Consultant, Strategy and Operations at PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC)

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PricewaterCoopers (PwC) is recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Consultant, Strategy and Operations

Reference Number: 125-NIG00071
Location: Lagos
Department: Advisory

What we are looking for

• We are looking for Consultants to work with Managers on complex engagements that help our clients realize competitive advantage from operations by optimizing their business through strategy development, transformation and operational effectiveness. Specific area of focus include , network design, product innovation and development, sales and operations planning, strategic cost analysis and managements, business process reviews, strategic decision making and commercial and market due diligence

Consultant Role Description

• The power-house of the team - integral to the project, taking a "get it right first time" approach to research, analysis and output.
• The Consultant's key role revolves around ensuring sound data collection, analysis, interviewing and presentation as well as adding additional value through drawing out the "so what" and supporting the manager in basic project management tasks. Consultants also apply these skills and drive outside of the project environment to support & develop our practice.
• Comfortable with dealing with targets of clients, the Consultant must be able to develop relationships within and outside of the firm.

Project Delivery & Management
Business & Industry Analysis:

• Quickly gets on top of industry issues (e.g. regulation, drivers, threats), understands their relevance to and forms an opinion on target/client business.
• Identifies, forms an opinion on and articulates client/target strategy from e.g. business plan/performance.

Data gathering and handling:

• Able to scope and execute primary research using all relevant research providers
• Aware of key sources of data - where to find it, how to access it etc - and able to identify/find new sources of data specific to a given project (incl. market sources and previous projects)
• Aware of alternative methods for data gathering e.g. interviewing to verify/supplement published market research
• On top of all internally and externally available data and their limitations
• Able to synthesise key messages and trends and their implications for the client/target from large volumes of data and sources

Sense-checks and triangulates research and output with other data sources
Presents data candidly, accurately and completely "Right first time" approach
Demonstrates ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses
Communicates effectively with team members - e.g. changes to hypotheses, data problems, new issues, timing

Financial Analysis:

• Understands drivers of revenues and profitability
• Understands key ratios e.g. profitability margins
• Able to perform basic analysis of business plan/performance e. g. key drivers, trend analysis, CAGRs

Excel Skills:

• Can set up clear, easy to follow and fully sourced spreadsheets
• Data manipulation using simple formulae and techniques e.g. vlookups, pivot tables
• Able to construct basic models
• Able to gain understanding of how models have been constructed and use these models
• Able to understand the limitations of individual models

Interviewing Skills:

• Professional approach to interviewing
• Designs interview programme identifying contacts, writing questionnaires
• Able to hold in-depth conversations i.e. not just sticking to the script, making interviews focused on the key questions to be resolved
• Extracts key messages and implications from interviews
• Suitable documentation of interview feedback to a client-ready standard

Strongly contributes to Client Team Meetings having the ability to present sections of findings internally
Supports senior staff at meetings by having grasp of all data and findings - and framing opinions on their basis

Reporting:

• Prepares concise, well written documents using appropriate business and technical language
• Understands key differences between e.g. strategy project and key propositions in strategy consulting and drafts reports appropriately
• Uses clear simple slides - using appropriate graphics
• Understanding of strategy consulting environment and roles of various parties within it
• Effective time management - prioritization of issues, understands & executes 80/20, research vs. reporting, meets agreed deadlines
• Appreciation of importance and principles of risk management / attendance of all updates

Business and team development:

• Able to conduct oneself professionally at client meetings and on client location e.g. Appropriate language, dress, and interpersonal skills, takes notes & circulates in good time
• Assists in proposal preparation & research, making an active effort to spend available time on Business Development activities
• Begins to build an internal network of contacts, e.g. business and community, cross-functional, cross-LoS and communicates relationships to appropriate partners or leaders.
• Understands and can communicate broad range of services provided by PwC and begins to identify needs client may not recognize.
• Communicates the importance of knowledge of roles and responsibilities and standards to team members
• Demonstrates importance of quality by reviewing work products of others and making necessary modifications
• Contributes to industry teams e.g. presentations on past projects, sector research, keep up to date with sector news, knowledge management e.t.c
• Contributes to wider team e.g. Induction, buddying, peer group & social activities

Others:

• Utilization of approximately 70 -85% (i.e. 1,390 - 1,480 hours)
• Proactively defines and discusses development objectives on- and off-projec ts
• Demonstrates ability to work cross various sectors - at least 40%-50% of projects outside the home sector
• Demonstrates ability to work across consulting and strategy assignments
• Asks for upward and downward feedback in timely manner, takes feedback on-board positively and takes action to address areas for growth and improvement
• Provides constructive and honest upward (and where appropriate downward) feedback in a timely manner
• Maintains a focus on project economics - e.g. hours, etc and submits timesheets on a timely basis.
• Understands risk management procedures and implements them in day to day work. Able to create drafts/handle key risk management procedures (e.g. engagement letters).
• Assists manager in filing & keeping order during projects (incl. MAP) and takes responsibility/active role in project close-down and archiving process
• Keeps up to date with current business events and issues e.g. economic trends, sector news
• Basic understanding of Strategy products & services / Consulting products and services and how our work fits into the wider firm's offering

Job Experience Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in Strategy & Operations consulting in a professional services environment or 1 years relevant experience in a large/global organization.
• Experience outside market of operation will be an added advantage
• Experience in building and maintaining strong relations with senior level clients and key industry contacts
• Demonstrated experience in corporate and business strategy
• Experience in strategic planning and portfolio management
• Experience in innovation strategy: market entry, business design, growth and social strategies;
• Demonstrated experience in inorganic growth strategy, corporate development/venturing, target identification and prioritization, and commercial due diligence;
• Cost leadership strategy, ROI improvement, ruthless competitor strategy.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience leading projects and diverse teams
• Strong analytical and problem solving capabilities.

Education Requirements

• First Degree in relevant field
• MBA/MSc (with business/accounting/finance/strategy orientation) is desirable
• CPA or ACCA (finalists) or other accredited accounting qualification

Application Closing Date
19th November, 2014.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online