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Strategic Research Analyst - Corporate Executive Board

From Career Rymx

Job Overview

The Strategic Research Analyst job is considered am entry-level position at the Corporate Executive Board. The research analyst position is often held by recent undergraduates with excellent academic credentials and/or early stage career changers (i.e., 1-3 years out of school). Strategic Research Analysts are responsible for contributing to 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.

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
• Participate in interviews (most often by phone) and draft 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
• Contribute to written and verbal presentations for delivery at member events and web conferences
• Assist in planning of member meetings and teleconferences to present findings to our membership

Success Drivers

• Strong Analytical Skills - Research Analysts must 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. While Strategic Research Consultants, and Project Managers bear ultimate responsibility for the quality of research deliverables, to advance in the company, the research analyst must demonstrate the ability to identify leading insights and practices.

• 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. Analysts 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 heavily dependent on their ability to establish a quick repoire and trusting relationship with members. Analysts who are "viewed as peers" by the membership will greatly enhance the quality of the research and increase the speed at which they advance in the company.

• Strong Work Ethic - The research analyst position (and the Corporate Executive Board in general) requires commitment and hard work. It is common to see research analyts staying until 7 am - 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 1997). Rapid growth creates a vacuum for mid and senior management levels. Successful research analysts enjoy rapid promotion in the company.

• Light Travel Requirements - The Corporate Executive Board is unlike many consulting firms in that travel requirements are light. Research Analyts travel mainly 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 do not come close to the travel requirements that are often in place at traditional management and strategy consulting firms.

• MBA Preparation - Business schools generally view the Strategic Research Analyst Position (and especially the Strategic Research Consultants positively. Many Corporate Executive Board employees begin their career in the Analyst position, advance to the consultant position, and are well-prepared for successful entry into a top 20 MBA program.

Job Negatives

• High Turnover - The research analyst 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.

• Transferability - The Corporate Executive Board is a unique company and the Research Analyst 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 McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group, and Bain & Company.

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