Consulting Roles
A consultant at Constratus will progress through one or more of the various roles during his or her tenure with the company: Analyst, Associate, Associate Principal, Principal, Director. The normal progression from one role to the next usually takes about 2 – 3 years, however since advancement within the company is measured by a consultant’s performance, there is no rule as to how quickly a consultant can progress. The roles and the responsibilities of each role are defined below. The stage at which a consultant will enter the company will depend heavily on his or her prior experience and educational achievement.
- An Analyst with Constratus is responsible for an element of the problem-solving process for each client engagement. Typically, responsibilities of an Analyst include gathering data, synthesizing information, participating and assisting in team recommendations, and presenting their work to client management. Often, Analysts will have an undergraduate degree, and may continue to progress in the firm, or pursue advanced degrees.
- An Associate with Constratus plays an active role in supporting all aspects of an engagement, from developing hypotheses, identifying issues, analyzing information, conducting client discussions, as well as developing recommendations and supporting implementation efforts. Associates must demonstrate proficiency in core consulting skills, including problem-solving and communication. As the ability of the Associate improves, he or she will be given broader responsibility.
- An Associate Principal with Constratus is responsible for managing engagements on a day-to-day basis, structuring the problem-solving process for client engagements, ensuring constructive team dynamics, and managing day-to-day interactions with clients. Associate Principals are expected to develop in- depth industry or functional-specific knowledge and become key contributors to the knowledge base of the firm. Additionally, an Associate Principal will be responsible for mentoring junior level consultants within the firm.
- A Principal with Constratus should either manage a single large account or multiple accounts. He or she should be active in client development and participate in most internal practice decision-making. The Principal is expected to continue to develop in-depth expertise in practice area(s) important to the firm’s service offerings. Additionally, a Principal at Constratus will be responsible for mentoring junior level consultants within the firm.
- A Director with Constratus will have demonstrated the ability to manage every aspect of an engagement, will manage client relationships, coach and mentor professional employees, and provide expertise in an important functional/industry area consistent with the firm’s strategic direction. In addition, Directors are expected to secure significant engagements on an ongoing basis.
Performance Evaluations
Evaluations are performed on an annual basis, and a consultant’s performance is assessed based on the company’s performance guidelines. These guidelines provide a detailed description of the expectations and milestones an employee will need to achieve to graduate to each new role. A consultant is evaluated on his or her analytical skills, communication skills, industry expertise, team and engagement management, and the client relationship.