Careers
How to apply
Join Wellspring in solving problems and addressing strategic questions for nonprofit and mission-driven leaders. We look for individuals who have demonstrated:
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A drive to create social change
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An ability to think creatively and flexibly in solving complex problems, attending to both the big picture and key details
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Conceptual and analytical capabilities, including logic and numerical analysis
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Strong interpersonal skills that result in effective working relationships, teamwork, and leadership in group settings
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Talent in deep listening, including an ability to tune in quickly and grasp the essentials in unfamiliar territory
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Clarity in verbal and written communication
Our next formal recruiting cycle will begin late summer / early fall 2024 for summer / fall 2025 hires with specific dates to be announced in the coming months.
Please note that we do not offer internships.
Why Wellspring?
We are driven to make a difference.
Education. Environment. Health care. Human rights. Our work addresses complex issues of critical importance for society. Some clients are large nonprofits addressing system-wide change; others are cutting-edge social enterprises or community-based organizations. The questions we tackle are unique to each engagement but always fundamental to our clients’ work, relating to mission, strategies for creating change, financial viability, and organizational design.
No two clients are alike. We work in close partnership with our clients to ensure we are driving toward tailored solutions that are actionable and grounded in their particular context. Together with our clients we chart a clear road map that positions them for success. We stay in touch with clients over time, getting updates on progress and acting as ongoing thought partners. Almost half of our engagements are with organizations that have worked with us in the past.
We are focused on bringing out the best in who you are.
Within Wellspring, we work in small teams with colleagues from across the firm to tackle our clients’ intellectually challenging questions. We use a wide variety of skills, from primary research and data analysis to meeting facilitation and strategic storytelling. Consultants learn on the job from partners and peers on their teams. Staff retreats, trainings, and case debriefs allow us to connect with each other and further accelerate everyone’s growth. Consultants are typically staffed on two projects at once, resulting in broad exposure to the social sector in a short length of time.
Wellspring consultants have varied backgrounds, skills, and interests. Everyone is supported and encouraged to make their mark on Wellspring. From day one, each new ‘Wellspringer’ can contribute to, or even pioneer, firm-wide initiatives. Any staff member may act as a resident expert on a key topic, lead a professional development session, or co-write a proposal. Wellspring is a strong firm because we co-create it.
Within our case teams, with our clients, and building our firm, Wellspring employs an approach that is deeply collaborative. Every voice is critical, and we make sure everyone is heard.
We share responsibility to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion – in our firm and in our work with clients – places demands upon everyone in the firm. We each take on responsibility for self-reflection, listening, learning, and sharing to enhance our understanding of these complex issues. We work together as a team to set firm-wide priorities related to DEI and execute work needed to improve our practice. In our work with clients, we take extra care to consider factors like race and socioeconomic status when undertaking research and developing recommendations. We know we have more to do and that this work is never finished.
We set up our people to deliver a lifetime of impact.
We seek to achieve impact not only through our work with clients but also by preparing our staff to be change agents throughout their careers. Each person we hire has the potential to become a partner at Wellspring, and some have chosen this path. Others have gone on to lead operations and strategy at prominent nonprofits or have entered top-tier graduate programs. A few alumni have started their own nonprofit organizations. All have gone on to impact the world in meaningful ways using skills they developed at Wellspring.
Webinars
Wellspring Information Session: What Makes Wellspring Special?
To get to know some of our Partners and Consultants and learn firsthand why Wellspring Consulting is a great place to work, watch a recording of one of our past Information Sessions.
Wellspring Case Workshop
To hear about real Wellspring client cases and learn the basics of our case interviews, watch a recording of one of our past Case Workshops.
Alumni
Wellspring staff have gone on to do great things across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. Their stories give a sense of their experience with Wellspring and how the firm helped them develop their careers.
Mike Alimurung
Mike was with Wellspring for almost eight years, most recently as a Senior Principal.
On working at Wellspring: “The coaching at Wellspring was the best I could have gotten. I was fortunate to have had people who really cared about my growth as a Consultant and about the nonprofits we were working with”
On life after Wellspring: "Wellspring was great. But I am not American. So, at the end of the day, I had to go back and help where I came from. I first worked for the Philippines government as a Commissioner, and ended up on the Board of a mining company and a large bank. Then I hosted a business show for Bloomberg TV. Now I am the City Manager – of Quezon City, the largest city in the Philippines, with 3.1 million people and 19,000 government employees. There was probably no better job than management consulting to prepare me for this role."
Elizabeth Brook Garrity
Elizabeth was with Wellspring for two years, as an Associate.
On working at Wellspring:
“The unique value that Wellspring brings to its clients is the strategic rigor. ‘Why, why, why’ is part of the team’s culture. There is an art in the way Wellspring can appropriately push its clients to get to the bottom of the question.”
On life after Wellspring: “When I left Wellspring, I wanted to shift from being an advisor to an executor, and through our work, I learned the importance of the development team in actually carrying out a strategic plan. So, I joined CCS [a leading fundraising firm] for five years. Wellspring is a unique place to learn deeply about the nonprofit ecosystem and figure out which mission you’re most drawn to and which skills you want to develop.”
In my current role as a Product Manager, it’s really important to have friendly, structured conversations with customers. Wellspring taught me how to conduct valuable qualitative interviews. I learned to talk to and build trust with a variety of people in a semi-structured format.”
Spencer Munroe
Spencer was with Wellspring for almost two years as an Associate.
On working at Wellspring:
"Associates at Wellspring make a larger contribution than Associates at other firms would. As an Associate, I spoke to Board executives and ran interviews with C-suite stakeholders. The level of mentorship at Wellspring is also very high. You can easily go to someone to ask for help and guidance. Wellspring is an amazing place to develop and grow."
On life after Wellspring: "I joined Google, and after two years in the Associate role jumped to a fully strategic role. I carried over a lot of skills from Wellspring – how to engage with stakeholders, gather market insights, and bring insights back to the client."
Mike Foote
Mike was with Wellspring for almost three years as a Consultant.
On working at Wellspring: "Each Wellspring project was so different… education, healthcare, LGBTQ organizations. It was exciting and fast paced. There was a breadth of clients, and many different types of people coming together on staff. The depth of thinking that the firm and our clients demanded from us catapulted my growth. Wellspring gives you hard skills, but also intangibles like the confidence to work with and speak in front of groups of passionate and talented people, and the ability to think strategically in real time."
On life after Wellspring: "I started DREAM as an undergrad. We were working with kids in affordable housing developments. It replicated really well, so we built it across a few sites and improved the model. I felt confident in the education I got from Wellspring, so I went back and became DREAM’s Director. Now we're a sizable nonprofit bringing a range of mentoring and enrichment programming to young people."