Overview
Introduction
Formed as a social sector-focused offshoot of Bain, The Bridgespan Group has emerged as the leading provider of services in its field. And with good reason: Top talent from both the consulting and nonprofit worlds beat a path to Bridgespan’s door every year, hoping to join its ranks. While it can’t take them all, it does ensure that the firm continues to go from strength to strength.
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Vault Verdict
The Bridgespan Group offers consultants a unique experience, consulting on some of the world’s greatest challenges alongside some of its most renowned philanthropists. This game-changing organization presents a great opportunity for anyone who wants their work to result in not just profits, but a fairer and more just society.
Insiders at Bridgespan point to it as an excellent place to work overall, even after a rough 2023 in which the firm underwent an internal unionization effort. They point to compensation that, while lower than the for-profit sector, is exceptional for the nonprofit space. They also say that working at the firm, while still more demanding than a traditional nine-to-five job, offers a much better work-life balance than other consultancies....
About the Company
Co-founder and former managing partner of The Bridgespan Group, Jeffrey L. Bradach left his post at Harvard Business School’s Organizational Behavior and Social Enterprise Initiative department, where he was a professor, to start the firm. Bradach is widely regarded as a thought leader in nonprofit strategy, social sector leadership, and philanthropy, and is a regular inclusion on Nonprofit Times’ annual Power and Influence Top 50 list.
Helping Others Help Others
Bridgespan’s mission began as—and still is—a dedication to tackling some of society’s toughest issues, including breaking the cycle of poverty. In fact, the firm’s approach was the subject of two case studies by Harvard Business School. Their core areas of expertise include education; children, youth, and families; public heal...
Employee Reviews
- “It’s very rewarding to work with most of our clients, who in their own right are inspirational leaders trying to make the world a better place.”
- “Though work can pile up, the firm as a whole very much respects personal hours after 5 p.m.”
- “The firm offers many formal wellness programs, but what stands out is its cultural expectation that supervisors truly listen and make space for employees’ personal needs.”
Getting Hired Here
- “The people who thrive at Bridgespan are smart, emotionally intelligent people who care about social impact and have a nose for what truly matters. If you can sell yourself as hitting on all those boxes, you stand a good chance of getting a callback. A reference doesn't hurt either.”
- “We’re looking for someone with a demonstrated interest in the social sector and a broader personal north star or guiding mission.”
- “Our ideal candidate is a thoughtful and creative person with a ‘can-do’ attitude."
- “I want to hire people with a track record of facing ambiguous problems, then solving those problems by adding structure to them and using data and other analyses to get to a good decision.”