Strategic Consultant - Life Technology

M&G; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services firm in Edinburgh is seeking a Strategic Consultant to join their Life Technology Strategy team. This role involves driving innovation and strategic initiatives aligned with business goals, fostering stakeholder engagement, and ensuring the effective delivery of technology solutions. Ideal candidates will have strong stakeholder management skills, critical thinking abilities, and experience in navigating complex organizations. This position offers opportunities for impactful contributions to digital and AI-driven solutions.

Qualifications

• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Experience in requirements elicitation and management.
• Strong critical thinking and structured problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic reviews and deliver innovative solutions.
• Facilitate discussions to gather insights for transformative initiatives.
• Develop comprehensive business cases for strategic initiatives.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Requirements elicitation

Critical thinking

Communication skills

IT industry knowledge

Commercial acumen

Job description

At M&G our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. As an international savings and investments business with roots stretching back more than 170 years, we offer a range of financial products and services through Asset Management, Life and Wealth. All three operating segments work together to deliver attractive financial outcomes for our clients, and superior shareholder returns.

Through our behaviours of telling it like it is, owning it now, and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Strategic Consultant to join our Life Technology Strategy team. This dynamic role operates as an in‑house consultancy, partnering with senior business and technology stakeholders to shape the future of Life Technology. You will drive strategic review, challenge, and deliver innovative solutions that align with long‑term business goals.

As a key member of the team, reporting through the LIFE Technology Strategy Function, you will be instrumental in identifying, defining, and executing strategic initiatives. You will create compelling business cases and contribute to the overall strategic roadmap, ensuring alignment with our business objectives and positioning Life Technology as a leader in digital, data, and AI innovation.

Our Strategic Consultants are catalysts for transformational change, ensuring all efforts support the company’s vision and deliver measurable value. You will help shape a cohesive technology, digital, and data strategy, acting as a trusted advisor and thought leader within the organization.

Your role will involve staying ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies, with a strong focus on digital, data, and AI opportunities. You will proactively identify strategic opportunities, translate complex technical concepts into actionable, consumable, and exciting business recommendations, and drive innovation across Life Technology.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build influential relationships across the organization to understand major pain points and strategic challenges.
• Facilitate strategic discussions to gather insights and secure buy‑in for transformative initiatives.
• Partner with Technology and Enterprise Architecture teams to ensure strategic alignment.

Market & Innovation Analysis

• Proactively identify innovation opportunities, monitor market disruption, and engage with technology and third‑party partners.
• Benchmark against external consultancies to ensure Life Technology remains at the forefront of industry best practice.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Identify and articulate technical innovation opportunities in clear, actionable terms for non‑technical stakeholders.
• Define and document strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
• Develop comprehensive business cases, including solution options, cost/benefit analysis, risk assessment, and timelines.
• Support the creation of detailed technology roadmaps and delivery plans.

Consultancy Delivery & Communication

• Prepare high‑level requirements and scope documentation for approved business cases.
• Lead handover sessions to delivery teams, ensuring strategic intent is maintained.
• Develop and present compelling presentations tailored for senior stakeholders.

Community-Driven Innovation & Best Practice

• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the strategic consultancy community.
• Share ideas, develop common practices, and drive an innovative framework across Life Technology.

What Success Looks Like

• Progress Investment in Technology: Champion and secure investment for transformative technology initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and delivering measurable business value.
• Advance AI and Data Initiatives: Drive the identification, development, and adoption of AI and data‑driven solutions that address complex business challenges and position Life Technology as an industry leader.
• Achieve Stakeholder Buy‑In: Consistently gain support for strategic activity pitches from senior stakeholders, leveraging compelling business cases and clear communication of benefits, risks, and returns.
• Deliver Effective Communication: Articulate strategic objectives and technology roadmaps in a way that inspires action and clarity across all levels of the organization, ensuring everyone understands and is engaged with the vision.
• Contribute to LIFE 2.0 Technology Strategy: Play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the LIFE 2.0 Technology Strategy, ensuring all consultancy activities are aligned with the broader transformation agenda and drive forward the future of Life Technology.

• Success in this role means being recognized as a trusted advisor, a catalyst for innovation, and a key contributor to the ongoing evolution and competitive edge of Life Technology.

Key Skills and Experience

• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, building trust and facilitating decision‑making across the organization.
• Advanced requirements elicitation and management, including complex strategic needs.
• Critical thinking and structured problem‑solving, with a track record of delivering effective solutions.
• Experience driving and supporting change initiatives, including impact evaluation and adoption guidance.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with expertise in facilitating workshops and strategic discussions.
• Deep knowledge of the IT industry and emerging trends, with a focus on world‑class digital customer experiences.
• Commercial acumen, evaluating risks, benefits, and returns for technology solutions and communicating these to key decision‑makers.
• Experience navigating large, complex organizations and challenging the status quo.
• Proven ability to articulate and implement strategic vision, translating it into practical action and execution.
• Experience creating, refining, and presenting business cases for technology investment.

Recruiter: Martyn Jack

We have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture at M&G plc, underpinned by our policies and our employee‑led networks who provide networking opportunities, advice and support for the diverse communities our colleagues represent. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or long term condition, we are looking to attract, promote and retain exceptional people. We also welcome those who take part in military service and those returning from career breaks.

M&G is also proud to be a Disability Confident Leader, and we welcome applications from candidates with long‑term health conditions, disabilities, or neuro‑divergent conditions. Being a Disability Confident Leader means that candidates who meet the minimum criteria of a job, will be offered an interview if they 'opt in' to the scheme when applying.

Ifyou need assistanceor an alternative means of applying for a role due to a disability or additional need,pleaselet usknow by contacting us at: [e-mail]