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Strategic Research Consultant - Corporate Executive Board

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Job Overview

The Strategic Research Consultant job is considered a mid-level position at the Corporate Executive Board for individuals who begin their career at the company; it is considered an entry-level position for individuals with prior work experience or an advanced degree, such as an MBA. Research Consultants are responsible for leading research studies, which are delivered to the company's membership via meeting presentations (typically consisting of 20-40 attendees), web conferences, and print and electronic publications. The topics explored in research studies depend entirely on the constituency served; the company offers more than 40 membership programs, each targeted to a specific company executive, such as the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Vice President of Human Resources. Depending on the program, Research Consultants may manage a small group of research analysts (see Strategic Research Analyst - Corporate Executive Board), who assist in the creation of research products.

Responsibilities

While responsibilties may vary depending on the member program, typical responsibilities of the position include:

• Conduct extensive literature reviews to identify key industry trends, challenges, and potential leading practices
• Lead interviews (most often by phone) and designing occasional surveys to assess key strategic challenges facing members of the program
• Use quantitative and qualitative analysis to dissect common challenges into critical root causes
• Identify innovative solutions to challenges shared by the membership by building relationships with senior executives through day-to-day phone and in person interviews
• Create written and verbal presentations for delivery at member events and web conferences (Note: Consultants rarely deliver the actual verbal presentation; instead they are delivered by trained speakers)
• Design and manage meetings and teleconferences to present findings to our membership
• Assist sales team (typically as a content expert on sales calls) to secure membership renewals and new business

Success Drivers

• Strong Analytical Skills - Research Consultants are required to identify and articulate solutions to the most challenging problems faced by a group of highly experienced senior executives at some of the largest companies in the world. With little more than 1-2 hours to spend with any executive, they need to accomplish this in a short amount of time. To succeed, consultants must have the ability to analyze and understand complex issues quickly and efficiently.

• Excellent Communication Skills - Much of the Corporate Executive Board's success is attributed to their ability to communicate solutions to common problems in a way that is uniquely compelling to their members. Consultants who show a talent for clearly articulating compelling findings and solutions both in written and verbal form are highly valued at the company.

• Strong Interpersonal/Networking Skills - The ability of a consultant to identify innovative practices is partially dependent on their ability to establish a quick repoire and trusting relationship with members. Consultants who are "viewed as peers" by the membership will greatly enhance the quality of the research.

• Strong Work Ethic - The research consultant position (and the Corporate Executive Board in general) requires commitment and hard work. It is common to see research consultants staying until 7 - 8:00 pm during the week and putting in an extra day on weekends (particularly around the end of a project). Upward mobility at the company can rarely be achieved on a 9 to 5 schedule.

Skills Developed

• Graphical Presentation - The Corporate Executive Board is highly regarded by its members for the quality of presentation materials. Research Consultants receive extensive training and practice to develop high quality presentations. To see a sample of a

• Interviewing Skills - In most programs, Research Consultants conduct hundreds of phone interviews within the first 6-12 months of tenure.

Job Positives

• Rapid Upward Mobility - The Corporate Executive Board is a rapidly growing company (25-30% revenue growth since the companies public offering in 1998). Rapid growth creates a vacuum for senior management levels. Successful research consultants enjoy rapid promotion within the company to increasingly senior levels of management.

• Light Travel Requirements - Corporate Executive Board is unlike many consulting firms in that travel requirements are light. Research Consultants typically only travel when attending member meetings (which typically amounts to 4-8 two-day events per year). More senior research positions in the company may travel more frequently, but does not come close to the travel requirements that are often in place at traditional management and strategy consulting firms.

Job Negatives

• High Turnover - The research consultant position has a high turnover rate. Generally, it is considered an "up or out" position within the company. For those that do not move up, it is common to depart the company or move to a different position within the company. Therefore this position can be a significant gamble.

• Transferability - The Corporate Executive Board is a unique company and the Research Consultant position is a unique position, the skills of which do not easily transfer to other positions. While there is transferability to other positions in the consulting industry, the position may not translate well to other corporate roles (unlike strategy and management consulting positions at other companies, such as The Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company. Again, you are betting on your success at the company and you need to determine whether you are willing to make that bet.