Kearney Associate, Communications, Media & Technology

kearney; Chicago, Dallas, Washington (IL, TX, District of Columbia); On-site; USD 188,000 - 194,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Structured learning

Retirement plan

Medical insurance

Talent mobility

Flexible work

Externships

Home office stipend

Gympass

Wellness program

Job summary

Kearney's Communications, Media & Technology (CMT) practice seeks an Associate to support clients across telecom, media, digital services, semiconductor, hardware, and digital infrastructure. You will help solve strategic and operational challenges, develop actionable recommendations, and deliver measurable outcomes in a collaborative, client-facing environment.

50–80% travel; MBA and 5–10 years experience preferred; relocation to major U.S. hubs.

Qualifications

• MBA preferred; 5–10 years consulting or related industry.
• 5+ years in Telco, Media & Digital Services or tech.
• Knowledge of telecom networks, planning, cost optimization.
• Semiconductor value chain knowledge.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, client-facing skills.
• Willing to relocate to listed U.S. cities; travel 50–80%.

Responsibilities

• Support engagements across telecom, semiconductor, digital infrastructure, hardware, and broader CMT topics, helping teams move from diagnosis through recommendation and implementation.
• Analyze complex business problems using qualitative and quantitative data, then turn that analysis into clear, actionable recommendations for clients.
• Assess business processes, operating models, supply chains, network environments, or manufacturing operations to identify improvement opportunities and prioritize initiatives.
• Conduct market, operational, and financial analyses to support business cases, value creation opportunities, and executive decision‑making.

Skills

MBA preferred

5-10 years experience

CMDS experience

Telecom knowledge

Data-driven analysis

Client-facing

Education

MBA or related graduate degree

Job description

As an Associate within Kearney's Communications, Media & Technology (CMT) practice, you will be a key contributor supporting clients across telecommunications, media, digital services, semiconductor, hardware, and digital infrastructure markets. In this role, you will help clients solve complex strategic and operational challenges, improve performance, modernize capabilities, and unlock growth. You will work closely with case teams and client stakeholders to develop actionable recommendations, support implementation, and deliver measurable outcomes. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of strategy, operations, technology, and transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Support client engagements across telecom, semiconductor, digital infrastructure, hardware, and broader CMT topics, helping teams move from diagnosis through recommendation and implementation.
• Analyze complex business problems using qualitative and quantitative data, then turn that analysis into clear, actionable recommendations for clients.
• Assess business processes, operating models, supply chains, network environments, or manufacturing operations to identify improvement opportunities and prioritize initiatives.
• Conduct market, operational, and financial analyses to support business cases, value creation opportunities, and executive decision‑making.

Who You Are

• An MBA (preferred) and/or 5–10 years of professional experience, ideally within management consulting or a strongly related industry.
• 5+ years of experience in Telco, Media & Digital Services (CMDS), technology, digital infrastructure, or data center industries.
• Knowledge of telecommunications, including wireline, wireless, and broadband networks, with experience in network planning, design, deployment strategy, capacity planning, cost optimization, and technology modernization.
• Knowledge of the end‑to‑end semiconductor value chain, including chip design, fabrication, production, supply chain operations, and the key market drivers shaping the industry.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills, including experience structuring analyses and synthesizing findings into actionable recommendations
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in team‑based, client‑facing environments
• Are located near or willing to relocate to Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington D.C.
• This role requires approximately 50-80% travel, based on client and business needs

Who We Are

After 100 years, we know this business is fundamentally about making connections—between facts, figures, insights, strategies, tools, technologies, and above all, people. That's why we look for collaborative, insightful, and inquisitive problem‑solvers who don't accept the first thing in front of them and who are always unapologetically themselves.

What we can offer you

Every day, our people work to be the difference for our clients, our communities, and our colleagues. Helping them make an impact, they are sustained by a competitive remuneration package plus comprehensive benefits and perks, including but not limited to:

• Structured and on-the-job learning and development opportunities
• Generous retirement/pension savings contributions
• Comprehensive medical insurance for employees and their families
• Personalized opportunities including talent mobility, flexible work programs, and externships to help you chart a unique career journey to pursue your own personal and professional goals

Associate base compensation - $188,000 - $194,000It is important to note that at Kearney, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role. Individual salaries within each range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. Kearney reviews compensation regularly and may adjust base salaries to reflect market competitiveness. In addition to salary, individuals may be eligible for a discretionary performance bonus. Our full suite of benefits includes paid time off, 401(k) match and profit sharing, medical, dental and vision coverage, healthcare concierge, backup child/adult care, annual employer HSA contribution, home office stipend, subsidized Gympass and annual wellness program, and leaves of absence when needed to support employees' physical, mental, and emotional well‑being.

Read more about our benefits and a career at Kearney.com/careers.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination

Kearney prides itself on providing a culture that allows employees to bring their best selves to work every day. Our people can feel comfortable, confident, and joyful to do great things for our firm, our colleagues, and our clients. Kearney aims to build diverse capabilities to help our clients solve their most mission‑critical problems.

Kearney is committed to building a diverse, unbiased and inclusive workforce. Kearney is an equal opportunity employer; we recruit, hire, train, promote, develop, and provide other conditions of employment without regard to a person's gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information or any other differences consistent with applicable laws. This includes providing reasonable accommodation for disabilities, or religious beliefs and practices. Members of communities historically underrepresented in consulting are encouraged to apply. #LI-DNP