Managing Director

Penta is a global company providing data-driven solutions to help clients achieve their objectives in an increasingly complex stakeholder environment. We provide cutting-edge intelligence products to help clients understand what their stakeholders think, see, and hear, and then leverage that intelligence to develop and execute effective, measurable strategies. 

Our global team brings decades of experience in business, government, communications, research, data science, and media. Our clients include companies across a variety of industries, including technology, financial services, energy, healthcare, and more. Penta has offices in New York, London, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Vail, Dublin, London, Brussels, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Summary of Position:

Penta is seeking a Managing Director to join our Washington D.C. office. Managing directors are senior leaders who set strategy, drive innovation, and set the bar for exceptional client service across multiple teams. The ideal candidate has 12-15+ years of policy and/or public affairs experience with a demonstrated track record of innovation, people management, intellectual curiosity, and emotional intelligence. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

- Client Retention & Project Success: Oversee existing client work and overall project success by ​​developing a strong, trusted relationship with client leads. The managing director is expected to maintain project profitability and integrate cross-functional teams and services where applicable. 

- Strategy & Team Management: The managing director leads the development and articulation of strategy for each client and/or project, and sets a high bar for execution and client deliverables. In practice, this means the managing director will establish standards, systems, and processes that ensure seamless communication and high-quality outputs. Management also includes actively training and providing real-time constructive feedback to teams, with a particular focus on developing directors into strong project managers. Further, managing directors are expected to be effective upward managers to partners, informing them of challenges and opportunities with teams and clients. 

- Public Affairs Expertise: Managing directors oversee their teams’ execution of bespoke public affairs strategies for clients that may include stakeholder mapping and engagement, media relations, event planning, message development, collateral development, and more. This also includes maintaining relationships with key reporters, producers, think tanks, academics, etc.

- Firm Leadership: Managing directors are senior leaders within the firm. As such, they are expected to develop strong strategic relationships internally and externally. Internally, this means surfacing internal challenges related to staffing, execution, culture, and training and proposing solutions that align with Penta's culture of ownership, empathy, and innovation. Externally, this means building and maintaining strong outside relationships. 

Qualifications:

- Bachelor's Degree in Economics, Political Science/Government, Business, Journalism, Public Policy, or related field required

- 12-15+ years of professional experience in communications or policy roles in a related field: political campaign, Hill, Administration, consultancy, nonprofit or corporate enterprise; experience working in a client service environment preferred

- Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and motivate multiple talented, high-achieving teams at once, empowering different types of personalities with a team-first mentality

- Expertise and interest in  research and/or working in a relevant policy field (ideally technology, financial services, transportation, food/agriculture, healthcare and/or energy); familiarity with politics, the legislative process, and corporate industries

- Strong analytical skills coupled with excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills

- Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple, competing priorities

- Willingness to learn new skills and participate in new projects, leading by example and embracing new challenges

- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

- Preferred but not required: Significant experience in performing financial or economic analysis; in-depth knowledge of capital markets, financial institutions, asset management, hedge funds, etc.

Location and Hybrid Schedule:

For this position, we are only considering applicants in the greater Washington, D.C., area and looking to fill the role as soon as possible. This person will be expected to join our team in our downtown DC office in person Monday through Thursday and has the option to work remote on Fridays.

Salary Range:

The base salary range for this position is $205,000 - $280,000 annually, depending on a candidate’s experience and qualifications as it relates to the position. This role is also eligible for an annual incentive bonus based on firm performance.

Benefits:

Penta Group is proud to offer a generous benefits package, in which regular full-time employees are eligible for enrollment the first day of the month following their date of hire. Please find a list below of our current benefit offerings:

- Excellent health care, vision, and dental coverage provided by United Healthcare with 100% of individual employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums covered

- Competitive retirement benefits with a 401(k) matching 100% up to 3% of an employee’s deferred salary, and matching 50% of the next 2% deferred

- Employer paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance, with the option to buy additional coverage

- Twelve weeks paid parental leave

- Flexible paid time off and a generous holiday schedule

- Monthly stipend for cell phoneOptional pet insurance coverage

- Frequent firm-wide social events and activities

- An excellent environment for learning and growth

Penta Group, LLC values diversity and inclusion, is committed to equal employment opportunity, and to compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws. We also comply with District of Columbia law, which prohibits discrimination and harassment against employees, applicants for employment and interns based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, reproductive health decisions and breastfeeding), national origin, disability, age (18 and over), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family responsibilities, matriculation (e.g., being enrolled in a college or university or in a business, nursing, professional, secretarial, technical or vocational school), political affiliation, genetic information (including family medical history), lawful use of tobacco products, unemployment status and status as a victim or the family member of a victim of domestic violence, a sexual offense or stalking.