Assistant Director, Retail Strategy, Strategy & Business Design

Deloitte LLP; City Of London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm is seeking an Assistant Director in their Retail Strategy practice. This role involves leading strategy and M&A engagements, building strong client relationships, and mentoring junior colleagues for project success. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in retail strategy, exceptional analytical skills, and a strong academic background. Flexibility to travel is required. The position is based in London, UK.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in leading strategy in retail, consultancy or corporate strategy development.
• Ability to manage teams in project-based/client-facing environments.
• Strong understanding of retail sectors and market landscape.
• Analytical and commercially astute with experience leading analytical teams.
• Strong academic track record.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and M&A engagements from scoping through delivery.
• Develop and sustain relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Manage business development activities and grow client accounts.
• Lead all aspects of client engagements, including analysis and risk.
• Mentor junior colleagues for successful project delivery.

Skills

Leadership in strategy

Relationship management

Analytical skills

Business development

Mentoring

Education

Postgraduate or professional qualification (e.g., MBA)

Job description

About the role

Assistant Director in Deloitte’s Retail Strategy practice. You will lead industry‑specific strategy and M&A engagements, working with executive‑level clients to shape strategic choices, develop commercial models, and drive operational excellence. You will build strong client and internal relationships, spearhead business development, mentor junior colleagues, and support practice growth.

Responsibilities

• Independently lead strategy and M&A engagements from scoping through delivery, managing engagement teams and collaborating with Partners and other internal teams.
• Develop, build, and sustain strong professional relationships with clients and internal stakeholders across the Firm.
• Proactively source, develop and manage business development activities, collaborating internally to grow client accounts and profitable engagements.
• Lead the execution of all aspects of client engagements, including scoping, analysis, evaluation, communications, financials, risk, and quality.
• Master strategy tools and frameworks to solve client problems, and share best practice within the team.
• Lead and mentor junior colleagues to ensure successful project delivery, fostering their technical as well as soft‑skill growth and career aspirations.
• Play a leadership role in practice management, championing the practice’s objectives within Deloitte.
• Continuously develop your own skills, seek feedback, build knowledge, and share insights with colleagues.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading strategy in retail, whether in management/strategy consultancy or corporate strategy development.
• Demonstrated ability to direct and manage teams in a project‑based or client‑facing environment, and to handle senior stakeholder relationships.
• Strong understanding of one or more retail sectors, including market landscape, trends, opportunities, challenges, and drivers of change.
• Highly analytical and commercially astute, with experience leading analytical teams.
• Excellent ability to construct and evidence strategic arguments, structure analysis, and assess market challenges and opportunities.
• Strong academic track record.
• Flexibility to travel as required.
• Postgraduate or professional qualification (e.g., MBA or equivalent).