Director, Turnaround and Restructuring, Performance Improvement

Role Overview

Ankura’s Performance Improvement team seeks a Manager‑level professional based in Germany who will lead client engagements and deliver performance improvement opportunities across cost, operations, commercial and working capital.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage performance improvement workstreams across strategic, operational, financial, and organizational areas.
• Conduct diagnostics to identify improvement levers and quantify value opportunities.
• Translate complex data and insights into clear, actionable recommendations focused on efficiency, growth, profit enhancement, and operational excellence.
• Develop and track KPIs, performance dashboards, 13‑week forecasts, sensitivity analyses, and other performance measurement tools.
• Support implementation and change activities with clients, including process redesign, capability uplift, and leadership enablement.
• Deliver measurable value through cost optimisation, supply chain and procurement performance, commercial margin uplift, working capital enhancement, organisational design, and operational effectiveness.
• Apply performance improvement methodologies such as Lean, benchmarking, and continuous improvement frameworks to drive sustainable change.
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders and shape the performance improvement agenda.
• Contribute to proposals, thought‑leadership pieces, and industry insights.
• Mentor and coach project teams, fostering high performance, analytical excellence, and collaborative delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience in performance improvement, operational transformation, or value creation roles; preferably within top‑tier consultancies, corporate strategy, private equity, or operational performance practices.
• Strong financial, analytical, and problem‑solving skills with experience translating insights into impactful strategies.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex engagements with multiple stakeholders and delivering measurable client outcomes.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, capable of engaging executive leadership and driving shared ownership of performance objectives.
• Desire to innovate and contribute new performance improvement tools, frameworks, and methodologies.
• Relevant qualifications (e.g., Business, Finance, Engineering, MBA, Lean/Continuous Improvement certifications) are advantageous but not essential.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and German, ability to travel nationally and internationally, and work overtime as needed.
• Experience in a Big‑4 firm, investment banking, restructuring consultancy or related industry is highly beneficial.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Ankura is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation to search for a job opening, submit an online application, or participate in an interview/assessment, please email or call toll‑free +1.312‑583‑2122.