Strategy Insights & Planning Associate Consultant : Life Sciences & Commercial Strategy

ZS • Philadelphia, PA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

ZS's Strategy Insights and Planning teams partner with clients to design and deliver solutions to a broad range of business challenges. Teams work on multiple projects simultaneously, using advanced data analytics, problem-solving techniques, rigorous research, and deep expertise.

The Associate Consultant will support a leading pharmaceutical organization as it navigates a rapidly evolving commercial landscape. Working alongside consultants, strategists, and analytics professionals, the role helps solve complex business challenges, generate actionable commercial insights, and shape strategic decisions that influence patient outcomes. The position offers exposure to commercial excellence, market insights, analytics, and strategy engagements.

The role includes supporting commercial excellence and transformation initiatives, conducting market and desk research, designing analyses, translating complex business questions into actionable recommendations, and communicating findings to clients and teams. It also involves collaborating across global teams, supporting project plans and client updates, building client relationships, advancing problem-solving capabilities, and mentoring Associates.

The position follows a hybrid working model, combining work from home with on-site work at client and ZS offices for most of the week. Travel is required for client-facing employees as project and client needs dictate. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship. An online application and a full set of official or unofficial transcripts are required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in any discipline, with a strong academic record in quantitative and analytic coursework.
• At least 3 years of relevant post-collegiate work experience; a PhD may substitute for work experience.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and ambiguous business challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with clients and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Basic AI aptitude and curiosity, with openness to using AI-enabled tools for research, analysis, problem-solving, and productivity.
• Ability to combine quantitative analysis with qualitative insights to evaluate business problems, identify trends, and develop actionable recommendations.
• High motivation, good work ethic, maturity, and personal initiative.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Empathy, adaptability, and high personal impact.
• Strong attention to detail and a quality-focused mindset.
• Self-discipline in planning and organizing tasks.
• Aptitude for and enjoyment of team leadership.
• Fluency in English.
• Client-first mentality, intense work ethic, collaborative spirit, and problem-solving approach.
• Authorization to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or broader life sciences industry.
• Exposure to commercial analytics, market research, forecasting, customer insights, or related strategic consulting work.

Responsibilities

• Use problem-solving skills and frameworks to develop solutions to clients' business problems.
• Assist in structuring and conducting market research or desk research to derive insights and support client decision-making.
• Design custom analyses using tools such as Excel and ZS proprietary software.
• Synthesize and communicate results to clients and ZS teams through oral and written presentations.
• Support commercial excellence initiatives, including field force strategy, customer engagement planning, performance analytics, and business optimization.
• Translate complex business questions into structured analyses and actionable recommendations for clients and project teams.
• Collaborate across global teams using an onshore-offshore delivery model.
• Contribute to strategy, insights, analytics, and commercial transformation engagements across business functions and therapeutic areas.
• Develop client relationships and serve as a key point of contact for certain project aspects.
• Support program plan management, conduct regular client status updates, mitigate risks and issues, and help ensure project goals and deadlines are met.
• Advance problem-solving skills and improve ZS's capabilities.
• Mentor and support the development of Associates on projects and teams.

Benefits

• Comprehensive total rewards package supporting health and well-being, financial future, time away, and professional development.
• Skills-building programs.
• Multiple career progression paths and internal mobility.
• Collaborative culture.

What This Job Offers

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