Senior Principal Houston

Job Brief

Senior Principals shape, lead and deliver major client engagements, playing a pivotal role in Q5's commercial success and strategic direction. They build strong client relationships, create opportunities for growth, and role‑model Q5's values in everything they do.

• Business & Commercial Acumen
• Exhibits a highly commercial mindset, demonstrating the ability to see the bigger picture and shape decisions that positively impact Q5.
• Manages margin and commercial risk confidently across large and complex accounts.
• Develops commercially sound approaches, understanding resource requirements across multi-stream engagements.
• Ensures account plans and commercials "do the right thing" for both Q5 and clients.
• Gaining & Developing New Business
• Consistently grows large-scale accounts through proactive opportunity spotting and relationship building.
• Shapes client briefs into compelling strategies for new business.
• Architects complex, multi-Offering solutions that demonstrate Q5's capability and insight.
• Acts as a trusted advisor, creating opportunities to extend, repeat, or expand work through value‑adding conversations.
• Relationship Building & Management
• Proactively nurtures senior-level relationships across multiple clients and networks.
• Seen as a highly credible, calm and authoritative partner, even in complex situations.
• Grows networks of senior stakeholders and cultivates new entry points into organisations.
• Role-models relationship‑driven leadership, combining soft skills with delivery expertise.
• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
• Architects solutions that draw on a wide range of Q5 methodological and Offering expertise.
• Analyses and synthesises complex information at pace, simplifying concepts and defining clear recommendations.
• Handles challenging conversations confidently, offering constructive challenge to clients and teams.
• Role-models inclusive, open critical thinking that brings others on the journey.
• Influential Communication & Engagement
• Creates clear, compelling narratives that cut through complexity.
• Synthesises information into digestible messages that drive action.
• Communicates a well-reasoned point of view quickly and effectively.
• Adapts style to engage and influence diverse stakeholders with confidence and care.
• Leading a Room
• Reads the room expertly and knows when to intervene, question or advise.
• Confidently facilitates and leads high-stakes meetings with senior clients.
• Adjusts dynamically to changing session needs while maintaining direction and engagement.
• Creates open, inclusive environments and enables other Q5ers to contribute and lead.
• Programme & Project Management
• Manages large client accounts end-to-end, ensuring delivery is on time, on budget and to a high standard.
• Delegates appropriately while maintaining strong oversight of milestones, risks and quality.
• Creates delivery environments that balance performance expectations with wellbeing.
• Ensures scope, governance and delivery cadence are robust across accounts.
• Analysis & Tooling
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills and applies both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
• Supports and challenges teams in producing robust data‑driven insights.
• Enhances project outcomes through rigorous, structured analysis and creative thinking.
• People Leadership
• Leads multiple teams across large engagements, supporting performance, growth and wellbeing.
• Sets clear direction and creates simplicity in ambiguity.
• Builds high‑trust, values‑driven cultures within project teams.
• Mentors and coaches Consultants, Senior Consultants and Principal Consultants.
• Values & Behaviours
• Exemplifies Q5's values in all relationships and decisions.
• Creates environments where others can live the values.
• Proactively gives and seeks feedback, investing in development.
• Challenges behaviours—client or internal—that fall below expectations.

• 10 + years relevant professional experience with a significant period within management consulting.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and hit the ground running in new contexts.
• Experience leading complex organisation transformation (ideally with experience in operating model and organisation design)
• Experience in strategic…