Principal
Working with the most senior civic and business leaders to tackle the most complex problems is all in a day’s work for Principals at Civic Consulting Alliance.
Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, Principals lead large programs and multiple teams to deliver value to public sector initiatives. As a Principal, you also lead one of Civic Consulting's program areas, such as education, economic vitality, healthcare and criminal justice. This means you are seen throughout the region as a thought leader and go-to resource for public, nonprofit and private sector stakeholders.
As a Principal, you set the overarching strategy of your program area and develop relationships with senior government officials, cultivating an understanding of clients’ agendas and implications for driving change, as well as helping client staff implement recommendations. You link together multiple projects, bringing the right resources at the right time, to create a clear path to impact.
As a Principal, you serve on the Executive Management team of Civic Consulting Alliance and play a central role in the future direction of the firm. You are part of the core group of mentors to the entire staff, helping teams break down strategies into actionable projects and helping all staff chart their own professional paths.
For more information about the Principal position, please see our detailed role specification.
I wanted to be a part of something that mattered – something bigger than me or a paycheck or a quarterly return – while still growing professionally. Being a part of Civic Consulting Alliance has exceeded my expectations.
Stephanie Dolan
Principal, Civic Consulting Alliance
FEATURED PRINCIPALS:
Principal
Civic Consulting Alliance
Antonio Benecchi
Joined Civic Consulting as: Principal
"The projects we work on are very challenging, but enjoyable. If you want to give back while bringing your professional experience to bear on the issues, there isn’t a better place to do it than here."
"For someone considering the Principal position, I would tell them to do it – apply. I don’t have any caveats. If you are considering joining Civic Consulting, you have already made up your mind about the kind of work you want to do and that you want to make a difference. And then it’s no question: there isn’t any other organization that gives you an opportunity to do this kind of work and make this kind of difference."
Assistant to the Chairman
GVW Group
Brian Battle
Joined Civic Consulting as: Associate Principal
"As a Principal, you learn the ins and outs of running a service firm. From leading a team of bright and dedicated professionals, to helping move strategy forward for the organization, to having access to and responsibility for growing relationships with the board, you’ll be a critical part of the management."
"One of the best parts of this job is how much value we bring to our clients. Walking into a client meeting and having someone say, ‘Thank God Civic Consulting is here’ – that’s powerful."
"At Civic Consulting, we release lines of authority in a way that I’ve never seen before anywhere. Most people are very comfortable that everyone has something to teach. We hire people who are wicked smart and really care about the issues we work on, and we make sure that they have the opportunities to really dig into that work."
"For the right person, at the right time in their career, this is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. There’s the chance for great work-life balance, no travel, and tons of professional development. You’re going to learn a lot, become a better problem solver, and build bridges for your career that you can’t find elsewhere. And, along the way, you’ll be changing lives."
CFO and VP of Finance and Administration
Museum of Science and Industry
Rose Fealy
Joined Civic Consulting as: Executive Fellow
"After having a corporate career, I was looking for a way to give back, and get more exposure into the public or non-profit sector. Coming across Civic Consulting Alliance, I found that they were structured like the corporate world I came from but focused on doing good, driving positive outcomes for the city and the county."
"I really enjoyed the intellectual prowess of Civic Consulting. Very, very smart people who were organized to solve big problems."
Executive Director
Burlington Housing Authority, Burlington, VT
Allyson Laackman
Joined Civic Consulting as: Associate Principal
"The people who work with Civic come away more recommitted to helping make a difference in the city and in the county."
President
Champlain College
Don Laackman
Joined Civic Consulting as: Associate Principal
"It’s inspirational. It’s a great place to wake up in the morning and come to work, because you know you’re going to do good things for the city and for Chicago citizens."
CEO
Skills for Chicagoland's Future
Marie Trzupek Lynch
Joined Civic Consulting as: Principal
"I enjoyed my time greatly at Civic Consulting. The experience reconfirmed my passion for data and analytics, a disciplined approach to solve problems, and passion for the issues in Chicago and Cook County."
Chief of Staff
Madison Metropolitan School District
Kelly Ruppel
Joined Civic Consulting as: Summer Associate
"I was kind of done with consulting. Then I realized maybe it wasn’t consulting I was moving away from. It was the large-firm life with all the travel, the start-and-stop projects. When I learned about Civic Consulting I thought, this is it – smaller and local; strong, ongoing relationships that lasted years – this was the place for me."
"When I was on a project where we merged various tourism boards under the ‘Choose Chicago’ name, there were a number of times when I said to myself, ‘Wow. This is how you get it done.’"
"Civic Consulting really taught me how to navigate in the space between business and government, developing the strategies you need to move large initiatives through bureaucratic organizations. It really is a skill set – I learned so much there."
"Since I left, one thing I really value is the continuing support and network I have in and around Civic Consulting. There are so many people I can call for perspective and advice."