Managing Director

Location: Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Minneapolis,
Reports To: Executive Leadership
FLSA Status: Exempt

Role Overview

A Managing Director is a business leader first. You are accountable for building and running a meaningful slice of the firm, usually a Service Line, portfolio of accounts, or a major capability area. You own growth, margin, delivery quality, and leadership culture. This role sits at the intersection of market, client, and talent. You set direction, create commercial momentum, ensure delivery excellence, and develop leaders who can scale the business beyond you.

Success in this role requires strong judgment, high standards, and the ability to operate across three time horizons at once: this quarter’s results, next year’s pipeline, and the multi-year build of capability and leadership depth.

What You Own

Growth and Commercial Performance

You are directly accountable for revenue growth and the underlying engine that produces it.

• Own a revenue and margin target and deliver against it with disciplined forecasting
• Build and maintain a healthy pipeline across existing clients and new logo pursuits
• Lead complex pursuits-- qualification, deal strategy, pricing, staffing model, and close
• Develop account expansion strategies that move relationships from project-based to partnership-based
• Translate market signals into clear offerings, packaging, and positioning
• Partner with Sales on territory strategy, win themes, and consistent pipeline hygiene
• Drive a culture where business development is a normal leadership behavior, not a separate department

Client Outcomes and Executive Trust

You are expected to operate credibly with executives and maintain durable relationships.

• Serve as executive sponsor for priority accounts, ensuring senior access and long-term health
• Build C-suite relationships rooted in outcomes, not activity
• Hold a high bar on delivery quality, clarity of scope, and measurable impact
• Identify and correct risk early: scope creep, misaligned expectations, delivery drift, or team breakdown
• Step in when needed to reset a client relationship, renegotiate scope, or re-staff for success
• Ensure the firm consistently brings points of view, not just delivery capacity

Delivery Excellence at Scale

You are not running every project, but you are responsible for the system that makes projects succeed.

• Establish delivery standards and enforce them consistently across engagements
• Ensure engagements have clear goals, a sound plan, disciplined governance, and visible outcomes
• Build repeatable models for staffing, estimation, and quality control
• Drive strong engagement leadership habits: stakeholder management, transparency, and escalation
• Oversee the health of the portfolio, not just individual engagements
• Ensure delivery performance ties back to margin and client satisfaction, not just “getting it done”

People Leadership and Talent System Ownership

A Managing Director builds leaders and makes talent decisions with clarity.

• Lead and develop senior leaders (Directors, Principals, Engagement Leads, Capability Leads)
• Set expectations for leadership behaviors, coaching discipline, and performance management rigor
• Own succession planning for key roles and critical accounts
• Partner with HR and Recruiting on workforce planning tied to pipeline and capability strategy
• Make decisive calls on performance, promotion readiness, and role fit
• Ensure the talent system is fair, consistent, and tied to measurable impact
• Build a culture of direct feedback, high standards, and follow-through

Service Line and Capability Strategy

You shape what the firm is known for, and you build the bench to deliver it.

• Define strategic priorities for the Service Line or portfolio: where to play and how to win
• Evolve offerings based on client demand, delivery learnings, and competitor movement
• Build reusable assets: playbooks, accelerators, training paths, and delivery patterns
• Invest in capability depth: expertise, thought leadership, and delivery quality at scale
• Drive cross-Service Line collaboration to sell and deliver integrated work
• Maintain a clear point of view on the market and communicate it internally and externally

Operational Discipline and Governance

You are accountable for predictable execution, not heroic recovery.

• Own forecasting accuracy, staffing health, utilization balance, and margin management
• Ensure strong operating cadence: pipeline reviews, account reviews, portfolio health checks
• Identify constraints early: skill gaps, staffing shortages, capacity risk, underperforming accounts
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and client requirements
• Partner with Finance on pricing guardrails, margin targets, and performance reporting
• Make tradeoffs explicitly and communicate them clearly to leadership

What Great Looks Like (Outcomes and Signals)

Business Outcomes

• Consistent growth in revenue and gross margin for the owned portfolio
• Increased share of wallet in strategic accounts
• Higher ratio of repeatable work and multi-quarter engagements
• Improved forecast reliability and reduced last-minute staffing chaos
• Strong promotion pipeline and reduced leadership single points of failure

Client Outcomes

• Executives proactively pull you into new opportunities
• Clear, measurable impact and strong renewals or expansions
• Fewer escalations because problems are caught early and corrected fast
• Strong delivery reputation: the firm is trusted with harder work

