Principal Consultant - Forest

Fastmarkets; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global commodities information provider is seeking a Principal Consultant for their dynamic team, specializing in the forest products industry. The ideal candidate will possess over 10 years of experience in consulting, with a strong emphasis on building client relationships and delivering high-quality market analyses. This full-time role emphasizes collaboration, business development, and requires excellent communication skills. The position is based in Greater London, United Kingdom, with expectations for flexibility in travel when needed.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of consulting experience in forest products commodities research.
• Ability to manage and conduct commodity market studies independently.
• Strong business development acumen.
• Experience in complex solution selling and management of single-client consultancy services.

Responsibilities

• Manage and execute commodity-related market consultancy projects.
• Deliver high-quality analytical reports tailored to client needs.
• Develop customer relationships to drive consultancy practice success.
• Create customized proposals and pitch decks.

Skills

Consulting experience in forest products

Business development

Communication skills

Project management

Client relationship management

Flexibility to travel

Job description

Fastmarkets is an industry‑leading price‑reporting agency (PRA) and information provider for global commodities. It offers price data, news, analytics and events for the agriculture, forest products, metals and mining, and new‑generation energy markets. Fastmarkets’ data is critical for customers seeking to understand and predict dynamic, sometimes opaque markets, enabling trading and risk management. With a history dating back to 1865, Fastmarkets is built on trust and deep market knowledge and employs more than 700 people across global locations in the United Kingdom, United States, China, India, Singapore, Brazil, Belgium, Finland and beyond.

Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate eager to help leading companies and market participants by delivering custom consulting engagements that enable our clients to thrive in volatile commodity markets. The Principal Consultant will lead and deliver custom consulting and research projects that span the forest products industry—including timber, wood products, pulp, paper, packaging and tissue. Projects include tailored market overviews and outlooks, assessments and analysis supporting financing, financial due‑diligence, feedstock analysis, industry cost modelling, supply‑chain mapping and other bespoke engagements. The role is part of a dynamic global team dedicated to analysing and forecasting the forest products industry and leverages Fastmarkets’ existing data, insights and analyst team.

Responsibilities

• Winning, executing, and project‑managing a range of commodity‑related market consultancy projects across forest products markets
• Leading the delivery of consultancy projects with a strong onus on meeting client requirements, expectations and deadlines utilizing modelling, data collection, and research interview techniques
• Developing and delivering compelling and high‑quality deliverables that are robust, accurate, and well‑researched
• Customizing house forecasts and cost models, including supply, demand, capacity, cost, and other critical metrics
• Partnering with our sales teams to develop and support strategies to drive the commercial success of the consulting practice
• Developing and building existing customer relationships and acquiring new consultancy customers, as well as repeat business
• Creating customized pitch decks and proposals utilizing strong technical knowledge of the commodity markets
• Participating in events and sales/marketing activities with a focus on existing and potential client business opportunities
• Utilizing professional network to source independent contractors to support delivery of engagements

Qualifications

We recruit talented, dynamic people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, united by a belief in our mission to provide the world’s leading and most trusted price reporting, events, and intelligence service. We’re proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer committed to a fully inclusive workplace. If you are open‑minded, curious, resilient, solutions‑oriented and committed to promoting equality, then read on.

• 10+ years of consulting experience in forest products commodities research and analysis, including timber, pulp, paper, packaging and/or timber
• Ability and experience in managing, conducting, and researching commodity market studies both independently and as part of a geographically dispersed team
• Strong acumen and desire for business development
• Experience in complex solution selling and project execution/management involving single‑client consultancy services
• Experience in project and client relationship management across varying customer profiles
• Strong commercial focus with good understanding from working with stakeholders at C‑level
• Fluent in English; a second language preferred
• Effective communication in person, online, and in writing (Word and PowerPoint)
• Flexibility and willingness to travel when required
• An established client and industry contact network is desirable
• Self‑starter and ‘hunter’ mentality with strong personal drive
• Accountable and performance‑driven
• Effective, amiable team player keen on making clients, project members, and colleagues happy while achieving ambitious objectives

Our Values

• Metrics Driven. We use insights to improve our customers’ experience and our business performance
• Accountable. We keep our promises and get things done
• Growth Mindset. Enables us to be nimble to changing realities and operate with a sense of urgency
• Inclusive. We are inclusive and respectful, giving everyone a deep sense of belonging
• Customer Centric. We are customer‑centric in all that we do
• Collaborative. We work across teams and capitalize on the diversity of intellect, perspectives, and experiences

Job Details

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Consulting

Industries: Information Services