucracy. Real opportunity to drive meaningful change in how the firm develops its client strategy and team capabilities.
• Culture – Join a high-performing, collegial team that values intellectual curiosity, ownership, and partnership.
• Growth trajectory – Clear path to Director level for high performers within a growing firm.
• Compensation – Potential for significant variable compensation tied to company performance, in addition to base salary.