Strategy Insights & Planning Consultant – Commercial & Portfolio Strategy

ZS • South San Francisco, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

ZS’s Insights & Analytics group partners with clients to design and deliver solutions to complex business challenges, combining strategic problem solving, data-driven insights, and industry expertise. The Strategy Insights & Planning Consultant supports commercial and portfolio strategy work in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, helping clients make decisions across product portfolios, brands, and commercial organizations. The role calls for a structured problem solver who can turn ambiguous business questions into analytical approaches, synthesize complex information, and communicate strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders. It is a fast-paced, client-facing position involving executive communication, commercial acumen, and management of multiple workstreams and priorities.

Requirements

• MBA and a bachelor’s degree in business, economics, marketing, life sciences, engineering, applied mathematics, statistics, or a related field; candidates with significant relevant professional experience may also be considered.
• Relevant professional experience in commercial strategy, portfolio strategy, marketing or brand strategy, commercialization, product strategy, or strategic planning.
• Meaningful understanding of the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry and its commercial environment.
• Ability to solve unstructured and ambiguous business problems using a hypothesis-driven, structured approach.
• Experience working across strategy and data, interpreting analysis and translating it into business recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear, concise communication and the ability to build a compelling strategic narrative.
• Strong executive presence and comfort working directly with clients and senior stakeholders.
• Experience developing and presenting executive-level PowerPoint presentations.
• Strong commercial understanding of products and brands, rather than exclusively product development or technical product management.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced consulting environment while balancing multiple priorities.
• Strong leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Prior consulting experience is strongly preferred, but is not required for candidates with highly relevant strategic industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Partner with project leadership and clients to define commercial and portfolio strategy questions and develop structured approaches to solving them.
• Support work related to portfolio strategy, commercialization, launch strategy, marketing strategy, brand strategy, and broader organizational strategy.
• Structure ambiguous business problems, develop hypotheses, and identify analyses and information needed to reach actionable recommendations.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of commercial opportunities, product and brand performance, market dynamics, and strategic alternatives.
• Translate data and complex analyses into business implications and strategic recommendations.
• Develop executive-ready presentations that communicate a clear story and lead clients from insight to recommendation.
• Communicate with client stakeholders and contribute to senior-level client discussions.
• Lead project workstreams, coordinate team activities, and ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Provide thought leadership and contribute new perspectives to client engagements and internal practice areas.
• Coach and mentor junior team members and contribute to firm initiatives and business development activities.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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