Principal Consultant

The Principal Consultant is a senior-level banking advisor responsible for leading Ceto's most complex Strategic Growth (“MarketView”) consulting engagements while serving as a trusted advisor to executive leadership teams within financial institutions. This role partners directly with CEOs, Presidents, CFOs, Chief Lending Officers, Chief Retail Officers, Chief Deposit Officers, Chief Strategy Officers, Asset Liability Committees (ALCO), and Boards of Directors to improve financial performance, optimize balance sheet strategy, enhance product profitability, and identify long-term growth opportunities.

The Principal Consultant combines extensive banking expertise with strong analytical, consulting, and executive communication skills to deliver measurable client results. In addition to leading client engagements, this individual serves as a mentor to consulting staff, supports business development initiatives, contributes to product and service enhancements, and helps strengthen the overall MarketView consulting practice.

This position is intended for experienced banking professionals with a minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience across multiple banking disciplines and a proven ability to influence executive decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex consulting engagements for banks and credit unions from discovery through implementation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership teams and Boards of Directors.
• Facilitate executive planning sessions, strategic workshops, and ALCO discussions.
• Deliver actionable recommendations that improve profitability, performance, and operational effectiveness.

Financial Performance and Banking Strategy

• Analyze profitability across customers, products, branches, business lines, deposits, and loans.
• Evaluate pricing strategies, balance sheet performance, revenue opportunities, and expense management.
• Advise clients on deposit strategy, commercial banking, retail banking, treasury management, lending, and product management.
• Support strategic planning initiatives focused on sustainable growth and competitive positioning.

Data Analysis and Executive Reporting

• Translate complex financial and operational data into executivelevel insights.
• Develop presentations, reports, dashboards, and strategic recommendations.
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities using MarketView analytics and banking performance data.

Consulting Leadership

• Lead multiple client engagements while ensuring quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction.
• Mentor Senior Consultants, Consultants, and Analysts through coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Assist in developing consulting methodologies, best practices, and quality standards.

Business Development and Practice Growth

• Partner with Business Development during executive meetings, demonstrations, and proposal development.
• Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships.
• Represent Ceto through conferences, industry presentations, webinars, and thought leadership initiatives.
• Provide feedback that supports MarketView product enhancements and new consulting services.

Subscription and NOVA Vantage Client Leadership

• Serving as the primary strategic advisor, translating platform insights into actionable business recommendations.
• Driving client satisfaction, retention, renewals, and longterm value realization.
• Identifying expansion opportunities in partnership with Business Development.
• Collaborating with internal teams to deliver a seamless client experience across strategic consulting and technical support.
• Providing client feedback to continuously enhance the subscription offering and delivery model.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, Banking, or related field.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive experience within the banking industry or banking consulting.
• Demonstrated expertise in multiple of the following areas: Asset Liability Management (ALM)
• Asset Liability Committee (ALCO) participation
• Profitability analysis
• Financial planning and analysis
• Deposit strategy and pricing
• Loan pricing and portfolio management
• Commercial Banking
• Retail Banking
• Treasury Management
• Product Management
• Product profitability
• Interest rate risk
• Balance sheet strategy
• Strategic planning
• Banking operations
• Experience presenting recommendations to executive leadership and Boards of Directors.
• Strong financial modeling, analytical, and problem solving skills.
• Exceptional written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to travel as required.

Preferred

• MBA or advanced business degree
• Graduate of a recognized banking school
• Experience working with community and regional financial institutions
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, conversions, or enterprise transformation initiatives

Core Competencies

• Executive Presence
• Strategic Thinking
• Banking Industry Expertise
• Financial Acumen
• Consultative Problem Solving
• Analytical Decision Making
• Client Relationship Management
• Executive Communication
• Presentation and Facilitation
• Leadership and Mentorship
• Business Development
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Continuous Improvement

Success Measures

• Build trusted relationships with executive banking clients
• Deliver measurable financial and operational improvements for clients
• Successfully lead complex consulting engagements from strategy through execution
• Identify opportunities that generate additional consulting revenue and strengthen client partnerships
• Help Mentor and develop consulting team members while promoting consulting excellence.
• Contribute to the growth of MarketView through thought leadership, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Demonstrate Ceto's core values by leading with integrity, accountability, collaboration, and a commitment to exceptional client service

Work Environment

This position operates in a hybrid work environment, balancing in-office collaboration, remote work, and on-site client engagements. Flexibility is required to meet client and business needs.

Travel Requirements

Up to 50% travel, including overnight travel, to support client engagements, business development activities, training, and company meetings. Actual travel will vary based on project assignments and business demands.