Process Improvement Consulting Jobs in California

Job Title: Consultant

Location: San Francisco, CA

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Hiring Range: $130,250 - $152,000 base 

Propeller is a people-focused management consulting firm that helps organizations accelerate transformation and move forward faster. We work with clients to solve complex problems, clear hurdles, and bring transformation to life-building the momentum needed to make change stick with solutions that are right-sized, scalable, and built to last.
Our teams bring a mix of strategic thinking and practical know-how across strategy, enterprise technology, and organizational effectiveness. We collaborate closely with clients, adapt quickly to their needs, and show up ready to do the work together.
Our clients are typically large and mid-sized organizations in the retail, technology, public sector, and energy and utility industries. These are the spaces where we drive the most impact, but our experience spans many others. We have offices in Portland, San Francisco, and Denver, and work with clients across the country.
Propeller may be the place for you if you're energized by solving hard problems, guiding leaders and teams through change, and making progress that sticks. You're curious, collaborative, and resilient-with the grit to keep moving forward, even when the path is ambiguous, and the answers aren't clear.

As a Consultant, you'll partner with clients to develop and implement impactful strategies that drive value across people, processes, and technology. You'll work directly with clients to design solutions, create roadmaps, and deliver high-quality results, building deep relationships and positioning yourself as a trusted advisor.

While this role primarily focuses on program management, our consultants may also contribute to a diverse range of projects. We believe in harnessing your unique expertise to elevate every project, even if it diverges from your primary focus. With solid skills in project management, change management, and process improvement, you'll transition between assignments, bringing fresh ideas and strategic thinking to each project.

Drive Strategic Alignment

• Lead workstreams within strategic planning initiatives by assessing market trends, evaluating organizational capabilities, and crafting actionable roadmaps that support growth. 

• Apply structured frameworks to evaluate organizational capabilities and craft actionable roadmaps. 

• Lead workstream analysis of portfolio performance, applying structured frameworks to help directors and project sponsors identify high-impact initiatives, reduce redundancies, and optimize investments. 

Deliver High Impact Projects

• Develop realistic, actionable strategies, including roadmaps, governance, and prioritization plans for smooth execution. 

• Manage end-to-end project execution, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget. 

• Collaborate closely with project teams to define adoption strategies and rollout plans, ensuring change management approaches effectively support team and stakeholder buy-in. 

• Identify and implement process improvement opportunities within projects to increase efficiency and reduce redundancies. 

• Produce polished, client-ready deliverables that influence decision-making at the director/project sponsor level. 

Build Stakeholder Relationships

• Build and nurture strong relationships with clients and key stakeholders, establishing trust and credibility. 

• Anticipate stakeholder needs, proactively address concerns, and ensure client satisfaction through high-touch engagement. 

• Contribute to client growth by identifying additional opportunities where Propeller can add value. 

A wide variety of backgrounds and experiences may be aligned to the work we do. If you believe you have the qualifications, even if your role titles did not necessarily use the same words, we encourage you to apply. A real person reads all our applications, and your background and experience will be assessed holistically. 

Must have:

• 7+ years of project management, business analysis, change management, and/or management consulting experience

• Experience in strategic planning, portfolio management, process improvement, and operations

• Career history that demonstrates progressive responsibilities and accountability

• Strong presentation, communication, and facilitation skills

• Experience with waterfall and/or agile project management techniques in complex technology environments

• Bachelor's degree

• Ability to travel based on client need (up to 25%)

• Ability to demonstrate a legal right to work in the U.S. 

Nice to have:

• Master's degree

• Certified project management professional and/or relevant certifications/education

• Experience leading and managing teams

Compensation: We believe in fairly and equitably compensating our employees for their time, skills, and experience. The anticipated hiring range for this position is $130,250 to $152,000. Individual offers are determined based on factors including relevant experience, specific skill sets, marketability to clients, and internal pay equity. The full salary range for this position is $130,250 to $163,750, with employees having the opportunity to progress within the range over time. Base pay ranges are reviewed annually.  

This role is also eligible for a bonus, targeted between 5-10% of base salary, based on individual and company performance. Our compensation plan also includes a competitive benefits package, which you can learn more about here.

Location: We believe being physically present with each other, and our clients, strengthens our relationships, promotes creativity and innovation, and ultimately produces a stronger, more durable result for our clients and ourselves. Propeller consultants typically work in a hybrid model, spending a portion of their week working from their client site, local Propeller office, and home. In some cases, consultants work full-time at their client sites. Exact schedules vary by client engagement. Applicants should currently live in the area where the job is posted or plan to relocate upon hire.

Travel: We strive to keep consultants rooted in their local community, minimizing out-of-market travel. This is balanced with an all-firm staffing model and a desire to accommodate growing client demand for in-person work. While some travel may be necessary, it is capped at 25% for this role. We prioritize a tailored approach to travel, taking into consideration individual preferences in project assignments.

Hiring Process: The hiring process typically involves four interviews over 4-6 weeks. However, the timeline for this role may vary depending on our clients' evolving needs. Please note that any offers extended for this position are contingent upon an available project, and as such, start dates may vary. We value transparency throughout the hiring process and will keep you informed of any updates regarding your application or the role's timeline as they arise.