Principal Consultant

Position Summary:

The Principal Consultant leads complex Federal consulting engagements, major workstreams, or cross-cutting program functions. Principals establish the delivery strategy, earn executive trust, integrate multiple disciplines, make quality and risk decisions, and ensure that recommendations become practical, Government-owned capabilities. They are broad consulting leaders with recognized depth in one or more domains, not permanent single-tool specialists.

Compensation & Benefits:

Starting Salary Range for Principal Consultant: $140,000 – $170,000

Benefits That Set Us Apart

When considering your next opportunity, compensation is only part of the picture. We offer a benefits package designed to invest in your future and support your life outside of work.

Highlights include:

• Up to a 6% 401(k) company match to help you build long-term financial security

• Paid time off as part of our comprehensive benefits package, so you have the flexibility to rest, recharge, and enjoy what matters most

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus prescription drug coverage

• Basic life and AD&D insurance, with supplemental life options

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage

• Paid holidays

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options

• Professional development, training, and certification support

• Voluntary benefits including accident, critical illness, and identity theft protection

Because taking care of our employees isn’t just a promise, it’s part of who we are.

Benefits are subject to change and eligibility requirements apply.

Essential Functions, Duties & Responsibilities:

Includes the following:

• Lead an engagement, technical workstream, or cross-cutting program function with accountability for outcomes, quality, schedule, risk, and client trust.

• Frame complex enterprise problems and set a practical, evidence-driven delivery strategy.

• Establish governance, roles, decision rights, workplans, quality standards, performance measures, and acceptance approaches.

• Advise executives; facilitate difficult decisions; articulate tradeoffs, dependencies, risks, and implementation implications.

• Integrate mission, acquisition, financial, data, technology, process, organizational, and workforce perspectives.

• Direct development of roadmaps, operating models, acquisition strategies, implementation-ready recommendations, executive briefings, and transition products.

• Review and approve major work products; ensure evidence is valid, limitations are visible, and conclusions are defensible.

• Build and deploy balanced teams; coach Senior Consultants and Consultants; address performance and capacity issues early.

• Manage client relationships and coordinate with contract, corporate, partner, and Government leadership within delegated authority.

• Develop reusable intellectual capital, broaden staff capability, support growth, and help move people across assignments as demand changes.

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

No supervisory/management authority

Basic Qualifications:

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Exceptional problem framing, executive facilitation, writing, briefing, negotiation, and decision-support skills.

• Demonstrated success developing people, reusable methods, trusted client relationships, and sustainable client capabilities.

• Learning Agility and Curiosity: Learns the client system rapidly and connects insights across disciplines.

• Trustworthiness and Commitment: Protects client and company trust and stands behind the team’s commitments.

Leadership & Team Development:

• Team-First Collaboration: Builds low-ego teams, removes barriers, and shares opportunity and credit.

• Resilience and Positive Energy: Provides calm, constructive leadership during uncertainty, conflict, and pressure.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Typically 10+ years of progressively responsible Federal consulting, transformation, acquisition, program leadership, data, process, governance, change, or related experience.

• Demonstrated accountability for major workstreams, multi-disciplinary teams, executive stakeholders, quality, risk, and accepted outcomes.

• Ability to integrate diverse disciplines and convert ambiguity into an executable operating approach.

• Ownership and Bias for Action: Creates momentum, makes accountable decisions, and owns the outcome end to end.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer; may occasionally require standing or moving about the office for extended periods.

• Must pass pre-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Requirements development and management, business analysis, traceability, capability analysis, or systems analysis.

• Federal acquisition, contracting, procurement, strategic sourcing, category management, or contract-portfolio analysis.

• Data inventory, normalization, quality, analysis, visualization, dashboard design, Power BI, Tableau, Excel, SQL, or related tools.

• Enterprise process improvement, operating-model design, governance, decision rights, performance measurement, or Lean Six Sigma.

• Organizational change, stakeholder engagement, communications, facilitation, training, roadshows, or adoption measurement.

• Program or project management, integrated scheduling, risk and dependency management, quality assurance, PWS development, or executive reporting.

• DHS, CISA, cybersecurity, or another complex Federal mission environment; ability to obtain and maintain required suitability and access.

• Federal project and program management experience; PMP a big plus

• Experience in Enterprise Business process optimization, federal contract portfolio management, federal change management

• Experience generating data visualization dashboards a big plus

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience; advanced degree or senior professional certification preferred.

Work Environment:

Work is performed primarily in a climate-controlled environment.

Company Information:

Behind every government mission stands skilled, mission-driven talent: people whose expertise and dedication turn complex challenges into successful outcomes. Cherokee Nation Solutions Link, part of Cherokee Federal, the federal contracting division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, is that team. We modernize aging systems, deliver care where it’s needed most, and keep missions supplied, staffed, and moving across defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. For more than 60 federal clients, we take on the work others won’t, and deliver where it counts. If that’s the kind of work you’re looking for, you’ve found your team. Learn more at cherokee-federal.com.

#CherokeeFederal #LI-AP1

Cherokee Federal is a military friendly employer. Veterans and active military transitioning to civilian status are encouraged to apply.

Legal Disclaimer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Many of our job openings require access to government buildings or military installations. Candidates must pass pre-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.

For applicants located in Colorado, New York, California, Washington, Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, or other states with pay transparency requirements: the estimated annual salary range for this position is $140,000 – $170,000. Actual compensation varies based on qualifications, experience, and location.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

Cherokee Federal is a federal contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). As required by VEVRAA, we take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans. Protected veterans are encouraged to self-identify during the application process.

Cherokee Federal takes affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. Qualified individuals with disabilities are encouraged to self-identify during the application process.

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities or those with sincerely held religious beliefs. To request an accommodation in the application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at careers@cherokee-federal.com.