Specialist - Professional Development

McKinsey & Company; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

McKinsey & Company in Sydney is seeking a temporary Professional Development professional to shape consultant growth and staffing for engagements, with a focus on aspirations, experiences and development needs.

You will collaborate with Partners, consultants and PD colleagues across Australia and New Zealand, delivering integrated development, talent management and staffing; the role emphasizes collaboration and hands-on execution.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in a Professional Development role.
• Proven performance in current and past roles.
• Ability to develop professional relationships with Partners, consultants, and PD colleagues.
• Natural counselor, coach, and mentor.
• Strong integrity, maturity, and confidentiality in dealing with people.

Responsibilities

• Lead professional development for consultant colleagues including integration, staffing, and evaluation.
• Coordinate talent management for a sector and/or role path and lead initiatives.
• Foster trusted relationships with Partners and consultants to optimize staffing on engagements.
• Provide strategic input and hands-on execution on people-related initiatives.

Skills

Professional Development experience

Relationship building

Coaching and mentoring

Collaborative approach

Strategic thinking

English proficiency

Job description

You will form a credible, trust-based professional relationship with each consultant, including an in-depth understanding of professional aspirations, experiences, strengths, development needs, and relevant personal circumstances – both on an on-going basis and around specific engagements.

You will work in our Sydney office as part of our Professional Development (PD) team. You will have an exciting opportunity to join an established team that covers six locations across Australia and New Zealand. Each member of our Professional Development team has three main areas of responsibility—leading professional development for consultant colleagues, including integration, development, staffing, and evaluation, leading the talent management for a specific sector and/or role path and leading at least one major people initiative.

Your work is all about collaboration and co-creation! You will develop trusting and positive relationships with partners, consultants, and other PD colleagues to ensure consultants are staffed on teams that meet both client needs and the professional development needs of the individual consultants.

You will foster productive debate, sharing your thoughts in a professional, inclusive manner. You are expected to provide strategic thought leadership and have a grounded mindset to ‘roll up one’s sleeves’ and be active in execution.

You will monitor consultants’ development and provide counsel on appropriate assignments, skill development & training, career progression, mobility and other topics as they arise. You will be a discussion and thought partner, fostering an in-depth understanding of consultants’ professional aspirations, experiences, strengths, development needs, and relevant personal circumstances. Based on all of this and in response to client needs, you will facilitate staffing for consultants.

As a talent management lead for a particular sector or practice, you will build strong trust-based relationships with our partners and enable better decision making on both a tactical (e.g., effective and efficient team formation) and strategic (e.g., longer term sector strategy and people pipeline/initiatives) level. You will also help create and maintain a vibrant professional community by supporting consultant cohorts and our partner leads. You will take an active role as a thought leader and rolling up your sleeves to implement various people-related initiatives.

This is a temporary role with an expected duration of 8 months.

Your Impact

You will form a credible, trust-based professional relationship with each consultant, including an in-depth understanding of professional aspirations, experiences, strengths, development needs, and relevant personal circumstances – both on an on-going basis and around specific engagements.

You will work in our Sydney office as part of our Professional Development (PD) team. You will have an exciting opportunity to join an established team that covers six locations across Australia and New Zealand. Each member of our Professional Development team has three main areas of responsibility—leading professional development for consultant colleagues, including integration, development, staffing, and evaluation, leading the talent management for a specific sector and/or role path and leading at least one major people initiative.

Your work is all about collaboration and co-creation! You will develop trusting and positive relationships with partners, consultants, and other PD colleagues to ensure consultants are staffed on teams that meet both client needs and the professional development needs of the individual consultants.

You will foster productive debate, sharing your thoughts in a professional, inclusive manner. You are expected to provide strategic thought leadership and have a grounded mindset to ‘roll up one’s sleeves’ and be active in execution.

You will monitor consultants’ development and provide counsel on appropriate assignments, skill development & training, career progression, mobility and other topics as they arise. You will be a discussion and thought partner, fostering an in-depth understanding of consultants’ professional aspirations, experiences, strengths, development needs, and relevant personal circumstances. Based on all of this and in response to client needs, you will facilitate staffing for consultants.

As a talent management lead for a particular sector or practice, you will build strong trust-based relationships with our partners and enable better decision making on both a tactical (e.g., effective and efficient team formation) and strategic (e.g., longer term sector strategy and people pipeline/initiatives) level. You will also help create and maintain a vibrant professional community by supporting consultant cohorts and our partner leads. You will take an active role as a thought leader and rolling up your sleeves to implement various people-related initiatives.

This is a temporary role with an expected duration of 8 months.

Your Growth

You are someone who thrives in a high-performance environment, bringing a growth mindset and entrepreneurial spirit to tackle meaningful challenges that have a real impact.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities to help you quickly broaden your expertise, grow into a well-rounded professional, and contribute to work that truly makes a difference.

When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning:Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast-paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters:From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community:With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Exceptional benefits:On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well-being for you and your family.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Must have extensive years of experience in a Professional Development role
• Must have demonstrated strong performance in current and past roles
• Ability to develop professional relationships and connect as a trusted and respected peer with Partners, consultants, and Professional Development colleagues
• Natural counselor, coach, and mentor
• Strong integrity, maturity, and fairness in dealing with people and confidential information
• A nonhierarchical approach; flexibility and ability to build consensus
• Proactive self-starter
• Approachable and enthusiastic, with a can-do attitude
• Must be amenable to an 8-month, temporary role
• Excellent interpersonal skills and collaborative style, with strong communication skills at all levels and native level language skills in English

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