Strategy Insights & Planning Associate Consultant: Commercial Strategy

ZS; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ZS in New York seeks an Associate Consultant to join the Strategy Insights and Planning team, partnering with life sciences clients on commercial strategy challenges. You will help shape launch and growth plans, customer strategies, and go-to-market initiatives, translating insights into clear recommendations.

You'll work with senior stakeholders, gain exposure to diverse projects, and develop problem‑solving, analytics, and client‑management skills in a collaborative, learning‑oriented

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field.
• 2–4 years of post‑collegiate experience; PhD candidates may be considered.
• Experience in commercial strategy, business strategy, or management consulting; healthcare or life sciences preferred.
• Strong structured problem‑solving skills and ability to navigate ambiguity.
• Ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative information and translate findings into business implications.

Responsibilities

• Apply structured problem‑solving approaches to commercial challenges.
• Support engagements across launch, growth, customer strategy, and go‑to‑market planning.
• Use quantitative & qualitative data to develop insights and strategic options.
• Synthesize information into clear client‑ready recommendations.
• Collaborate with clients and internal teams to align priorities and drive outcomes.
• Manage workstreams, coordinate teams, and ensure timelines and goals are met.
• Develop client relationships and serve as a trusted project contact.
• Contribute ideas to strengthen engagements and capabilities.
• Mentor and support Associates on projects.

Skills

Structured problem-solving

Quantitative & qualitative synthesis

Client relationship building

Ambiguity navigation

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business/economics/marketing/psychology/life sciences/social sciences

Job description

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you'll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client-first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning, bold ideas, courage and passion to drive life-changing impact to ZS.

Strategy Insights and Planning Associate Consultant: Commercial Strategy

ZS's Strategy Insights and Planning teams partner with clients to design and deliver solutions to help them tackle a broad range of business challenges. Our teams work on multiple projects simultaneously, leveraging advanced data analytics and problem-solving techniques. Our recommendations and solutions are based on rigorous research and analysis underpinned by deep expertise and thought leadership. We are seeking an Associate Consultant to join our Commercial Strategy team, partnering with leading life sciences organizations on complex commercialization challenges. In this role, you will help clients shape strategies across areas such as launch and growth strategy, customer strategy, go-to-market planning, portfolio strategy, capability development, organizational design, and resource optimization. You will work alongside senior client stakeholders and ZS teams to structure ambiguous business questions, integrate quantitative and qualitative perspectives, and translate insights into clear strategic recommendations that drive business impact.

Why join this team?

You'll gain exposure to a broad range of high-impact commercial strategy challenges while working with experienced ZS consultants and senior client stakeholders. The role offers opportunities to work across diverse strategic topics, build deep commercial expertise, and influence decisions that shape how healthcare organizations bring products to market and create value for patients. You'll join a collaborative team that values curiosity, innovative thinking, and continuous learning.

What You’ll Do

• Apply structured problem-solving approaches to complex and often ambiguous commercial business challenges.
• Support commercial strategy engagements across areas such as launch and growth strategy, customer strategy, go-to-market planning, portfolio strategy, capability development, organizational design, and resource optimization.
• Use quantitative and qualitative information to develop insights, evaluate strategic alternatives, and inform client decision-making.
• Synthesize complex information into clear, compelling recommendations and client-ready presentations that connect insights to business implications and actions.
• Collaborate with clients, internal teams, and senior stakeholders to understand business priorities, align perspectives, and drive high-quality outcomes.
• Manage assigned workstreams and contribute to day-to-day project execution, including structuring activities, coordinating across teams, managing timelines, and ensuring project goals and deadlines are met.
• Develop strong client relationships and serve as a trusted point of contact on specific aspects of engagements.
• Contribute perspectives and ideas that strengthen project work, client engagements, and ZS's broader commercial strategy capabilities.
• Mentor and support the development of Associates on your projects and teams.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree with strong academic performance in a relevant field such as business, economics, marketing, psychology, life sciences, or social sciences.
• 2-4 years of relevant post-collegiate professional experience, preferably within the pharmaceutical, healthcare, life sciences, or consulting industries. In lieu of professional experience, candidates with a PhD may be considered.
• Experience working on commercial strategy, business strategy, management consulting, or related strategic business challenges; life sciences or healthcare experience is preferred.
• Strong structured problem-solving skills and the ability to navigate ambiguous business questions and develop clear, practical recommendations.
• Ability to interpret and synthesize quantitative and qualitative information and translate findings into meaningful business implications.
• Strong business acumen with