Manager – Human Centered Design

What You’ll Do:

• Client Engagement & Delivery 
• Lead client-facing workshops and engagements that apply human-centered design, agile principles, business design, AI-enabled techniques, and change management frameworks to solve complex challenges.
• Translate client objectives into structured programs, frameworks, and solutions with tangible outcomes.
• Facilitate conversations with senior stakeholders across industries to align priorities, foster collaboration, and drive adoption of new ways of working.
• Apply enabling technologies (e.g., Miro, Mural, Figma, Lucid, and AI-powered platforms) to enhance ideation, design, delivery, and change adoption.
• Provide insights to clients, sharing industry-leading practices and guiding them to optimal solutions.


• Project & Program Management 
• Manage core components of client projects/workstreams, including planning, execution, risk management, and stakeholder communications, ensuring quality deliverables within scope, budget, and timeline.
• Anticipate risks, propose credible solutions, and manage client expectations effectively.
• Delegate and review work across project teams, ensuring structure, clarity, and accountability.
• Explore opportunities to apply AI and automation in project delivery to improve efficiency and insights.
• Oversee project administration activities, encompassing project setup, planning, budgeting, account management, and billing.


• Practice Building & Business Development 
• Support the development of proposals, statements of work, and pursuit strategies, incorporating AI-driven innovation and change management offerings where relevant.
• Assist in identifying opportunities to expand client relationships and uncover new engagements.
• Represent Xccelerate in industry/professional association activities, thought leadership, and networking forums.
• Contribute to the creation of toolkits, playbooks, change frameworks, AI methodologies, and reusable assets to advance the practice.
• Proactively monitor industry trends and articulate their potential impact on clients.


• Team Leadership & Development 
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and feedback to consultants and senior consultants, supporting their growth and development.
• Champion a collaborative, inclusive culture within project teams and the Xccelerate practice.
• Lead internal training sessions and knowledge-sharing activities in areas such as design thinking, agile methods, project management, change leadership, innovation tools, and responsible AI practices.
• Play an active role in attracting, interviewing, hiring, and retaining top talent.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree a plus.
• 5–7 years of experience in consulting, transformation, innovation, or program management.
• Demonstrated experience leading client-facing engagements and facilitating cross-functional workshops.
• Track record managing components of complex projects and delivering high-quality outcomes.
• Exposure to multiple industries, with flexibility to apply approaches across different client contexts.
• Experience mentoring and developing junior team members.
• Consistent success in building and developing strong client relationships.
• Comfort working with enabling technologies, AI-powered collaboration platforms, and digital innovation tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a creative and structured mindset.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and communicate with clarity through storytelling, visualizations, and presentations.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in AI-driven transformation, applied machine learning, generative AI, or digital strategy.
• Hands-on experience with organizational change management frameworks (e.g., ADKAR, Kotter, Prosci) and large-scale transformation programs.
• Exposure to private equity ecosystems or cross-industry partnerships.
• Contributions to practice building, including thought leadership, publications, or external speaking engagements.
• Experience working directly with CFOs and finance leadership teams on core finance processes (e.g., financial planning, reporting, close, controls, or transformation initiatives).