Associate, Leadership Advisory Services

Spencer Stuart; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Spencer Stuart’s Leadership Advisory Services (LAS) Practice seeks an LAS Associate to support consultants in the full execution of client engagements, including deep-dive executive assessments and the creation of written materials based on assessment findings. The role involves participating in all engagement stages from business development through advisory recommendations and client feedback.

The successful candidate will engage with LAS consultants, manage stakeholder communications, and

Qualifications

• Three or more years of experience in leadership consulting or related professional services settings.
• Strong business writing skills and ability to communicate with executive audiences.
• Excellent English and Arabic language skills (written and spoken).

Responsibilities

• Support consultants in the execution of client engagements, including multi-method executive assessments.
• Prepare written client assessment reports and development recommendations.
• Contribute to client presentations, reports and feedback sessions.
• Assist in engagement planning, timelines and coordination across time zones.

Job description

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 and scale. The LAS Practice today encompasses 180+ full time, dedicated Consultants, Senior Associates, Associates, Analysts, Project Managers, Project Coordinators, and Solution Leaders globally. In the past five years, the practice has consistently experienced double digit year-over-year topline revenue growth.

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 across 3 services lines: 1) Assessment, 2) Organizational consulting and 3) Development/Coaching including:

• Aligning culture and talent strategy with business strategy
• Maximizing team effectiveness
• Executive assessment and CEO succession
• Talent development and transition support

Position Summary

The LAS Associate supports Consultants in the full execution of client engagements, including the deep-dive, multi-method assessment of executives and the formulation of written materials relative to assessment and development findings. The Associate takes part in all stages of the engagement lifecycle, from business development/RFP through advisory recommendations and client/participant feedback.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to:

Consultants (on a per-engagement basis)

Other key relationships:

• LAS Consultants
• LAS People Manager
• LAS Executive Assistants
• LAS Associates, Senior Associates and Analysts
• Home Office Colleagues, LAS and Search Corporate Training and Information Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Client-facing:

The LAS Associate is critical to the execution of client engagements and plays an active role in all aspects of the engagement lifecycle, from business development and execution through close. The successful candidate will handle multiple engagements across varied time zones with competing deadlines, and will work effectively with individuals who have differing styles, in order to consistently produce world-class deliverables for the firm’s clients.

• Fosters business development opportunities and assists in preparing pitch presentations; participates in new business pitches.
• At the outset of the client engagement, participates in stakeholder calls with board members and other key stakeholders.
• Assists in the development of client communications and engagement plans, position descriptions, capability models, interview guides and customer deliverables.
• Assists in the administration of cultural assessment tools, both as a standalone advisory offering and/or in combination with other LAS products and services.
• Participates in the assessment of executives through structured capability-based interviews using proprietary leadership capability framework; conducts rigorous internal and external 360 referencing interviews.
• Works with consultants to synthesize data from multi-method assessments; prepares written client assessment reports to present an integrated point of view of a candidate’s strengths, potential and development priorities.
• Contributes to client presentations and other documents, identifying key organizational, cultural or strategic findings relative to the engagement.
• Participates in client meetings to communicate assessment findings.
• Works with consultants to draft executive feedback reports, including specific, actionable development ideas for executives.
• Participates in executive feedback sessions and provides support for the creation of customized executive development plans.

Engagement management:

In collaboration with relevant team members (including but not limited to executive assistants, LAS consultants, and search consultants/associates) the LAS Associate participates in the planning and management of the engagement lifecycle. Working with limited technology resources and a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders, often spanning time-zones and geographies, the LAS Associate assists in driving high-touch, high-value engagement management and seamless execution.

• Demonstrates initiative and commitment by doing what is needed at all phases of the process.
• Over time, develops an understanding of the resources required to execute all aspects of the engagement life-cycle; leverages this insight to consistently and proactively develop engagement plans and timelines, and anticipate next steps.
• Communicates progress to the client and/or engagement team at agreed-upon intervals.
• Fosters close communication and builds strong working relationships with peers and colleagues, including executive assistants, associates and analysts
• Manages a large volume of information with rigorous attention to detail; develops personal systems and tactics for maximizing personal organization and productivity.

Practice building:

As the LAS Practice is experiencing an accelerated growth trajectory and serving as a strategic incubator of sorts for the broader firm, it is evolving its approach to assessment in search. As such, the LAS Practice encourages an “all hands on deck” attitude from each of its members.

• Supports the continuous improvement and development of Advisory and Assessment products and processes; contributes to local, practice and firm-wide initiatives.
• Commits time, effort and insight to LAS working groups and focused initiatives as required.
• Practice-building activities may include but are not limited to: providing ongoing targeted feedback on current/existing LAS tools; assisting in the development of additional proprietary assessment tools; analyzing current business process methodologies and contributing to business process improvement initiatives; assisting in the due diligence of potential partner organizations or business development targets.
• Participates and/or facilitates training and product roll outs across the broader firm.
• Builds relationships with and proactively engages with Search colleagues to develop an understanding of the firm’s core search business and facilitate a wider understanding of LAS products, services and strategy.
• Proactively contributes to the generation of intellectual capital and the aggregation of key practice information to be shared with and/or leveraged by LAS colleagues.

Candidate Profile

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

• Three or more years of experience in relevant leadership consulting, advisory or other professional services settings, or five or more years of experience in corporate human resources management, with a focus on talent development.
• Demonstrated interest in organizational development, organizational psychology or behavioral psychology.
• Superior business writing skills (as evidenced through project work or writing samples to be provided upon request).
• General business acumen, as defined by a keen and quick understanding of a range of business situations/contexts.
• Direct interaction/experience with executive-level clients is advantageous but not required.
• An undergraduate degree from a highly competitive university is required. An advanced degree is preferable.
• Excellent knowledge of English and Arabic language, both written and spoken. Command of additional languages is advantageous.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Driving Results

• Works to meet/beat explicit goals.
• Works to achieve goals while overcoming obstacles and/or planning for contingencies.
• Shows strong feelings (such as urgency) about reaching targets.
• Checks work of self and others against required quality standards.
• Reviews performance and progress on a regular basis to ensure team is achieving results and/or seeking corrective action based on deviations.

Collaborating and Influencing

• Engages individually to build collaboration.
• Invites and uses the opinions and perspectives of others.
• Engages people in a dialogue to gain commitment and bring them "on board," linking their perspectives to the intent.
• Adapts own approach to the audience or individuals, anticipating impact of words and actions, preparing for possible resistance, and responding in an appropriate, respectful manner with a range of influencing styles.
• Checks with both sides of a discussion to ensure common understanding.
• Takes initiative to maintain contacts.

Customer/Client Mindse"t

• Highly responsive to clients and follows good process.
• Works to do things correctly in order to maximize client satisfaction.
• Uses consistent approaches and good processes to address client needs.
• Respects client needs and places highest importance on delivering timely and effective service.
• Addresses client concerns both proactively and reactively.
• Demonstrates a keen sense of urgency and professionalism in responding to client communications and navigating client situations.

To see and hear more about our organization, its culture and values, as well as what it’s like to work at Spencer Stuart, please visit https://www.spencerstuart.com/who-we-are/careers-at-spencer-stuart

In order to be considered for this role you must complete an application on Spencer Stuart's website. We will not be able to consider your candidacy unless an application is received.

Spencer Stuart is a proud equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to non-discrimination without regard to actual or perceived race, ethnicity, creed, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, immigration status, ancestry, age, marital status, protected veteran status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any basis prohibited under applicable federal, state or local law.