Consultant

Job Opportunity: Consultant
Compensation: $130k – $180k
Location: Remote (Residence in Twin Cities metro area REQUIRED)

Why The Next Step (TNS):

Are you ready to take “the next step” in your career with a company that’s transforming the global manufacturing landscape? At The Next Step Inc., we provide a vibrant, fast-paced environment where innovation, efficiency, and clarity are at the core of everything we do. We work closely with clients ranging from C-Suite executives to operations managers, helping them streamline processes and achieve tangible results. If you thrive in a culture that values trust, growth, and continuous improvement and are passionate about making a difference, then join us and embark on a journey where every day offers new opportunities for learning, growth, and impact.

The Opportunity:

The Consultant role at The Next Step (TNS) is crucial in driving client success by offering tailored solutions in at least two key areas: sales, marketing, operations, or product development. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to become a trusted advisor for clients, helping them solve complex business challenges through customized, strategic solutions. This role focuses on:

• The Consultant role at The Next Step (TNS) is crucial in driving client success by offering tailored solutions in at least two key areas: sales, marketing, operations, or product development. This role offers an exceptional opportunity to become a trusted advisor for clients, helping them solve complex business challenges through customized, strategic solutions. This role focuses on:
• Strategic Development Design and implement strategies in alignment with client goals across at least two key areas: sales, marketing, operations, and product development.
• Client Relationship Management Foster strong client relationships through regular communication, consistent meeting cadence, addressing challenges proactively, and ensuring project alignment with client needs.
• Operational Improvement Identify areas for process enhancement within client workflows to boost efficiency and drive operational effectiveness.
• Data-Driven Insights Analyze client data and key performance indicators (KPIs) to deliver actionable insights that guide strategic decision-making ensuring clients benefit from evidence-based recommendations.
• Team Leadership Serve as a key collaborator, supporting both internal team and client success while fostering a culture of growth, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

The Challenges:

This Consultant role demands a proactive, driven professional who thrives in a dynamic consulting environment. You’ll encounter and need to rise to the following challenges:

• Embracing challenges head-on
  Thrive in a demanding, fast-paced consulting environment with multiple clients and multiple areas of the business.
• Operating within a small, remote team
  Know how to appropriately balance independence with collaboration.
• Maintaining extreme attention to detail
  Work in a chaotic environment, requiring a proactive attitude and meticulous attention to detail.
• Handling diverse personalities and client conversations
  Manage client interactions with tact and assertiveness, adapting to different personalities. Must have the ability to speak to Presidents.
• Managing Multiple Client Projects
  Balance priorities and expectations while working across several clients and projects, ensuring high-quality outcomes under tight deadlines.
• Identifying and closing new business opportunities
  Manage and oversee clients while also working with the internal team to identify growth opportunities.
• Adapting to Client Needs
  Be prepared to adjust strategies as new client requirements and market trends emerge.
• Thrive in chaos
  Be ready to “drink from a fire hose” and deliver excellence in a dynamic environment.
• Live in the Twin Cities metro area
  Be prepared for occasional travel as required.

Ask Yourself:

1. Are you prepared to manage multiple complex projects while fostering strong client relationships with a continuous improvement mindset?
2. Do you have a deep understanding of business operations in manufacturing, with expertise in at least two of the following areas: sales, marketing, operations, or product development?
3. Can you navigate a dynamic, fast-paced consulting environment with minimal supervision while continuously learning, improving, and upholding all company core values?

Required Role Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, Marketing, or a related field
• Consulting experience with a focus on manufacturing and managing cross-functional teams at a Leadership and/or Director level
• Subject matter expertise in at least two areas: sales, marketing, operations, or product development
• Proven ability to lead complex projects and deliver results in multiple areas of the business in the manufacturing industry
• Experience in providing tailored solutions to client-specific challenges in the manufacturing industry
• 3+ years in client-facing roles with a track record of managing relationships and successful project delivery
• Experience in data-driven decision-making and leveraging data for strategy development
• Residence in the Twin Cities metro area
• Ability to travel as required

Preferred Role Experience/Certifications:

• Previous experience with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) framework to drive business performance
• Master’s degree (MBA) in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field
• Relevant certifications in sales, marketing, operations, or product management
• Technical proficiency with data analysis tools

Required Soft Skills:

• Ability to quickly learn, retain, and adapt
• Ability to adjust strategies and approaches as client needs evolve
• Strong written and verbal skills for clear client and team interactions
• Strong ability to manage multiple client relationships and project deliverables
• Proactive, independent, and highly organized with a focus on strategic alignment, client satisfaction, maintaining accuracy and high standards in project deliverables
• Capable of working with minimal supervision and seeking continuous improvement opportunities
• Work effectively within diverse teams, fostering a client-centered approach