Principal Consultant & Project Leader, Management Consulting (Top Secret Clearance Required

Project Leader at The Clearing

The Clearing is a management consulting firm that helps leaders solve complex challenges by turning insight into action. We specialize in diagnosing the root causes of organizational friction across people, processes, and technology, then configuring proven solutions that accelerate meaningful, measurable progress.

Our approach blends analytical rigor with human-centered design. Whether we're enabling change, optimizing workflows, or guiding smart technology adoption, everything we do is built to scale, repeat, and deliver value. We work across public, private, and mission-driven sectors, partnering with clients to modernize how they lead, work, and deliver.

Our team brings deep experience across disciplines, including change management, strategic planning, organizational design, leadership development, behavioral science, and more.

The Clearing is seeking a Project Leader at the Principal Consultant level to manage and support an anticipated client engagement/project within the Department of War.

Principal Consultants at The Clearing are expected to lead complex, medium- to large-scale projects or portfolios, owning responsibility for overall project outcomes, client satisfaction, and their team's experience. They are expected to demonstrate strong business development capabilities, driving both organic and net-new business growth. Principals actively contribute to building internal capacity by mentoring consultants at all levels and strengthening the firm's consulting capabilities.

Recognized as organizational leaders, Principals provide subject matter expertise and strategic guidance across engagements. Principals cultivate trusted client relationships and ensure project and portfolio growth align with The Clearing's corporate strategy and annual priorities.

Qualified candidates must have a Top Secret security clearance (or one that's been active within the past two years) and be willing to work on-site at the client location in Arlington, VA.

What You'll Do

• Lead and manage a complex, medium-sized project, ensuring timely, on-budget delivery aligned with scope and quality expectations.
• Own accountability for project outcomes, aligning work to client goals, offering strategic guidance, and building trust-based client relationships.
• Oversee project financials, ensuring project financial targets are met or exceeded; guide team members managing task-level budgets to support company profitability.
• Design and implement both short- and long-term project plans that align with client needs and strategic objectives.
• Produce high-quality, client-facing deliverables, applying attention to detail, strong written communication, and project quality standards; provide content review and feedback using past experiences, expertise, and understanding of client environment to guide teammates.
• Facilitate moderate- to high-complexity client meetings, effectively guiding discussions to achieve desired client and project outcomes.
• Navigate challenging team or client dynamics, driving teams toward high performance by managing risk, adapting to change, and making critical course corrections.
• Provide clear team direction and accountability, establishing performance standards, supporting goal setting, and actively managing team performance.
• Lead high-impact proposals, serving as lead writer or proposal manager while mentoring junior staff in capture strategy and proposal development.
• Drive market visibility, producing external-facing thought leadership (e.g., blogs, one-pagers) and engaging in strategic industry events.
• Lead and support business growth efforts, generating and closing new business opportunities while managing the full capture, proposal, and contracting lifecycle.
• Advance The Clearing's methodologies and solutions, continuously improving offerings and developing scalable, high-demand solution packages across delivery, marketing, and sales.

Compensation

The projected annual salary range for this position is between $115,000 and $162,000. Actual compensation and starting salaries are determined by various factors, including the candidate's education, experience, knowledge, skills, certifications, clearance level, and internal equity. Once at The Clearing, movement through pay bands is based on performance. Base annual salary is just one component of The Clearing's total compensation philosophy and approach.

Employees are eligible to participate in The Clearing's robust benefits programs, including our incentive compensation (bonus) programs; medical, dental, and vision insurance; supplemental health plans; disability insurance; 401(k) plan; paid leave, including parental leave; and pet insurance. Please refer to our Careers Page online for a complete list of benefits.

Requirements

• Active Top Secret Clearance (or active within the past two years)
• Bachelor's degree
• 8+ years of experience, including prior consulting/services firm experience
• Proven success leading medium-scale, complex projects, including client…