People Outcomes

• Senior leaders in your area consistently develop talent and manage performance
• High retention among top performers
• Clear accountability norms and fewer “gray zone” expectations
• People understand what good looks like and how to get there

Key Interfaces

• Executive leadership team
• Sales and account leadership
• Service Line and capability leaders
• HR (performance, promotions, workforce planning)
• Finance (forecasting, pricing, margin)
• Marketing (thought leadership, positioning)
• Client executive stakeholders

Required Experience and Capabilities

• 12–15+ years in consulting, professional services, or equivalent leadership roles
• Demonstrated ownership of revenue growth, margin, and forecasting
• Track record of winning and expanding executive relationships
• Experience leading senior leaders and scaling teams
• Strong understanding of delivery economics: pricing, staffing mix, utilization, margin levers
• High-confidence executive communication and presence
• Ability to make clear calls with imperfect information

Leadership Expectations

This role requires more than being strong at delivery or sales. You are expected to set the tone.

• Operate with clarity and accountability
• Raise standards without creating chaos
• Be direct, fair, and consistent in talent decisions
• Build trust through follow-through and clean communication
• Stay close enough to the work to know what is real, but high enough to scale it
• Put the firm’s long-term credibility above short-term convenience

Working Conditions

• Travel based on client and business needs
• Evening and weekend hours as needed, tied to client commitments, executive meetings, or key pursuits

Elevens, as we call ourselves here, are curiously smart, purposefully scrappy, and dedicated to the highest standard of quality. By being true to ourselves and others, we create a respectful environment that enhances collaboration, drives growth through high expectations, and ensures alignment with our core values. Inspire11 is more than a modern business and technology consulting firm; we're a revolution. We work differently — and it shows. Every move we make is tied to measurable value, and our success aligns with our clients’ success. We partner to simplify the complex, solve sustainably, and stay ahead by continuously pushing our own thinking forward. Value creation isn't something we talk about — it's something we live, every day.

At Inspire11, we're not just offering a job; we're providing a platform for you to transform the future. You'll feel right at home here if you think differently, build boldly, and lead with impact. We're a place where your unique perspective is valued, your boldness is celebrated, and your potential is unleashed.

• Growth Through Challenge:  We hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence and accountability. At Inspire11, we are committed to delivering exceptional results and empowering our employees to take ownership of their work and drive meaningful impact. You'll work alongside elite consultants who challenge you to expand your skills and think even more creatively.

• The Autonomy to do Your Best Work: Here, outcomes matter more than outputs. It's about the value we create. You'll have the autonomy to shape your work, drive decisions, and make an impact—not just for our clients but for your growth. You'll be challenged to think strategically, anticipate needs, and solve problems. Bold thinking, creative approaches, and challenging conventional wisdom are part of our DNA. Our clients rely on us to lead them into what's next.
• Diverse Perspectives Driving Innovative Solutions: We champion inclusivity and authenticity, knowing that diverse perspectives drive better solutions. You'll be encouraged to bring your whole self to work, knowing that's where true innovation happens. We also believe that doing great work should be fun. Our culture thrives on energy, camaraderie, and appreciating the unique contributions that make Inspire11 an amazing place. Our teams get energy from being the best they can be.

This role requires the willingness and ability to be onsite at the Inspire11 or client location depending on project needs to maximize in-person collaboration and build stronger relationships.

Inspire11 is unable to sponsor employment visas at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Inspire11’s Privacy Policy: https://www.inspire11.com/privacy-policy/

U.S. Compensation & Benefits

Managing Directors are eligible for performance-based bonus compensation. Bonus opportunity is tied to Service Line revenue performance, portfolio margin, and overall firm results. Total compensation is designed to reward sustained business growth, strong client outcomes, and effective leadership.

Bonuses

We may allow employees in Sales, Recruiting, or Leadership to earn periodic bonuses based on sales, revenue, client-specific or practice-specific targets. These targets are communicated to each eligible employee via offer letter or annual update. All such target-based bonuses are calculated based on the Company and an individual’s periodic performance and will only be awarded if: (a) the employee is meeting performance expectations and is an employee in good standing of the Company; (b) the target is met; and (c) the Company’s current financial performance and market conditions permit the bonus to be paid out. All periodic bonuses are discretionary and are earned only when paid out.

Each year, the Company will decide whether the Company’s financial performance, market performance, and business realities allow it to create an annual bonus pool. If the Company decides to award annual bonuses, the Leadership Team will grant them to employees in good standing based on the same factors discussed in the previous paragraph, while also considering employees’ diligence, performance, expertise, skill, judgment, and experience. To be eligible to participate in this annual bonus pool, an employee must be hired by no later than October 1st of the preceding year. Annual bonuses and merit increases may be prorated based on hire date. Employees eligible for target-based periodic bonuses are not eligible to participate in the annual bonus pool.

