Principal Leadership Advisory Industry

The Company

Our client is more than a leadership advisory firm — they are a trusted partner to boards and CEOs around the globe. For over 50 years, they have helped shape the leadership teams of some of the world’s most influential and biggest companies.

They guide their clients through the big questions: Who will lead next? How can leadership teams grow stronger? What does good governance look like? Behind their success is a team-driven, entrepreneurial culture built on trust and integrity.

The Practice

You will join a focused team that supports Boards and Chief Executive Officers with critical executive searches in the industrial, automotive, and defense sectors. The work includes succession planning at the highest level, leadership assessments, and advising on top-team effectiveness. You will collaborate closely with a highly respected senior partner from the industrial sector from this search firm.

Your Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver strategic leadership advisory projects from start to finish
• Lead and structure client workshops, stakeholder interviews, and board evaluations
• Prepare high-quality reports and client materials, including board presentations
• Conduct senior stakeholder dialogues and interviews at C-suite and Board level
• Mentor and develop junior team members and project staff
• Support business development activities and contribute to practice growth

Your Profile

You likely bring 5–12 years of professional experience from one or more of the following backgrounds:

• A top-tier management consulting firm, ideally with a focus on leadership, people, organizational, or governance topics
• A Senior Project Manager/Principal/Director at a leading executive search firm (top-tier or boutique)
• A strategic Chief of Staff or advisory role at board or executive level

We are looking for candidates with a Master’s degree as a minimum; ideally, this is complemented by a PhD or an MBA.

Key Competencies

• Natural gravitas and strong stakeholder management skills
• A genuine interest in leadership, governance, and organizational dynamics
• Structured, analytical, and pragmatic problem-solver
• Strong project management skills with high-quality execution standards
• Excellent communication and writing skills (German and English fluency required)
• Intellectual curiosity and emotional intelligence
• High level of ownership, integrity, and entrepreneurial drive

Why join?

You will gain unique, boardroom-level exposure early on, work side by side with senior partners around the world and shape the leadership agendas of leading companies. This role offers a clear path to partnership and long-term development in one of the most prestigious leadership advisory environments globally.

Kindly note: This is a Principal/Director-level role focusing on searching and placing senior professionals into senior executive roles or supervisory board positions. It is not a board seat or advisory board appointment. The ideal candidate brings up to a total max. 15 years of professional experience.