ESOP Engagement Consultant

JOB TITLE: ESOP Engagement Consultant

DEPARTMENT: ESOP Consulting

REPORTS TO: Director of Consulting

About ESOP Partners, Inc.

ESOP Partners, Inc. is a third-party administration and consulting firm dedicated to providing a liquid business transition solution for owners of closely held businesses through the establishment, maintenance, and sustainability of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Our mission is to maximize the financial and cultural benefits of employee ownership by helping ESOP companies build strong, informed, and engaged employee ownership cultures.

We aspire to be nationally recognized as the leading ESOP firm in the country. We pursue this vision through our Core Values:

Seek to Understand – We identify the underlying reasons behind questions and actions and take ownership of continuous learning and improvement.

Manage Expectations – We proactively communicate clear, specific, and achievable objectives to create alignment and accountability.

Collaborate – We work together through constructive discussion and teamwork to achieve win-win outcomes.

Get Things Done – We prioritize, organize, and execute efficiently to deliver accurate and timely results.

Practice Professional Skepticism – We apply a questioning mindset to objectively analyze information for quality and accuracy.

Exhibit Mental Strength – We manage challenges with professionalism, resilience, and a solutions-oriented attitude.

Position Summary

The ESOP Engagement Consultant is responsible for executing the ESOP Partners ESOP Care™ proprietary process and assisting in the development and delivery of ESOP culture educational services for all ESOP Partners clients. This position uses a proactive consulting process to actively listen and identify the true pain points employee-owned companies experience in communicating their ESOP benefits to their employees and leadership teams. Working alongside the client, the Consultant will proactively plan and develop key initiatives to transform the way the client’s employees and leadership teams think and act as an employee-owners. This position maintains overall quality relations with existing clients and provides subject matter expert (SME) guidance to support sales consultants in converting qualified leads into new clients for ESOP Partners.

Position Details

Location: In-office position based in Appleton, Wisconsin

Position Type: Full-time | Exempt

Work Schedule: Average of 45 hours per week

Experience Level: 2–3 years public speaking experience

Travel: Estimated 10 business days a month. Travel varies and can be via plane or car to another city or state.

Key Accountabilities

Essential duties include, but are not limited to:

Client Relationship Management

Build and maintain trusted, professional relationships with assigned clients.

Establish clear expectations, priorities, timelines, and communication rhythms annually.

Conduct client meetings with a clear purpose, agenda, and desired outcome.

Consistently follow through on commitments and ensure clients know what happens next.

Proactively identify and address client concerns before they become problems.

Maintain strong client satisfaction and demonstrate responsiveness to client needs.

Become a trusted advisor rather than simply an event coordinator or content provider.

Strategic Consulting

Develop a clear understanding of each client's business, culture, leadership team, employee population, and ESOP objectives.

Identify the underlying problems, rather than simply responding to the client's stated request.

Translate client challenges into practical, actionable recommendations.

Develop a strategic engagement plan for each client and keep it current.

Ensure recommended activities are connected to specific client objectives and desired outcomes.

Demonstrate sound judgment about when to solve an issue independently and when to involve another ESOP Partners resource.

Help clients move from education about the ESOP toward meaningful employee ownership behaviors.

Presentation & Facilitation

Deliver confident, engaging, and professional presentations.

Demonstrate strong command of ESOP and ownership-culture concepts.

Adapt presentation style and content based on audience size, role, knowledge level, and organizational culture.

Facilitate meaningful discussion rather than simply presenting information.

Effectively handle questions, difficult audiences, and unexpected situations.

Receive and incorporate feedback to continually improve presentation effectiveness.

Represent ESOP Partners at a level consistent with being a subject-matter expert.

Client Follow-Through & Accountability

Maintain accurate action-item lists for client engagements.

Clearly identify owners and deadlines for next steps.

Follow up consistently without requiring the client to drive the process.

Escalate risks, delays, scope changes, or resource needs promptly.

Keep internal team members informed of material client developments.

Ensure commitments made by ESOP Partners are completed as promised.

Client Outcomes & Continuous Improvement

Establish appropriate measures of success for major client initiatives.

Gather client and participant feedback following significant activities.

Evaluate whether education and communication initiatives achieved their intended objectives.

Recommend changes based on feedback and observed results.

Identify recurring client challenges and develop scalable solutions.

Contribute lessons learned and best practices back to the broader consulting team.

Business Development

Effectively support sales consultants during qualified prospect opportunities.

Demonstrate credibility and expertise during discovery calls and prospect meetings.

Ask insightful questions that uncover the prospect's underlying needs.

Clearly articulate the value of ESOP Partners' ESOP Care™ services.

Help prospects understand the difference between simply communicating an ESOP and building an ownership culture.

Contribute to converting qualified opportunities into clients.

Teamwork & Professionalism

Collaborate effectively with other ESOP Partners consultants and internal teams.

Communicate professionally and respectfully, particularly when addressing disagreements or challenging situations.

Take ownership of problems rather than shifting responsibility.

Be dependable and prepared for meetings, presentations, travel, and internal commitments.

Represent ESOP Partners' values and approach consistently with clients and prospects.

Contribute positively to the team's culture and capability.

Organization & Personal Accountability

Effectively manage multiple clients, projects, travel, deadlines, and competing priorities.

Arrive prepared for client meetings and presentations.

Keep calendars, project plans, documentation, and CRM/project-management information current.

Meet established deadlines without repeated prompting.

Demonstrate flexibility when client needs or priorities change.

Take responsibility for results, including acknowledging mistakes and correcting them quickly.

Qualifications

Knowledge and Skills

Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines.

Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to assess complex information, identify client needs, and develop practical, solution-focused recommendations.

Strong business acumen and the ability to understand client business performance and its potential impact on their ESOP.

Excellent active listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong, trusted client relationships.

Confident and adaptable communicator with the ability to deliver engaging presentations and tailor communication to different audiences and situations.

Curious and entrepreneurial mindset