For senior advisors who still have more to give
You’ve spent decades in communications, sustainability, public affairs, HR, learning or adjacent fields. You’re not ready to kick back intellectually – but you’re also not keen to go back to 60-hour weeks.
At retension, you can:
Do client work that matters – not just sit on a roster of names.
Choose your pace – from a few hours a week to a couple of days a week, depending on the season.
Shape the next generation – by working directly with emerging professionals on live projects.
We call you our senior advisors. Together, you form the informal “council” that keeps our standards high.
What senior advisors do
As a senior advisor, you might:
Win the business, leveraging your professional network built up over decades in the business
Co-design strategy and narratives for complex issues and transactions
Sit in client workshops and steering committee meetings
Review and sharpen drafts created by emerging professionals and AI
Join new-business conversations where your experience adds weight
Coach junior apprentices on judgement, craft and how to be a trusted adviser
You’re not a figurehead. Clients meet you, hear from you and feel your fingerprints on the work.
Why this model works for you
Flexible engagement – You join as an independent contractor, not a full-time employee. We scope work around what you can realistically and happily offer.
Outcome-based rewards – Where appropriate, we share a portion of project margins with senior advisors who help originate or significantly grow client relationships.
Community, not just gigs – You’re part of a bench that swaps ideas, learns together and cares about doing work the right way.
We are especially keen to speak with people who:
Have reached, or are approaching, a stage of financial security
Care about mentoring and coaching, not just deal-making
Are comfortable rolling up their sleeves on content when needed
Share our discomfort with the traditional consulting model, and worry about the next generation of talent