As Principal you will lead and grow Control Risks’ Europe & CIS Geopolitical & Country Risk (GCR) practice, providing strategic direction, client leadership, and operational excellence as part of a global team of over 100 analysts and consultants. The role combines practice leadership with hands-on delivery of complex advisory engagements for senior decision-makers at multinational companies and other major clients. Ideally you will be based in Berlin but we will also consider applicants based in London.
Key responsibilities include:
Leadership of the GCR Europe & CIS Practice
- Lead the strategy, growth, and performance of the Europe & CIS GCR practice, ensuring revenue, profitability, and delivery targets are achieved.
- Oversee complex, high-value consulting engagements, including cross-service line and multi-regional projects involving senior client stakeholders.
- Support analytical leadership on political, regulatory, and security developments across the region.
- Drive innovation through the development and rollout of new products, services, and solutions.
People Leadership
- Lead, develop, and mentor the Europe & CIS team through effective performance management, coaching, and role-modelling collaborative leadership and wellbeing.
Business Development
- Meet personal and team sales origination targets through client engagement, thought leadership, conference participation, and development of integrated solutions.
- Build and maintain senior client relationships, strengthen market positioning, and identify new opportunities across existing and prospective clients.
Business Management
- Manage the practice efficiently, maintaining financial discipline, target margins, and robust operational oversight.
Brand & Market Presence
- Represent Control Risks externally through media, conferences, thought leadership, and social media engagement.
Risk Management
- Protect the firm's reputation by ensuring appropriate risk assessment, governance, and escalation of potential issues.
Requirements
- Master’s degree or equivalent (in relevant subject matter).
- Minimum of 10 years of full-time professional experience in winning and delivering political risk intelligence and advisory consulting on highly regulated, policy-sensitive sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, defence, telecoms, healthcare/life sciences, financial services and/or digital technologies.
- Access to a large network of reliable, credible sources in European policy communities, think tanks, ministries, security agencies and from the business community.
- Excellent communication, listening and negotiation skills in English and preferably at least one other European language, ideally German.
- Experience in public speaking, including larger audiences (100+)
- Advanced analytical and report writing skills in English (and preferably one other European language).
- Excellent knowledge and demonstrated experience in applying methodologies for political risk analysis (i.e. threat assessments, risk assessments, scenario development and planning); ability to develop bespoke methodologies.
- Excellent knowledge of risk management frameworks and understanding of how private businesses manage both strategic and operational risks in practice.
- Demonstrable experience selling consulting services to international clients.
- Strong project management skills & demonstrable ability to multi-task and manage multiple commitments under time pressure.
- Demonstrable commercial acumen when planning and pricing projects.
- Willingness to travel for work.
Benefits
- Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarised in the full job offer.
- We operate a discretionary global bonus scheme that incentivises, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance.
- Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasise the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
- As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us and are fully committed to equal treatment, free from discrimination, of all candidates throughout our recruitment process.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.
Skills Required
- Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant subject
- Minimum of 10 years professional experience in political risk intelligence and advisory consulting
- Proven experience winning and delivering advisory services in regulated, policy-sensitive sectors (energy, infrastructure, defence, telecoms, healthcare/life sciences, financial services, digital technologies)
- Access to a large network of credible sources in European policy communities, think tanks, ministries, security agencies and business
- Excellent communication, listening and negotiation skills in English
- Proficiency in at least one other European language (preferably German)
- Experience in public speaking to large audiences (100+)
- Advanced analytical and report writing skills in English (and preferably one other European language)
- Demonstrated expertise applying political risk methodologies (threat assessments, scenario development, bespoke methodologies)
- Strong knowledge of risk management frameworks and how private businesses manage strategic and operational risks
- Demonstrable track record selling consulting services to international clients
- Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple commitments under time pressure
- Commercial acumen in planning and pricing projects
- Willingness to travel for work
What We Do
Control Risks exists to make our clients succeed. We are a specialist risk consultancy that helps to create secure, compliant and resilient organisations in an age of ever-changing risk. Working across disciplines, technologies and geographies, everything we do is based on our belief that taking risks is essential to our clients’ success. We provide you with the insight to focus resources and ensure you are prepared to resolve the issues and crises that occur in any ambitious global organisation. We go beyond problem-solving and give you the insight and intelligence you need to realise opportunities and grow. From the boardroom to the remotest location, we have developed an unparalleled ability to bring order to chaos and reassurance to anxiety.
