Fractional Advisory. Full strategic impact.
cut through the noise. elevate what matters.
cross-disciplinary expertise that strengthens teams, decisions, and outcomes.
complexity is inevitable. direction is a decision.
The challenge isn’t managing complexity—it’s deciding how to intervene for meaningful impact.
Clever Tern helps leaders align priorities and teams, reduce organizational friction, and move critical efforts from ideas to action, with integrity and intention.
The result: clearer direction, stronger teams, and sustained progress—even when the stakes are high and the timeline is tight.
who we serve
built for leaders navigating complexity
We partner with leaders across industries who are responsible for people and performance—but whose challenges don’t fit neatly into one box. Their complexities are deeply intertwined, and their work demands clarity and a connected approach to learning, change, team dynamics, and the organizational systems that hold it all together.
Our clients don’t settle for single-function specialists.
They want a strategic advisor who can see—and connect—the whole system.
what we offer
small footprint. big impact.
High performance requires integrated thinking—and flexible access to senior-level support when you need it most. Clever Tern offers fractional partnerships and structured engagements that adjust to your needs, timeline, and budget without the overhead of a full-time hire or the markup of a large firm.
untangle complexity
See the interconnected systems—culture, capability, process, leadership—that are blocking progress.
design integrated solutions
Build strategies that address learning, change, and team dynamics together, not in silos.
accelerate execution
Move from insight to action with clarity, ownership, and sustainable results.
common engagements
Here are some ways that leaders partner with Clever Tern…
strategic advisor for complex initiatives
You’re leading a transformation—new systems, restructuring, culture shift—and the challenge cuts across learning, change, and team operations. You need a senior advisor who can see how the pieces connect and guide you to the end-goal with clear, integrated strategy.
performance
problem solver
Your team or function is stuck. The surface issue might look like “poor adoption” or “capability gaps” or “team dysfunction”—but the real problem is behavioral and systemic. We diagnose what’s actually blocking performance and design solutions that address root causes, not symptoms.
fractional
strategic partner
Your Change Management CoE or L&D talent functions are stretched thin, navigating multiple high-stakes initiatives. You need steady, senior-level support to think through strategy, spot interdependencies, and execute with efficiency—all without adding full-time headcount.
executive coach & thought partner
You’re facing tough decisions about how to structure your team, build capability, manage conflict, lead change—you need an objective partner who understands people and the organizational systems they work in; someone who can help you think through what’s at stake, and who can guide you toward your goal with empathy and ease.
why fractional?
more capability. less overhead.
Get senior expertise on a flexible basis—exactly when you need it, without the cost or layers of a large firm.
Fractional partnerships deliver clear strategy and embedded support scaled to your context.
why clever tern®
depth across disciplines. purpose at the core.
Most consultants specialize in one area: Learning & Leadership Development, Organizational Change, or Team Effectiveness. Clever Tern brings rare depth across all three, so your performance strategy reflects the whole system.
We start by getting crystal clear on desired outcomes, then address what’s truly in the way: capability, team design, change and leadership execution, or all at once.
Our approach is systems-focused, strategically grounded, and human-centered.
The result? Strategies that are built for your organization—not borrowed from someone else’s playbook.
our clients
chosen by leaders across industriesOur work is industry agnostic, spanning Fortune 100 companies, national nonprofits, and mission-driven teams.
Industry leaders such as Allstate Insurance Co., Astellas Pharmaceutical, CNA, Cushman & Wakefield, HCSC (BCBS), and TransUnion have trusted us to guide their most critical initiatives.
meet Heather
All engagements are led by Heather Jencks, a strategic advisor with more than two decades of experience guiding Fortune 100s, nonprofits, and mission-driven teams. Heather brings sharp insight, systems thinking, and a deeply human approach to every engagement.
When scale is needed, Heather taps into a trusted network of senior consultants who share her values and rigor.
our promise
You won’t be handed off to junior staff. We stay close to the work—and the people it affects.
“I have worked with Heather Jencks for over 15 years. She is one of the best consultants I have worked with. She truly cares about the organization she works with and does a deep dive into how the company works, its strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities and then outlines a detailed plan on how to make your company better…”
~Al S. Senior Mgr resp. for Allstate’s National Sales Education Program
explore the possibilities
Whether you’re launching a transformation, redesigning teams, or strengthening how your people learn and lead—let’s work together to make your ideas happen.