Strategic Advisor/Executive - Chicago

Opportunities to join Hakluyt

Hakluyt, the global strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors, is growing, and we are looking for a small number of excellent people to join us as an Executive for our offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington, D.C. 

What we are looking for 

Hakluyt advises decision-makers on the opportunities and risks facing their businesses. Our clients develop deep relationships with us, and trust us on their most important commercial issues. They value our discretion, our independence of thought, and our highly differentiated approach.

Our advice is delivered by an in-house team of professionals, who are based in more than a dozen offices globally. It is informed by insights generated through a global network of well-connected individuals – a network that is unique in its scale, reach and seniority. For nearly 30 years, we have worked on some of the most consequential and high-profile problems facing business leaders, and the range of what we cover is extraordinary: M&A, strategy, shareholder perspectives, regulatory and policy issues, disputes, senior hires, digital and cyber, sustainability, and more – across every industry sector, and all over the world.

As a partner-owned firm, we are discerning about whom we work for and with. We hold ourselves to exacting ethical standards, and we take on mandates only once we are confident that we can provide value. We love what we do, and we take enormous pride in our work, and in the culture and the values of our firm. 

This approach to doing business has helped us build a blue-chip client base that includes many of the world’s largest companies (including at least one of the world’s top five corporations in every major sector globally); more than three quarters of the top 20 private equity firms in the world by AUM; and some of the most respected sovereign wealth and pension funds. 

What we are looking for

Our team comprises people from diverse professional backgrounds, including in government, law, finance, consulting, and corporate strategy. Successful candidates will have between ten to fifteen years ‘experience of working in these or other high-performing environments.

They will be intellectually curious; able to think commercially; comfortable with ambiguity and complexity; interested in – and engaging company for – senior people; and confident in delivering impartial, nuanced advice to business leaders. 

They will be entrepreneurial, collaborative, and committed to the highest standards in everything they do – as well as collegial and decent human beings who share our values.
Our business is built on bringing people with different perspectives and professional backgrounds together to solve problems, and diversity is an imperative for us. We are looking for:

• Problem-solvers: Hakluyt Executives must be able to understand new issues quickly; to make sense of, and ‘join the dots’ between, diverse sources of qualitative information; and to demonstrate nuanced human, commercial and political judgement in interpreting such information. 
• Sophisticated advisers: Our Executives must be able to use the evidence available to them – which is usually complex and can be ambiguous – to build cogent arguments; derive credible conclusions; and develop pragmatic, actionable commercial advice for our clients. 
• Persuasive communicators: We also need to have the ability to convey our findings and recommendations in clear, convincing and compelling fashion, both orally and in writing. 
• Natural networkers: Our people must have high EQ, and the ability to establish and maintain warm relationships with a wide range of people. Sensitivity to others’ needs and good judgement are essential. 
• Collegial potential leaders: Our culture is extremely collaborative. Sharp elbows and arrogance are simply not tolerated. We are looking for fun and interesting people who will enjoy the job and who can, over time, contribute to the growth and management of the business. We only want to hire people who have the potential to be Partners in the firm. 
• Capable generalists: While many of us have specific areas of expertise, we are all curious by nature and interested in people, politics and business. 
• Resourceful entrepreneurs: We are seeking individuals with ideas, creativity and a bias towards action, rather than passengers. Our growth will come from recruiting outstanding talent, and our commitment to finding innovative ways to use and deploy our assets. 
• Individuals with excellent academic records: Our team includes people who have demonstrated high levels of academic success at top universities around the world. 

What we offer 

On joining, Executives operate at the heart of several client teams, and develop advisory and client management skills – learning the Hakluyt ‘trade’ in a systematic fashion. The primary focus for Executives will be on ensuring the high-quality execution of projects, but they will also be encouraged to contribute to the development of the firm more broadly: our client relationships, our wider connectivity, our people, and our culture.

Our highest-achieving Executives can be promoted to Director and then elected to the Partnership within a small number of years: performance and merit trump time served.

Total compensation for an Executive will comprise a base salary and an annual performance-related bonus. The base salary for this role is $225,000 and upwards, depending on experience and circumstances. Total annual compensation for a performing Executive may exceed $300,000. There is the potential for significant renumeration upside that is commensurate with an individual’s impact, as well as their progress in the organisation. We also offer 401(k), fully paid health insurance and 25 days’ holiday per annum (plus the days between Christmas and New Year). There is also opportunity for people to work internationally, and external not-for-profit and board roles are encouraged.

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Hakluyt is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law.

This position is classified as Exempt under the US Fair Labor Standards Act, where the FLSA applies.

Hakluyt is committed to complying with its accommodation obligations in respect of individuals with disabilities.

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