Strategy Insights & Planning Associate Consultant-Business Advisory

ZS • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client-first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business.

Advisory Associate Consultant
ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on transforming global healthcare and beyond, our most valuable asset is our people. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping solutions from start to finish. At ZS, we believe that making an impact demands a different approach; and that’s why here your ideas elevate actions, and here you’ll have the freedom to define your own path and pursue cutting-edge work. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business including portfolio strategy, customer insights, research and development, operational and technology transformation, marketing strategy and many more. If you dare to think differently, join us, and find a path where your passion can change lives.

Our most valuable asset is our people.
At ZS we honor the visible and invisible elements of our identities, personal experiences and belief systems—the ones that comprise us as individuals, shape who we are and
make us unique. We believe your personal interests, identities, and desire to learn are part of your success here. Learn more about our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces, obtaining the resources they need to thrive, and sharing the messages they are passionate about.

Requirements

• At least 3-4 years of relevant work experience in a management consulting firm. Candidates with MBA or PhD and 3+ years of relevant experience may be considered
• Relevant MBA or an advanced degree ideally in business, economics, marketing, psychology, physical or life sciences, engineering, applied math, statistics, or related fields. Relevant PhD ideally in life sciences, health economics, decision sciences or related field with a business application
• Strong oral and verbal professional communication skills
• Skilled at navigating complex stakeholder environments and aligning diverse perspectives, with strong problem-solving abilities to address ambiguous challenges and uncover innovative or disruptive solutions
• Ability to understand client needs deeply and tailor solutions that deliver measurable impact
• Strong motivation, work ethic, maturity, and personal initiative
• Thrives in fast-paced environments, maintaining composure and focus under pressure while effectively managing multiple projects and balancing competing priorities.
• Strong attention to detail, with a quality-focused mindset
• Expertise in macro industry and/or functional trends and the ability to apply them to client contexts
• Demonstrates strong business and financial acumen with the ability to interpret strategic documents and financial statements, draw meaningful conclusions, and communicate implications—while also exhibiting sharp business intuition and the agility to quickly grasp and influence executive priorities
• Passion for learning and intellectually curious

Responsibilities

• Support project leadership in developing strategic approaches, facilitating cross-functional thinking, and contributing to solutions for industry-wide trends and challenges
• Contribute to project delivery by coordinating day-to-day activities, managing timelines, and collaborating closely with clients, internal teams, and leadership to drive high-quality outcomes
• Assist in communicating key business insights and interdependencies across client and internal teams to ensure shared understanding and alignment
• Contribute ideas and analytical perspectives to enhance project work, practice initiatives, and client engagements
• Contribute to complex, often ambiguous, problem-solving efforts by analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, generating insights, and applying creative thinking to help address complex client challenges
• Support the development of clear, compelling deliverables that connect analysis to the recommendation, helping clients make confident decisions
• Assist with project execution project task execution by managing assigned workstreams, organizing project materials, conducting key analyses, and coordinating with team members to ensure timely progress and high-quality outcomes
• Participate and contribute to internal firm initiatives
• Champion ZS culture and values. Integrate within our values driven culture as a team player; Embody ZS’s values of treating people right, doing the right thing, and getting it right
• Actively participate in and support team & office events to cultivate an engaging, inclusive ZS work life beyond day-to-day project work

Benefits

• Comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well‑being, financial future, time away, and professional development.
• Robust skills‑building programs
• Multiple career progression paths
• Internal mobility
• Deeply collaborative culture

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level