Cedar Management Consulting - Principal Consultant - Banking & Financial Services Sector

Principal Consultant (Banking & Financial Services - Mumbai)
Job Summary:
- Lead high-stakes, board-mandated strategic consulting engagements for top-tier Indian and Middle Eastern banks and financial institutions, with opportunities in two key areas: Banking Technology (Digital Strategy, Vendor Selection, Core Banking) and Financial Services Strategy (Customer, Product, Process, Credit, and Organizational framework transformation).
- Drive strategic direction, oversee complex program delivery, and serve as the senior expert for engagements delivered from the Mumbai office.
- The role requires an immediate, self-starting leader with 12-15 years of relevant experience who is prepared for extensive travel, particularly across the Middle East.
Core Responsibilities:
Strategic Consulting & Client Leadership:
- Serve as the senior advisor, managing and delivering strategic mandates across both technology modernization and core business transformation within the Financial Services sector.
- Drive the digital strategy formulation and implementation roadmaps, leveraging the firm's Center of Excellence in Digital and Core Banking.
- Lead structured vendor selection and due diligence processes for major banking technology system programs.
- Guide banks through large-scale strategic changes, including operational restructuring and post-merger integration (e.g., following the mandates related to the world's 5th most valuable bank).

- Cultivate and maintain strong, trusted relationships with C-level executives and key stakeholders across the Indian and Middle East markets.
Program Management & Delivery Excellence:
- Oversee the complete lifecycle of complex technology and transformation programs, ensuring rigorous adherence to technical quality, risk management, and strategic objectives.
- Apply deep functional expertise in domains such as customer journeys, product profitability, process re-engineering, credit framework design, and organizational structure optimization.
- Demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate and manage expectations in challenging client situations, ensuring client-centric delivery.
Team Management & Firm Leadership:
- Mentor, coach, and manage consulting teams within the Mumbai practice, fostering an entrepreneurial, high-performance, and results-driven culture.
- Act as a self-starter and influential leader, actively contributing to business development efforts and continuously building the firm's intellectual capital.
- Manage people effectively, balancing project delivery demands with professional development needs.
Required Professional Qualifications and Traits:
- Experience: 12-15 years of relevant professional experience, gained either within a reputable consulting industry environment or holding a senior, strategic profile within the banking sector.
- Education: Master's degree from a globally reputed academic program is essential.
- Location and Travel: Must be based in Mumbai and be willing to undertake extensive travel (10-20% minimum), with frequent travel across the Middle East expected.
- Core Competencies: Mandatory excellence in Client, Program Delivery & Team Management.
- Personal Attributes: Must possess confidence, superior communication skills (written and verbal), strong intellect, and a demonstrable love for travel.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Direct experience in the delivery of mandates involving Digital and Core Banking modernization or greenfield technology implementations.
- International client experience in financial services, particularly within the Middle East, is a significant advantage.
- Proven experience advising clients through major structural changes, such as mergers and acquisitions, within the banking sector.
- Certifications in relevant areas such as PMP, Agile/Scrum, or specialized banking domains (e.g., risk management, treasury).
- Functional or technical knowledge of banking platforms or emerging FinTech solutions.