Commercial Specialist, Executive Search Researcher

Egon Zehnder•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Commercial Specialist to join our Expert team supporting the U.S. market. In this dynamic role, you will collaborate with our teams of consultants and subject matter experts to drive business development efforts and support the growth of Consumer relationships across segments – Consumer Packaged Goods, Retail, Apparel, Luxury, Media, Entertainment, Sports & the broader Food chain. Key responsibilities include generating business development materials, conducting market research, managing project workflows, and maintaining knowledge assets. As a core member of the U.S. Commercial Center of Excellence, you will provide strategic insights and client engagement support to help deliver impactful human capital solutions. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and problem-solver with the ability to manage multiple priorities. This role reports primarily to the U.S. Consumer Research Leader, with additional reporting to the US Consumer Team Leader. At Egon Zehnder’s Consumer Practice, we have the unique privilege of collaborating with some of the world’s most iconic brands. In an era marked by disruption and escalating shareholder demands, the need for transformational leadership in consumer companies has never been more critical. Our expertise lies in identifying and nurturing top-tier talent while fostering leadership development within organizations. With a team of over 150 seasoned consultants globally who hail directly from the consumer industry, we possess an insider’s understanding of the challenges our clients face. Over the past five years, we've successfully completed more than 6,500 assignments, including over 500 CEO searches, establishing ourselves as leaders in talent advisory, CEO succession, and C-suite assessment and coaching. With 67 offices around the globe, 15 in the US, we bring a wealth of diverse perspectives to the table, empowering us to deliver insights that matter. The Commercial Specialist should bring relevant experience—or a strong interest—in engaging with senior executives and supporting business development at the highest levels. This includes creating materials, tools, and processes that enable consultants to expand and deepen client relationships across our firm’s Services. Success in this role requires a collaborative mindset and a proactive approach to sharing ideas, asking questions, and contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
A minimum of 3 years’ professional work experience (post-undergrad)
Demonstrated functional experience of a similar nature (e.g., B2B sales, pitching, qualitative or legal research, professional services/consulting, project planning)
Previous project-based experience working effectively on multiple mandates simultaneously
Ability to effectively operate in a fast-paced, client-driven environment
Exceptional critical thinking and analytical skills
Proficient in MS Office, specifically PowerPoint
Excellent verbal and written communication ability
Demonstrates strong attention to detail

Nice To Haves

Affinity and interest in the Consumer market and/or professional services
Superior engagement management abilities and initiative to lead projects with minimal guidance or supervision
Demonstrated ability to push back constructively and offer solutions
Forward-thinking, structured, and process-oriented thinker
Proficient in Excel, Sharepoint administration
Certified in Knowledge Management and/or Project Management
Self-starter mentality with good business judgement

Responsibilities

Provide creative pitch materials and outreach strategies to client facing teams with a consistent focus on quality and speed
Create high-quality client documentation (e.g., pitch decks, scope of work/letter of proposal documents, pricing strategies, sample reports, etc.)
Design and implement self-service tools and resources to streamline pitch development and execution, including standardized templates, pricing models, and customized materials.
Lead and support business development initiatives by proactively tracking market trends, company developments, and executive movements to inform strategic outreach in collaboration with the Practice Team Leader, Research Leader and Market Analyst.
Act as a partner with consultants to build targeted event lists for business development-related dinners, conferences, and other points of connection
Build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
Serve as the Pre-Project (pitches & business development) Expert for multiple simultaneous projects in collaboration with Consultants and other members of the Research team
Work with the market analyst to identify priority targets through market research, leveraging various data sources, and developing tailored, scalable business development solutions.
Identify, calibrate and prioritize potential business development materials and solutions through a thorough research process, the internal Firm network and external resources
Work broadly across different Firm offerings to continue developing a well-rounded understanding of our solutions to identify the best solutions for individual client needs
Support global knowledge management by sharing expertise, capturing best practices, and building a strong internal network within key segments or functions.
Maintain and grow the US Consumer Practice’s regional Knowledge Base by sharing bespoke work product, generating new standard materials, and categorizing submitted materials.
Develop an area of subject matter expertise, providing strategic guidance and high-quality insights on important trends and topics to support client teams