Options or Other Equity in Inspire11

Inspire11 has a legacy program that allowed certain high-performing employees to purchase shares of the Company through an affiliate. The Company also has a newer program that grants options annually to high-performing employees based on their performance reviews, their managers’ recommendations, and leadership approval. These options have a vesting period associated with them.

Benefits

Full-time employees are eligible for the following contributory benefits, where premiums are partially paid by the Company and partially by the employee:

• Medical insurance plans,
• Dental insurance plans, and
• Vision insurance plans.

Full-time employees are eligible for the following benefits provided wholly by the Company:

• Short-term disability, providing for a benefit of 60% of an employee’s salary up to a maximum of $2,000 per week for up to 11 weeks after a 7-day waiting period;
• Long-term disability, providing for 60% of an employee’s salary up to a maximum of $10,000 per month for the time period from the 91st day after a qualifying event through the earlier of the end of the disability or age 67;
• Life insurance, providing for a benefit of two times the employee’s annual salary, up to a maximum payout of $400,000;
• A connectivity stipend of $325 annually;
• Employee Assistance Program, providing for confidential counseling sessions, 24-hour crisis support, online peer support groups, skills training, behavioral health coaching, initial free legal consultations (and discounted rates on referred lawyers), online legal forms, assistance with eldercare and parenting services, among other things.

Full-time employees are also eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan, which allows employees to contribute to a standard or Roth IRA. According to a vesting schedule, the Company matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of an employee’s salary.

Depending on eligibility and their elections, full-time employees may also have access to certain tax-advantaged savings accounts set up through the Company, into which employees contribute withheld funds:

• Flexible savings accounts
• Limited-purpose flexible savings accounts
• Healthcare savings accounts
• Dependent care savings accounts
• Commuter benefit accounts

Paid Time Off and Leave

Inspire11 grants all eligible employees any statutory leave required by federal, Illinois, or other applicable law, such as FMLA, bereavement, sick leave, emergency leave, jury duty or witness leave, and VESSA leave.

In addition, Inspire11 has a self-managed paid time off policy (PTO) that does not set predetermined upper limits on the amount of PTO an employee may take. All PTO must be requested in advance and approved by the appropriate supervisor to ensure client work can continue. All full-time employees are expected to take a minimum of one week of PTO each year.

Inspire11 offers paid parental leave to full-time employees who have been with the company for at least one year. Birthing parents are eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave, while non-birthing parents are eligible for up to 6 weeks. Short-term disability (STD) benefits are also provided following childbirth. When combined with PTO and STD, birthing parents may receive a total of 18–20 weeks of paid leave. Lastly, Inspire11 has eight paid holidays.

Other Benefits

Inspire11 also maintains other programs that provide additional benefits to employees, such as:

• Impact to 11: a charitable giving matching program where, after being employed by Inspire11 for a year, employees may request that a qualifying charity receive up to $500 in matching donations each year.
• Professional development benefits for qualifying employees: a program allowing for reimbursement of certain course materials and costs on a discretionary basis for employees who have been at Inspire11 for at least 6 months, with supervisor’s approval.
• Regular gifts of Inspire11 clothes, office items, and swag.

Disclaimer

This document applies only to the United States and to Inspire11 LLC, not our worldwide partners.

Inspire11 reserves the right to change the benefits offered to employees in accordance with applicable law based on business needs, market conditions, and financial stability. Before changing any benefits, Company will notify all employees of the change and will update this document.

EEOC

Inspire11 is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact us at hr@inspire11.com, or inform your recruiting partner.

US Compensation at Inspire11

Inspire11 follows Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois Equal Wage Act, and the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003. We believe that people performing the same role at the same level, with similar levels of ability or experience, should be similarly compensated. We also believe that the most critical factors driving compensation should be an Eleven’s skill, experience, performance, responsibility, and effort. We may also consider an employee’s length of service, relevant education, training, or certification, and the requirements of a specific job. We may also consider whether the cost of living or competition for talent in specific markets requires adjustments in compensation for employees in those markets. Our goal is to fairly compensate all our Elevens based on these factors within the Company’s financial ability.

Compensation may be increased or decreased at Inspire11’s discretion based on an employee’s performance reviews, market conditions, and the Company’s financial performance. Inspire11 will always notify an employee in writing before any change is made to their compensation.

Base Compensation Range$150,000—$300,000 USD