Consultant -Business Operations / Management (Project Director)

Cogent Analytics • Full-time • Cleveland, OH, US • $135k - $160k / year • 4m ago

Business Operations Consultant/Project Director

Design, build, implement, train, and evaluate customized solutions and advice that assist organizations in improving productivity and increasing revenues, and that positively impact overall performance. Solution implementation will encompass business development, organizational engineering, process management, and financial systems.

The Project Director is responsible for the client relationship from the origination of the opportunity to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the completed body of work. Responsibilities include client financial improvement, client relationship management, and project management. This is a client-facing, high-impact role that requires strong leadership, financial acumen, and a passion for transforming small to mid-sized businesses.

📍 Important: This position requires 100% travel, typically departing Sunday and returning Friday, to work onsite with clients across the US.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Key Responsibilities:

Deliver quantifiable and sustainable value for clients, impacting income statements, balance sheets, cash flow, and overall quality of life
Lead the development, implementation, training, and evaluation of business solutions that address specific client challenges
Identify, oversee, and clearly communicate the scope of work, timelines, and deliverables in coordination with the assigned Assistant Director or Senior Project Director
Manage the full client relationship, from opportunity origination through project completion and review
Ensure administrative duties, including invoicing and reporting, are completed accurately and on time

Essential Qualifications:

Minimum 8–10 years of consulting or equivalent experience (such as business ownership, executive leadership, or multi-unit management), with a proven track record of delivering measurable results and driving operational and financial improvement
Demonstrated experience managing projects and client relationships with strategic, financial, and operational accountability
Strong financial literacy, including the ability to analyze and improve performance across P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow
Ability to travel Sunday through Friday to client sites across the U.S
Authorized to work in the United States
Advanced computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office, financial software, dashboards, CRMs, and project management tools
Valid driver’s license and current auto insurance
Preferred: Experience managing budgets of $10M+ and/or previous business ownership

Competencies Required:

Problem Solving – Quickly identifies root causes; offers practical and effective solutions; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics
Change Management – Communicates changes effectively and builds broad consensus; monitors transition and evaluates results
Leadership – Exhibits confidence in self and others; inspires trust and motivates others to perform well; embraces feedback
Judgment – Displays willingness to make decisions; supports and explains reasoning for decisions. Gains the trust of peers and leadership through sound decision-making
Results Driven – Serious about committing and getting to results. Exemplifies this ability through sound decision-making, backed by logic, understanding contingency planning, with an attitude toward appropriate prioritization and effort
People-Oriented – Possess a high EQ and readily able to connect and build relationships with clients, their staff, and Cogent team members
Conflict Management – Empathetic and able to see all perspectives; graciously communicates differing points of view to build understanding; finds agreeable, forward-looking, and policy-aligned solutions to resolve conflicts others would see as irreconcilable

Cultural Expectations: Given the unique nature of the company and our strong focus on integrity and values, these cultural components of how we operate will be expected:

Cogent Analytics strives always to put our clients first, choosing to do what is in their best interest even if that choice may not be the easy or popular path
Cogent Analytics maintains the highest professional standards and pledges to operate with integrity and honesty in all that we endeavor to do
We believe in a collaborative environment between the administrative staff, Leadership (AD and MD), and Project Directors
We understand and embrace the “Obligation to Challenge”, realizing that the status quo can be improved upon based on our unique and diverse capabilities and insights
We embrace diversity, realizing the benefit of working together and sharing individual exceptional insights with the group. Through these insights discovered in the pursuit of solving problems, we will improve results both for our clients and ourselves

Why Join Cogent Analytics?

Cogent Analytics is a mission-driven consulting firm dedicated to supporting the growth of privately held businesses. Our consultants are strategic leaders who work side-by-side with owners to deliver real transformation. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in high-accountability environments, we want to hear from you.

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All new Project Directors begin on a 1099 contractor basis for a minimum of 90 days. This serves as a mutual evaluation period. Upon successful completion, you will have the opportunity for review to transition into a full-time W-2 employee role with comprehensive benefits. Compensation is based on billable client work, with significant earning potential tied directly to performance and project engagement.