Management consultant

Job description

Management consultants work with a wide variety of clients providing independent advice and guidance. They are called in from time to time for specific assignments as part of normal management practice in a similar fashion to architects, designers and lawyers being engaged when the need arises. They frequently tackle problems which confront any individual client only once in a decade or more. They can assist a new business start-up, and work with established businesses supporting them to develop, grow and become more competitive. Consultants can operate as specialists or generalists, but all typically provide services across a variety of industry sectors in the following areas:

• Strategy
• Programme management
• Operations
• Human resources
• Change management.

Management consultancy firms can range from those that offer end-to-end solution provision, to niche firms that offer specialist skills and knowledge. Whether specialists or generalists, consultants use four key resources: objectivity, broad experience, analytical skill and full-time attention to each assignment.

Work activities

• Fulfilling business needs that cannot be undertaken successfully by the client due to lack of time or other resources
• Using their independence to manage difficult or political situations on behalf of their client, often using change management expertise and human resource knowledge
• Gaining an independent and innovative overview of businesses in order to identify areas of improvement or development, stimulating the client to change or adopt desired practices.