Lead Strategy & Transformation Consultant

CreateFuture is an AI-native consulting partner where people do work that matters and are supported to do it well. We work alongside organisations such as PayPal, adidas, NatWest, FanDuel and Money Saving Expert, building digital products and services that make a difference while always putting people first. We’re a team of creators. We write code, shape delivery, build go-to-market strategies, develop AI solutions and create the practices that support our people. We work side by side with our clients, challenging what’s not working and helping them to build the future. Our commitment to craft, quality, and culture has helped us scale to over 600 people in just a few years. Our UK Benefits 35 days leave (including bank holidays). Private medical insurance. Enhanced parental and adoption leave. Financial coaching + 5% pension match. 40 hours of paid learning and development. View our full list of UK benefits. CreateFuture is a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company and has won Best Workplaces UK multiple years in a row. Join us on our journey. Let’s create tomorrow, together, today. About the role and team: This is a client-facing role. You own a strategy or transformation workstream end to end, usually within a larger engagement led by a Lead or Principal. You shape the research, frame the problem, facilitate the sessions and build the recommendations, then help the client act on them. You work with CreateFuture's complementary disciplines (Strategy, Design, Product, AI Engineering and Data) alongside the client's own teams, often embedded with them. You are accountable for the quality and commercial relevance of what your workstream delivers, not the volume of it. What you’ll be doing: Diagnose and design Unpack highly ambiguous briefs, design tailored research methodologies and sign off all research approaches and outputs Build and manage relationships with research partners for quality and value, bringing in new ones when needed Reframe the brief when the stated problem is the wrong one, surfacing the challenges others miss Define, test and launch evidence-backed, commercially viable propositions Use cultural and economic trends to influence senior client leadership and shape long-term business or brand strategy Own Transformation outcomes Diagnose how the organisation needs to transform across People, Process, Platforms and Products Translate strategic vision into realistic operating models, change roadmaps and measurable business impact Surface, sequence and own the hard problems that must be solved for change to land Build the commercial case for a value slice with an attributable outcome the client can see within 90 days Navigate real constraints (fragmented data, legacy systems, regulatory exposure) without losing pace Lead AI in the work and for the client Drive AI adoption in your engagement team to compress discovery and remove low-value friction Identify high-impact commercial and operational opportunities where AI can transform a client's business model Decide deliberately where to automate, augment, orchestrate or stay human, and design AI-enabled workflows that are scalable and governed Bring AI maturity frameworks and ethical implementation standards into client engagements Coach the team and client partners on emerging AI trends, applications and disruptive threats Grow accounts and the practice Help design delivery frameworks, manage high-value budgets and scope, and oversee multi-workstream programmes to completion Anticipate where an engagement is heading and arrive with a point of view on the next problem before it is raised Identify scope expansion and organic growth, and lead strategy pitches with client partners and sales Codify proprietary methodologies, lead internal training and build reusable toolkits for the practice Coach mid-level and junior colleagues with clear expectations and psychological safety Turn what you learn on live work into insight worth sharing, in client and industry conversations We'd love to speak to you if you have: A proven record in a strategy consultancy, digital agency, transformation practice or corporate strategy function, leading engagements end to end Defining, validating and launching new products, services or business models Guiding organisations through digital change, target operating model shifts and organisational alignment Practical AI expertise: using AI tools to accelerate delivery, and framing AI strategy, capability and governance for clients Consulting presence, with strong storytelling and the ability to manage client dynamics Commercial acumen: consulting economics, scope management, pricing and account expansion People leadership: running project teams, structured mentoring and cross-functional alignment You are A systems thinker who works beyond the boundaries of traditional strategy or transformation roles A diagnostic thinker who questions whether the stated problem is the right one Commercially fluent, framing change in terms of value and connecting your work to outcomes the client can measure Comfortable in ambiguity, and able to give confidence to those who find it harder Able to flex how hands-on you are, without ego and without letting go of the diagnosis AI-literate and deliberate about where AI belongs and where it does not Grounded in broader transformation and change, not only AI A storyteller who can bring a boardroom, a team and its stakeholders with you You are not A programme manager who values coordination over outcomes A strategist removed from implementation, or a consultant who produces decks without driving change An advisor who recommends from the sidelines rather than owning the result Someone who imposes a method regardless of fit, or manufactures involvement to look essential What we’ll offer you: We trust people to do their best work. That means flexibility over rigid rules, impact over activity, and real investment in your growth both professionally and personally. You’ll be part of a supportive, and friendly culture, surrounded by smart, curious people who care deeply about what they do. We offer flexible working, including hybrid and remote options. Our office hubs are located in Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, London and Bulgaria, with occasional travel to client sites or CreateFuture offices when needed. We trust you to manage your time balancing collaboration with client time and focused work. What matters is the impact you have, not how busy you look. Our hiring process We try to keep our hiring process clear, fair and respectful of your time. We aim to get back to everyone who applies and we will be upfront about where you are in the process. It usually looks like this: Call with our Talent Acquisition Team Role specific capability interview Depending on the role, we might also ask you to do a short presentation, a practical or technical task or have a values focused conversation. We will explain what is involved before anything happens. Inclusion at CreateFuture We believe diverse teams build better workplaces and better products. We want CreateFuture to be a place where people feel able to be themselves and do their best work. If you need any adjustments or support during the application process, just. We will do what we can to help. We look forward to your application!