(SJ) Consulting Manager

This role is directly repot to Shujun, and is for internal reply only.

Overview of the role

The Consulting Manager reports, on a line-management basis, to a Head of Consulting. The primary function of the Consulting Manager role will be divided into the successful execution of their team’s projects for custom research clients, providing day-to-day quality control management for the projects run by individuals on his or her team and ensuring the advancement of their skills. Reporting to the Head of Consulting, the Consulting Manager will have the following objectives:

·         To ensure effective resourcing and successful execution of each team member’s projects, developing actionable insights for clients.

·         To support Business Development (CGBD) and sales in reviewing proposals and identifying new research capabilities.

·         To drive collaboration (inter-team and cross-department) in order to better leverage knowledge sources, improve our global solutions, and advance individual development.

·         To train and develop consulting staff, supporting a commercially aware and capably efficient consulting team.

Key Responsibilities

Research Management: The CM is fully responsible for the day-to-day management of team activities, providing support and guidance from project assignment to post-delivery. The CM is expected to routinely engage with team members to ensure that appropriate planning, methodologies and validation mechanisms are in place to generate impactful findings.  Typical research activities include:

• Project/Staff Line Management: Day-to-day line management of Consulting Analysts, Senior Consulting Analysts, Associate Consultants, Consultants, Senior Consultants, and, Team Leads, as appropriate.
• Project Allocation: Collaborate with other Consulting Managers and the Head of Consulting to assign custom research staff to new projects, and then briefing those staff members together with client development members
• Revenues and costs: Plan and manage revenues, project costs and input to HoC on salaries for team
• Occasional Project Management and Execution: Ensure the successful management and execution of all projects and clients within a pre-defined research vertical, from inception to delivery. This role will, occasionally, involve a limited amount of own-project execution, fluctuating based on workflow.
• Process Improvement / Development: Develop and implement methods and procedures for monitoring custom project work including research content, storyline analysis, quality control, client deadlines, costs, efficiency and capacity considerations.
• Resource Management: work closely with recruiters to ensure that projects are adequately resourced and that the pool and quality of contract analysts matches an expanding workload both in volume of projects and complexity of content.

Team and Development: The Consulting Manager will be assigned a team of 4-8 Consulting staff and he or she will be responsible for the quality of all work products for this team.  Additionally, the Consulting Manager will work with management to develop the skillset of individual members. Other tasks include:

• Recruitment: work with recruiters to determine desired candidate profile, as well as screening, interviewing and selecting adequate candidates.
• Team Development & Training: Assess team’s outputs and activities in the form of project debriefs and annual appraisals.  Targets should be put in place and measured over time to ensure appropriate growth and promotion levels are achieved. Additionally, the CM should create, coordinate and track training of custom research staff to ensure that individuals have the tools and knowledge necessary to succeed.
• Quality Control: Responsible for the successful execution of all projects and clients run by his or her team members, from inception to delivery. This includes, asking for feedback from seniors buddying with his or her team members and ensuring their standardized quality.
• Mentoring and Ensuring Best Practices: Provide guidance to the custom research team and ensure implementation of best practices for all aspects of project management including project design and planning, budget control, commissioning, data modelling and checking, writing and editing of presentations, client communications and project delivery to the highest standards and client satisfaction.
• Administrative: Ensuring the appropriate upkeep of project folders, hour logs and administrative documents. In the case of absenteeism and holiday approvals, the Consulting Manager should approve/reject his/her team member’s request after ensuring proper process has been followed and projects are running smoothly while they are away. The Consulting Manager will then authorize the necessary paperwork/online process if the Consulting Manager’s approval is given to his/her team member.
• Training and Skill Development: Coordinate training of custom research staff, contract analysts as well as the wider company staff thereby developing the team’s ability to increase value-add. Make staffing decisions and individual development goals and movements within his or her team by identifying opportunities for growing them around particular industries or key accounts. This may include new consulting solutions or expertise in specific industries, etc.

Commercial Activities: As the Consulting Manager develops, so, too, will his or her experience participating in revenue driving activities for our business.  The CM will support and drive our solutions by working closely with commercial teams. Typical commercial activities include:

• Strategic proposal feedback: to guide and elevate business/client development and account management proposal content to ensure we propose the strongest solutions.  Where appropriate, to share proposal reviews to correct senior staff.
• Support consulting sales effort: attending client pitches/teleconferences, using Salesforce, training/updating business/client development and account managers on custom research solutions and experiences.
• Quarterly Share-out sessions: create formal share-out sessions on a quarterly basis for sales staff to more clearly understand our unique selling points.
• Ensure we have a renewable revenue base: identify, encourage and manage pro-active efforts to grow repeat client business.  Collaborate with sales teams to share knowledge, ensure quality and proactively tailor solutions to our most valuable clients;
• Promote a commercial approach: Strengthen the commercial awareness of the consulting team and collaborate with relevant account management, farming and business development teams.

Business Development: Within the Financial Services team, the Consulting Manager is also responsible for some business development activities from first pitch, to solution, including all pre- and post-win activities. The following activities can be expected:

• Understand all of Euromonitor’s intelligence systems, how to show them and how they are used by our customers – by roles within customer organisations and by end applications
• Understand the full range of our Consulting research capability and be able to describe that range – by generic research type, by past project examples and by end applications to different types of client and business situation
• To react to incoming opportunities from sales and account managers, and further develop and shape those consulting opportunities through follow-up calls and meetings
• To help develop new business opportunities in conjunction with sales staff – relying on previous project types which can be marketed to prospective clients
• To sell our research process and solutions and build value behind our work (not simply sell end-deliverable content)
• To help manage the sales cycle for new leads and proposals and ensure that all enquiries and proposals are handled as quickly and effectively as possible.
• To prepare sophisticated, tailor-made proposals; and manage their delivery and active follow up
• To negotiate terms and close consulting deals in association with relevant senior colleagues as appropriate
• To understand Euromonitor’s competitors and how to present us as different and/or superior to them
• To help clients with research and/or technical support, as required
• To work with sales staff and account managers to maximise revenue opportunities from our existing client base and raise client awareness of consulting services
• To help maintain all directories and systems for new business development

Requirements

·         Senior Consultants/Team Leads and above

·         Proven experience, previous management experience strongly preferred.

·         Detailed understanding of Euromonitor’s custom research methodology and product offering

·         Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and trust within and between functions, particularly with syndicated research, consulting business development and sales.

·         Proven and respected effectiveness in training and coaching research personnel at all levels.

·         An analytical thinker and commercially astute leader.

·         A credible enthusiast with a relentlessly positive attitude and effective leadership style.

·         A trusted, approachable ‘go-to’ and respected team player throughout the company.

·         Good time management and ability to prioritise

·         An excellent communicator; with excellent listening skills, patience, and open to a diversity of ideas, perspectives and differences in approach and cultural styles.

·         Excellent oral and written communication skills

·         Excellent presentation skills

·         High level of numeracy

·         Organisational ability

·         Excellent computer literacy

·         English & Mandarin fluency a must (both written & oral)