Analyst, Leadership Advisory Services (LAS)

Spencer Stuart•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Leadership Advisory Services (LAS) Practice is an exciting, vibrant and uniquely dynamic practice environment within Spencer Stuart. Emerging in recent years as a key area of strategic focus for the Firm, LAS has experienced an accelerated growth trajectory in both product diversification (acquisition of Reya Group, release of “LP” and ExI 2.0) and scale. Operating synergistically alongside the Firm’s market-leading Executive Search business, LAS professionals provide advice and partnership to clients navigating a range of key leadership and talent issues, including: Aligning culture and talent strategy with business strategy, Maximizing team effectiveness, Merger integration support, Executive assessment and CEO succession, and Talent development and transition support. A Spencer Stuart Analyst plays a critical and visible role on the team. Working closely with Associates, Senior Associates, and Consultants, Analysts operate as a thought partner in understanding client needs and gathering relevant research that contributes to the overall assignment strategy. More specifically, Analysts are responsible for supporting advisory engagements by assisting with project management, developing client assessment reports, conducting 360 reference calls, and designing client workshop materials. The Analyst provides research and conclusions to be incorporated into client-ready documents. Over time, it is expected that the Analyst will develop expertise with our proprietary tools and facilitate client interactions with little oversight. Successful Analysts have the opportunity to pursue various career development paths and leadership opportunities, including a path towards Consultant, while building highly transferrable skills in research, analysis, communication, teaming, and problem solving.

Requirements

Self-directed, independent, and able to proactively address the needs of the practice
Graceful under pressure and excellent multitaskers with an ownership mindset and results orientation
Recent, or soon to be, university graduate; or up to three years of business experience in leadership advisory, organizational development and/or human behavior
Strong academic performance (3.4+ GPA)
Well-roundedness demonstrated through leadership experience in internships, work experience, community service, athletics, or roles in student-led organizations
Experience with collecting and organizing information from databases and/or internet resources
Ability to analyze and synthesize data into other formats
Advanced research, analysis, and synthesis skills
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Resourceful, team-oriented, and tenacious
Proficient with MS Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, and Word)
In possession of work authorizations necessary for the country in which you are applying
Ability to handle multiple projects with competing deadlines
Ability to work with individuals who have differing styles
Ability to manage challenging expectations
Ability to deal with short timelines and limited information
Ability to listen and ask insightful questions
Ability to leverage knowledge of advisory tools and appropriate resources to gather relevant information
Ability to subject researched facts to extensive analysis and interpretation before drawing conclusions
Ability to make inferential leaps in thinking to reach a solution despite incomplete or ambiguous information
Ability to make decisions rapidly, despite the complexity of the issues or pressures involved
Ability to use effective business writing skills to create succinct, client-ready analyses and documenting information
Ability to interact with a range of internal and external stakeholders and candidates with differing styles and egos, understanding and appreciating what is important to each
Ability to place team goals ahead of individual goals
Ability to consider the needs of colleagues and adapt own communication style accordingly
Ability to set expectations and clarify tasks to avoid wasting time and resources
Ability to offer to work outside areas of responsibility when needed
Ability to raise issues early and find solutions collaboratively
Ability to remain poised when under pressure or handling unexpected challenges
Ability to proactively share information with those who would benefit while being discreet with confidential information
Ability to obtain and incorporate knowledge to enhance client work in a meaningful way
Ability to develop deep understanding of tools spanning the individual, team, and organizational levels
Genuine interest in/curiosity about people and businesses
Ability to understand how to identify and navigate the various relevant sources available (internal tools, assessment data, market insights, etc.), as well as key people, leveraging both internal and external content and networks to drive distinct and unique insights and outcomes
Ability to seek and be open to feedback from colleagues, placing value on self-development efforts; seeks opportunities for growth
Self-awareness and openness to changing one’s own behavior
Ability to accept others’ opinions and encourage teamwork
Ability to be inclusive
Ability to bring cultural awareness and sensitivity to each interaction with colleagues
Ability to participate actively and contribute to internal activities; engage with office and practice
Ability to represent Spencer Stuart well by speaking positively about the Firm and aligning behavior to Firm values
Ability to conduct themselves in a way that is consistent with the Firm’s values

Nice To Haves

Psychology, English/writing, or human capital related degrees are preferred

Responsibilities

Assisting with project management
Developing client assessment reports
Conducting 360 reference calls
Designing client workshop materials
Providing research and conclusions to be incorporated into client-ready documents
Facilitating client interactions with little oversight (over time)
Planning, managing, and driving own efforts in support of new business development and advisory support
Handling multiple projects with competing deadlines
Working with individuals who have differing styles
Managing challenging expectations
Providing accurate and timely data analysis and organizational behavior research
Taking ownership of the project by doing what is needed at all phases of the research process, anticipating next steps, and not waiting to be told what to do
Regularly reassessing priorities to align resources where/when needed and proactively reprioritizing own workload to provide additional support to assignment team where/when needed
Delivering on commitments on-time or notifying as early as possible if problems occur or deadlines will slip
Synthesizing research for business development initiatives, LAS assignments or intellectual capital initiatives and providing a succinct and accurate point of view
Dealing with short timelines and limited information
Listening and asking insightful questions
Leveraging knowledge of advisory tools and appropriate resources to gather relevant information
Subjecting researched facts to extensive analysis and interpretation before drawing conclusions
Making inferential leaps in thinking to reach a solution despite incomplete or ambiguous information
Making decisions rapidly, despite the complexity of the issues or pressures involved
Using effective business writing skills to create succinct, client-ready analyses and documenting information
Contributing to the efficiency and quality of teams to successfully meet project objectives
Interacting with a range of internal and external stakeholders and candidates with differing styles and egos, understanding and appreciating what is important to each
Being authentic
Listening and asking questions to clarify understanding and demonstrate knowledge
Placing team goals ahead of individual goals
Considering the needs of colleagues and adapting own communication style accordingly
Setting expectations and clarifying tasks to avoid wasting time and resources
Offering to work outside areas of responsibility when needed
Raising issues early and finding solutions collaboratively
Remaining poised when under pressure or handling unexpected challenges
Proactively sharing information with those who would benefit while being discreet with confidential information
Obtaining and incorporating knowledge to enhance client work in a meaningful way
Developing deep understanding of tools spanning the individual, team, and organizational levels
Actively building a personal awareness and team knowledge around organizational behavior and individual effectiveness
Understanding how to identify and navigate the various relevant sources available (internal tools, assessment data, market insights, etc.), as well as key people, leveraging both internal and external content and networks to drive distinct and unique insights and outcomes
Seeking and is open to feedback from colleagues, placing value on self-development efforts; seeks opportunities for growth
Being self-aware and open to changing one’s own behavior
Accepting others’ opinions and encouraging teamwork
Being inclusive
Bringing cultural awareness and sensitivity to each interaction with colleagues
Participating actively and contributing to internal activities; engaging with office and practice
Representing Spencer Stuart well by speaking positively about the Firm and aligning behavior to Firm values
Conducting themselves in a way that is consistent with the Firm’s values

Benefits

Retirement savings plan with discretionary profit sharing contribution and employer match
PTO (minimum 15 days per year, increases with tenure)
Paid sick time (10 days per year)
Company holidays (12 days per year)
Paid leaves of absence when applicable
Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
Healthcare flexible spending account
Life Insurance
Short-term and long-term disability insurance
Wellness benefits, including an employee assistance program, virtual mental health program, and mindfulness program
Voluntary benefit options, including supplemental life insurance, identity theft protection, and whole life insurance with long-term care and critical illness coverage