Senior Research Analyst

at  Spencer Stuart

Position Summary
The Senior Research Analyst will produce insightful company, industry and/or functional analysis of the Canadian market in support of search engagement and new business initiatives. This includes competitive information, target company list development, name generation, as well as building insights to support client pursuit strategies and deliverables. The successful candidate will also provide ‘hands on’ research support to the Toronto Executive Search team and produce content and client ready materials such as qualifications packages (pitch decks), requests-for-proposals and “get smarts”.
Key relationships
Reports to:
Director of Associates, Canada – Joanna Winter
Other key relationships:
Consultants, Associates, Analysts, and Executive Engagement Administrators, Corporate Marketing Team, Other Client Development Analysts across Practices and Regions
Position location: Toronto

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the creation of content for qualifications packs for new business development initiatives. Develops a solid understanding of the potential client/client’s industry including specific information regarding the “value proposition” (competitive landscape, strengths, and weaknesses), stock performance, employee count, etc. Synthesize information accurately, so that it is easily incorporated into a readable, client-ready document. Maintain, curate, and regularly update pitch content/materials.
• Maintain current awareness of news and issues associated with key client engagements and market opportunities and share that information and knowledge in a timely way with associates, consultants and knowledge management.
• Assist in developing search strategy, company target lists and high-level name generation and organization chart creation. Contribute to the long list creation by leveraging internal and external databases to provide commentary on potential candidates.
• Maintain an awareness of market trends and “best in class” leaders/future leaders. Maintain current awareness of news and issues associated with key client engagements and market opportunities and share that information and knowledge in a timely way with associates, consultants and knowledge management.
• Support in the research and production of firm-level intellectual capital.
• Identify opportunities to leverage knowledge/insights/data/analytics to enable BD and pursuit activities.
• Gather learnings from pitches and business development to share internally to ensure we are continuously refining and improving our processes, responsiveness, and pitch effectiveness.

The ideal candidate will be a bright problem solver with a balance of creativity and strong analytical skills. They will have a proven track record of creating compelling, insightful content and the agility to imagine new and innovative ways of approaching insight creation. They will be a strong collaborator with a relentless client service orientation and the confidence and maturity to be a credible trusted partner to a sophisticated internal client base.

Ideal Experience

• Approximately 2-4 years’ experience in professional services and/or executive search experience, with a focus on research.
• Familiar with business reference/research resources such as LinkedIn, Morningstar, Lexis Nexus, Capital IQ and other various news sources.
• Experience using Microsoft’s Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs.
• Has completed research that includes a detailed analysis of a business, industry, or market.
• Experience managing multiple internal and external stakeholders and projects with a high capacity for work.
• Strong communication skills in English, written & spoken; additional language skills will be an advantage.
• Undergraduate degree is required, master’s degree a plus.

Critical Capabilities for Success

Project Managing for Results

• Works to achieve business development goals for the Practice while overcoming obstacles and/or planning for contingencies
• Tenacious, with a track record of working successfully to steer self and team through complex situations
• Proactively seeks to be involved in many diverse projects
• Shows strong sense of urgency about reaching deadlines for pursuit opportunities and agreed-upon reactive and proactive business development projects/targets
• Checks work of self and others to ensure business development deliverables are continuously improved, distinguished and against required quality standards; can give and receive feedback constructively
• Demonstrates excellent project management skills, outlining key tasks and reviewing performance and progress on projects/pursuit deliverables on a regular basis to ensure the team is achieving results

Analytical Skills

Synthesizes research for business development initiatives, search assignments or intellectual capital initiatives and provides a succinct and accurate point of view as measured by quality and timeliness of contribution to assignment/project objectives. The successful candidate will do this while dealing with short timelines and limited information by:

• Listening and asking insightful questions.
• Leveraging knowledge of an industry/function/sector and appropriate resources to gather relevant information.
• Subjecting researched facts to extensive analysis and interpretation before drawing conclusions.
• Making inferential leaps in thinking to reach a solution despite incomplete or ambiguous information.
• Making decisions rapidly, despite the complexity of the issues or pressures involved.
• Using effective business writing skills to create succinct, client-ready analyses and documenting information in Firm databases.

Professional Approach

Contributes to the efficiency and quality of teams to successfully meet project objectives as measured by Consultant, Associate and peer feedback. Interact with a range of internal and external stakeholders and candidates with differing styles and egos, understanding and appreciating what is important to each.

• Being authentic.
• Listening and asking questions to clarify understanding and demonstrate knowledge.
• Placing team goals ahead of individual goals.
• Considering the needs of colleagues and adapting own communication style accordingly.
• Setting expectations and clarifying tasks to avoid wasting time and resources.
• Offering to work outside areas of responsibility when needed.
• Raising issues early and finding solutions collaboratively.
• Remaining poised when under pressure or handling unexpected challenges.
• Proactively sharing information with those who would benefit while being discreet with confidential information.

Other Personal Characteristics

• Excellent presentation, writing, PowerPoint and Excel skills
• Pays attention to detail, is personable and flexible/agile
• Spoken and written fluency in English

• Assist in the creation of content for qualifications packs for new business development initiatives. Develops a solid understanding of the potential client/client’s industry including specific information regarding the “value proposition” (competitive landscape, strengths, and weaknesses), stock performance, employee count, etc. Synthesize information accurately, so that it is easily incorporated into a readable, client-ready document. Maintain, curate, and regularly update pitch content/materials.
• Maintain current awareness of news and issues associated with key client engagements and market opportunities and share that information and knowledge in a timely way with associates, consultants and knowledge management.
• Assist in developing search strategy, company target lists and high-level name generation and organization chart creation. Contribute to the long list creation by leveraging internal and external databases to provide commentary on potential candidates.
• Maintain an awareness of market trends and “best in class” leaders/future leaders. Maintain current awareness of news and issues associated with key client engagements and market opportunities and share that information and knowledge in a timely way with associates, consultants and knowledge management.
• Support in the research and production of firm-level intellectual capital.
• Identify opportunities to leverage knowledge/insights/data/analytics to enable BD and pursuit activities.
• Gather learnings from pitches and business development to share internally to ensure we are continuously refining and improving our processes, responsiveness, and pitch effectiveness