Strategy Consultant / Manager SCO - Strategic Sourcing and Cost Reduction

Job Role: Strategy Consultant/Strategy Manager

Location: London

Career Level: Consultant to Manager (Career Level 9 to 7)

Industry/Sector: Energy, Consumer Goods & Services, Communications and Media, Insurance, Banking and Capital Markets

Functional Area: Strategic Sourcing and Cost Reduction

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. With our thought leadership and culture of innovation, we apply industry expertise, diverse skill sets and next-generation technology to each business challenge.

We believe in inclusion and diversity and supporting the whole person. Our core values comprise Stewardship, Best People, Client Value Creation, One Global Network, Respect for the Individual and Integrity. Year after year, Accenture is recognised worldwide not just for business performance but for inclusion and diversity too.

As a team:

Accenture Strategy shapes our clients’ future, combining deep business insight with the understanding of how technology will impact industry and business models. In joining Accenture Strategy you will drive the CEO agenda on issues related to digital disruption, competitive agility, global operating models, and workforce of the future to identify new sources of value.

You'll learn, grow and advance in an innovative culture that thrives on shared success, diverse ways of thinking and enables boundaryless opportunities that can drive your career in new and exciting ways.

If you’re looking for a challenging career working in a vibrant environment with access to training and a global network of experts, this could be the role for you!

Supply Chain and Operations is a major functionally-oriented strategy and consulting practice: we help our clients to identify and quantify the transformational opportunities available in today’s dynamic business environment.

Our work spans a range of value-focused operations assignments from redefining an operating model, reconfiguring national, regional or global supply chain footprint and capabilities through to global sourcing of core categories and creation of supply chain risk frameworks to ensure that potential risks are transparent and the extended supply chain is resilient.

Accenture SC&O Strategy focuses on the following elements:

• Strategic Cost Reduction & Working Capital
• End-to-End Supply Chain & Operation Transformation
• Strategic Sourcing & Procurement
• Sustainable Value Chain including Responsible Procurement
• Global Operating Models (SC, Procurement & GBS)
• Supply Chain Risk and Resilience
• Operations and process transformations (Prime Value Chains)

In this role you will:

• Shape and design cost and productivity programmes that form an integral part of broader transformation programmes
• Provide insights on cost drivers and recommend strategies to enhance financial sustainability
• Conduct detailed spend analysis to identify cost-saving opportunities across business functions
• Develop financial models to assess cost structures, budget variances, and savings potential – leveraging industry sources and benchmarks where necessary
• Optimise supplier contracts and procurement strategies to secure cost-effective agreements
• Conduct vendor benchmarking and identify potential future negotiations to drive savings
• Identify opportunities for AI, RPA (Robotic Process Automation), and digital transformation to optimise costs
• Work cross-functionally with finance, operations, and procurement teams to implement cost strategies
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align cost-saving initiatives with business goals
• Support implementation of best practices to manage indirect / direct spend more effectively incl. governance and control & monitoring
• Link and understand how Cost Reduction and Sustainability priorities are inherently linked and articulate this to clients

We are looking for experience in the following:

• Experience at a top tier or boutique consulting firm or at a leading company with a combination of technical / operational and management / business development / strategy roles and a strong focus on cost management
• Good understanding of Supply Chain and Operations and one or more of the following industries; Energy (Oil & Gas, Mining), Consumer Goods & Services, Financial Services (Banking and Capital Markets), Life Sciences
• Experience in strategic cost reduction and cost takeout initiatives, including through procurement/sourcing spend reduction
• Competence in driving/applying productivity and efficiency levers
• Proficiency in financial modeling, data analytics, and reporting tools (Excel, Power BI preferred but not required)
• Experience with cost frameworks (e.g. ZBB, should-cost, value engineering) is a plus
• Experience of research, quantitative analysis and structured problem solving
• Experience of building relationships at all levels in an organisation
• Experience working in diverse teams in complex strategy/consulting engagements, delivering high-quality output in short timeframes
• An interest in commercial capability, selling and managing multiple projects

Set yourself apart:

• Masters in Business Administration or Supply Chain from a top-tier school
• Experience in top leading consulting firm or working with strategic leadership within client industry
• Accounting/Management Accounting certification or demonstrated strong experience working with financial statements and cost management to allow precise measurement of the financial impact of your work
• Ability to understand complex issues, quickly absorb information and work creatively
• Experience in how technology and digital can contribute to solving business problems
• Experience in building and managing diverse teams in complex strategy/consulting engagements, delivering high-quality output in short timeframes
• Experience of developing & mentoring junior practitioners
• Experience of leading meetings and presentations

What’s in it for you

At Accenture in addition to a competitive basic salary, you will also have an extensive benefits package which includes 30 days of vacation per year, access to app based fitness classes and discounts on range of gyms, private medical insurance and three days leave per year for charitable work of your choice!

Flexibility and mobility are required to deliver this role to deliver the first-class services we are known for.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialised skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services—all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centres. Our 738,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of society and does not discriminate on grounds of race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, or any other basis as protected by applicable law.