Senior Associate - Growth & Commercial Excellence

Senior Associate / Manager - Growth & Commercial Excellence

Alvarez & Marsal

London

Companies, investors and government entities around the world turn to Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) when conventional approaches are not enough to make change and achieve results. Privately held since its founding in 1983, A&M is a leading global professional services firm that provides advisory, business performance improvement and turnaround management services.

A&M are the firm to call when a Company needs a fundamental transformation, turnaround or operational restructuring.  This might be at an enterprise level for deal-related transformation (post-merger integration or carve-outs) or within a function such as Finance, Commercial or Supply Chain.  A&M are also the go to firm when a disruptive new venture needs to be set up quickly.

When action matters, find us at alvarezandmarsal.com.  Follow A&M on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. 

The opportunity

Our Corporate practice is built on deep functional expertise with a demonstrably differentiated ability to address the most complex business problems and deliver dramatic and sustainable business performance improvements. 

We operate in four pillars: Growth & Commercial Excellence, Transformation, Supply Chain & Operations and Functional Transformation. In each Pillar we identify and focus on a clear set of value propositions and a target client portfolio where we develop long-term, global, sustainable relationships. Our Pillar leads are supported by Sector leads (Consumer Products, Retail, Automotive and Telco & Media).

Our Growth & Commercial Excellence pillar focuses on Commercial Performance Improvement including Customer Profitability Salesforce Effectiveness, Channel Management, Marketing and Pricing. Within the G&CE team, an opportunity exists for a Senior Associate / Manager

The Senior Associate / Manager will have an excellent academic track record coupled with an entrepreneurial approach and proven track record in a leading Advisory firm. The Senior Associate will ideally have a solid understanding of Growth & Commercial Excellence in one or more of our priority sectors and reflect the operational distinctiveness that is A&M; a business savvy, outcome focused business entrepreneur who is driven to making an impact, determined to make a difference and not afraid to challenge the status-quo.

Specifically, the Senior Associate/Manager will be responsible for:

• Working on complex engagements with clients – quickly becoming accepted as part of the fabric of the client’s team in order to deliver exceptional quality of execution.
• Supporting the execution of the GCE business plan including the development of opportunities & points of view
• Coaching more junior team members on the projects

Candidates will ideally have a proven understanding and an absolute passion for commercial excellence and their skill set will include:

• The ability to work as a core member of the team on reviewing a client’s immediate and future issues and market position and develop actionable options for strategic and performance improvement. This could include growth strategies, operating model redesign, transformation, strategic cost reduction or data-driven insight
• A consulting toolkit including how to frame a business issue, judiciously find and use internal and external data to test hypotheses and draw conclusions, business model using Excel, structure and write PowerPoint and Word presentations and reports
• Experience built through working on projects in Growth & Commercial Excellence particularly in Retail or FMCG or subscription businesses including customer acquisition, retention, pricing, digital transformation and performance improvement
• An appreciation of the challenges that Commercial functions face in today’s market conditions. This may include digital transformation and the changing nature of consumers, new entrant disruption to the market, ad blocking and the changing mix of marketing spend to targeted and measurable advertising

Specifically, the successful candidate will have:

• Proven track record at a top tier Strategy house or equivalent
• Proven ability to work in teams and create measurable and identifiable improvements
• Knowledge of new developments in Commercial Excellence
• Experience in managing and nurturing new / recent graduates
• Advanced PowerPoint and Excel modelling skills
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work to tight deadlines
• A very strong academic record including:
  • Robust analytical rigour
  • Capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, challenging and uncertain environment
• Fluency in one or more European languages is advantageous

SOFT SKILLS

• Strong facilitation skills, forging consensus around credible, executable solutions.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, confident presenter.
• Objective, fact based approach to problem solving.
• Hands-on and non-hierarchical operator who is equally effective in managing up and down and relates well at all levels and cultures.
• Driven by values and integrity, talks straight, builds confidence and leads by example.
• Willingness to travel globally
• The ability to manage a multiple stakeholder environment within a privately-owned business.

LIFESTYLE AND VALUES

Attracted by our meritocratic culture and the opportunity to build a business with like-minded individuals, our people have joined A&M from top tier strategy houses, the Big 4, private equity firms, hedge funds, leading financial services institutions and senior roles in industry and commerce. A&M is a fact-based business, based on pragmatism, as well as tangible and measurable success. It is an environment that presents a real opportunity for ambitious recruits to grow and thrive.

Those high performing leaders who successfully develop business in the firm have the potential for excellent income as well as a share of the value of the practice they create. At A&M you will be given real responsibility as there are few layers of management. You will thrive on autonomy and you will be adept at anticipating what your audience needs.

Our people come from a variety of backgrounds and have built their credentials through careers that combine experience in industry management roles and professional services. A&M has a proven track record of managing complex, high profile situations and delivery through world class expertise and successful execution. The culture of the business offers variety of skill, language, heritage and professional background and therefore is unique in terms of style and approach. This is a business where your colleagues are your best allies and ideally, your best friends. A business where good friendships thrive and trust is as true internally as with the client. Furthermore, the values of the business which include integrity and fun as well as just reward for great work comes to life when you become part of the team.

Voluntary Inclusion

It is Alvarez & Marsal’s policy to provide and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, pregnancy, marital status, family status, religion, national origin, age or disability or any other non-merit based factor in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Unsolicited Resumes from Third-Party Recruiters

Please note that as per A&M policy, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters unless such recruiters were engaged to provide candidates for a specified opening. Any employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume does so with the understanding that A&M will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.