APCO WORLDWIDE Associate Consultant, Sustainability & Social Impact Salary in the United States

APCO Impact is a unique consultancy that takes an integrated and focused approach to social impact and sustainability. We partner with corporations, brands, nonprofits, foundations and governments to drive sustainability and weave positive social impact into decision-making at all levels. Our focus is on addressing root causes, changing systems and moving towards a more regenerative, equitable future. Our team brings together a range of experts across climate and sustainability, ESG, equity & justice, corporate purpose and philanthropy. Specialists in both strategy and operations, our teams are multi-generational and comprised of individuals who bring a mix of lived and professional experiences across the gamut of social and environmental issues.  We are continually investing in our own knowledge so we are positioned to help clients see across trends and around the corner.

APCO Impact sits within APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs agency, allowing us to bring specialized expertise in the social sector, while also bringing to bear APCO’s global network of best-in-class policy, communications and advocacy professionals.  Our core team includes staff from The Tembo Group and Global Philanthropy Group, which are two boutique philanthropic and social impact consulting firms acquired by APCO over the past year.

The Associate Consultant, Social Impact & Sustainability will be joining a team of global professionals who operate across sectors and geographies to support clients in igniting transformational change. You can expect that no day will be the same, and there will be limitless opportunities for creativity, alongside a lot of hard, fun and meaningful work.

Role Description

The Associate Consultant, Social Impact & Sustainability will provide support to senior leaders on client work and internal, business-building projects. She/he/they will serve a critical role in contributing to and ensuring the team properly prepares for client deliverables and client proposals. They will also lead on research projects that significantly impact the team’s ability to provide strategic counsel to clients and internal stakeholders. This is an ideal position for someone who works well at a fast pace and in a distributed team environment, is motivated by making an impact, excels in thorough research and synthesis, and is detail-oriented and a strong writer. A BA or BS in a related field or an advanced degree is required for this position.

Core responsibilities:

• Support the ongoing growth of APCO Impact, including new business efforts, research and proposal writing
• Provide start to finish support on client projects, including research, drawing out key themes, building timelines and workplans, contributing to team brainstorms around strategy, and assisting with client presentations and final deliverables
• Support the development and distribution of a regular external media scan, analyzing key industry trends and news stories on sustainability and social impact
• Conduct and compile competitive analyses, issue briefs, and other specific research products on various industries, project areas and geographies you don’t necessarily have deep expertise in
• Act as a sponge, absorbing knowledge from your colleagues to better understand how we approach roadblocks and find solutions that further our clients’ mission and impact
• Contribute to weekly problem-solving sessions to align on client work planning, facilitate decision-making, iterate on solutions and find work-arounds as needed (both internal and with clients)
• Support research interviews by developing interviewee lists, creating interview question guides, joining interviews to participate and take notes, and summarizing key takeaways

About you:

• You have 2-4 years of experience in relevant issues and industries including management consulting, communications, policy & advocacy, research, sustainability, social impact, NGO/nonprofits; corporate responsibility and/or philanthropy
• You have a BA/BS in a related field or an advanced degree
• You’re passionate about impact driven work and are excited by the opportunity to work with clients who are striving to integrate profit & purpose
• You thrive in complexity, are a natural problem-solver, and dig deep for patterns and paths, even amidst a great deal of ambiguity
• You aren’t afraid to ask questions when you need clarity and are willing to challenge both your own and your team’s perspectives
• You can navigate complex research projects, absorb and synthesize large amounts of information, confidently draw conclusions from your research, and put them into clear recommendations and points for the team
• You are detail oriented, well-organized and enjoy bringing structure to projects through work-planning, list-making and “managing up”
• You can work independently but are personable, a good listener and connect easily with others, making you a great team player
• You are a strong writer
• You enjoy the variety and sometimes-chaos of contributing to a wide range of client projects unfolding simultaneously
• You are in a position to effectively work in a remote setting across time zones and have a high level of proficiency with MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint

Founded in 1984, APCO Worldwide is an award-winning, independently owned global communication and business strategy firm with offices in major cities throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. APCO combines a global perspective with local expertise to help clients around the world manage challenges, opportunities, perceptions and reputations. APCO clients include corporations and governments; industry associations and nonprofit organizations; and many top Fortune 500 companies. The firm is a majority women-owned business.

APCO Worldwide, named one of the Best Agencies to Work For in North America by PRovoke Media for four consecutive years and a 2020 Top Places to Work in PR by PRNews, offers a collegial work environment, countless training and development opportunities, and a competitive compensation and benefits package.