Leadership Initiative Senior Associate

We are the leading provider of professional services to the middle market globally, our purpose is to instill confidence in a world of change, empowering our clients and people to realize their full potential. Our exceptional people are the key to our unrivaled, culture and talent experience and our ability to be compelling to our clients. You’ll find an environment that inspires and empowers you to thrive both personally and professionally. There’s no one like you and that’s why there’s nowhere like RSM.

The Leadership Initiative Senior Associate for Markets provides project management, coordination, and leadership support to advance defined market and location priorities for the Bay Area and Los Angeles. The role independently manages assigned low- to moderate-risk projects and recurring leadership processes, prepares leadership-ready materials, coordinates stakeholders, tracks commitments, identifies risks, and escalates decisions or barriers appropriately. The position may coordinate executive support activities as needed and serves as a resource for established firm processes and tools.

1. Execute market and location priorities

·  Translate defined priorities into workplans with clear outcomes, owners, milestones, dependencies, risks, and success measures.

·  Independently coordinate assigned low- to moderate-risk projects and recurring workstreams through implementation and closeout.

·  Maintain project documentation, action trackers, and follow-up routines; elevate barriers or decisions requiring leadership attention.

·  Prepare accurate agendas, presentations, decision materials, status updates, and other leadership-ready deliverables.

2. Coordinate growth, relationships, and market opportunities

·  Coordinate activity with Growth, Industry, Market Development, client-serving leaders, and other partners supporting priority relationships and opportunities.

·  Connect alumni, professional organizations, community partnerships, sponsorships, employee network groups, and market events to defined objectives.

Gather and synthesize market, industry, talent, and community information into concise observations and potential opportunities.

3. Enable governance, communications, and meeting execution

·  Coordinate leadership meetings, growth forums, all-hands sessions, owner or partner forums, and other strategic cadences.

·  Manage invitations, logistics, materials, notes, decisions, action items, owners, due dates, and follow-through.

·  Draft and proofread leader-ready communications, talking points, presentations, announcements, and executive summaries.

·  Coordinate calendar or executive support activities when included in the aligned support model.

4. Support culture, talent, alumni, and community priorities

·  Coordinate assigned culture, talent, alumni, community, and employee experience initiatives at leadership direction.

·  Support plans, calendars, budgets, communications, and execution while maintaining alignment to defined market priorities.

·  Gather participation, feedback, and outcome information and summarize themes through appropriate leadership channels.

5. Provide reporting and operational support

·  Maintain dashboards, trackers, project plans, resource libraries, procedures, and collaboration workspaces.

·  Prepare concise reporting on initiative status, risks, resource needs, dependencies, and recommended next actions.

·  Identify process gaps, duplication, and repeatable practices; implement improvements within assigned scope.

6. Contribute knowledge and team capability

·  Serve as a resource for established firm processes, systems, and tools and connect stakeholders with appropriate functional owners.

·  Facilitate working sessions and coordinate contributors with differing priorities through influence and follow-through.

·  Share practices and provide task-level guidance, training, or informal mentoring as assigned.

7. Perform other duties as assigned

·  Provide flexible support for market, location, and leadership priorities consistent with the purpose and level of the role.

Education & Experience

·  Associate degree or 2+ years of related experience; bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent relevant experience.

·  4+ years of relevant project management, market or location operations, leadership support, growth enablement, marketing, business development, employee experience, or related experience.

·  1 to 3 years managing multiple projects of low to moderate risk.

·  Experience coordinating work across functions and interacting with multiple leadership levels.

Required Skills

·  Strong project coordination, planning, documentation, milestone tracking, risk identification, and stakeholder management.

·  Business acumen and ability to synthesize information into observations, recommendations, and next steps.

·  Executive communication, presentation, proofreading, and advanced Microsoft 365 skills.

·  Strong organization, prioritization, discretion, judgment, emotional intelligence, and attention to detail.

·  Ability to build trust, influence without authority, work independently within defined scope, and adapt to changing priorities.

At RSM, we offer a competitive benefits and compensation package for all our people. Learn more about our total rewards at https://rsmus.com/careers/working-at-rsm/benefits.

We believe flexibility and in-person connection both play an important role in how we work and grow. Most roles at RSM follow a hybrid workstyle, which means team members are aligned to an RSM office and come together in person when it best supports clients, teams, development or relationship-building. Some roles may be virtual or primarily on-site based on role requirements, team priorities and client needs.

All applicants will receive consideration for employment as RSM does not tolerate discrimination and/or harassment based on race; color; creed; sincerely held religious beliefs, practices or observances; sex (including pregnancy or disabilities related to nursing); gender; sexual orientation; HIV Status; national origin; ancestry; familial or marital status; age; physical or mental disability; citizenship; political affiliation; medical condition (including family and medical leave); domestic violence victim status; past, current or prospective service in the US uniformed service; US Military/Veteran status; pre-disposing genetic characteristics or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. 

Accommodation for applicants with disabilities is available upon request in connection with the recruitment process and/or employment/partnership. RSM is committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, interview, or otherwise participate in the recruiting process, please call us at 800-274-3978 or send us an email at [email protected].

RSM does not intend to hire entry level candidates who will require sponsorship now OR in the future (i.e. F-1 visa holders). If you are a recent U.S. college / university graduate possessing 1-2 years of progressive and relevant work experience in a same or similar role to the one for which you are applying, excluding internships, you may be eligible for hire as an experienced associate.

RSM will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records. For those living in California or applying to a position in California, please click here for additional information.

At RSM, an employee’s pay at any point in their career is intended to reflect their experiences, performance, and skills for their current role. The salary range (or starting rate for interns and associates) for this role represents numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, education, skills, work experience, certifications, location, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range.

Compensation Range: $77,700 - $128,200