Associate, Leadership Advisory Services

Position Summary

LAS ASSOCIATE ROLE

The LAS Associate supports Consultants in resolving complex business and leadership issues with solutions powered by insight. They offer a range of services tailored to help clients address their most important leadership needs.

Associates are involved in the full execution of client engagements across multi-method assessment of executives, organizational consulting, leadership development and succession. They take part in all stages of the engagement lifecycle, from business development / RFP through advisory recommendations and client / participant feedback.

As the LAS practice continues to grow in both scale (revenue) and breadth (diversity and depth of advisory services), the LAS Associate participates actively in internal initiatives relative to product development and the build-out of practice infrastructure. Furthermore, the LAS practice serves as an innovation hub for the broader firm, including its Search business. In this context, the LAS Associate serves periodically as a content expert and ambassador / trainer to search colleagues relative to new product offerings and assessment methodologies being rolled out across the firm. A typical LAS client engagement team may include : one or two LAS Consultants, one or two LAS Associates, one or two Search Consultants, and one or two Executive Assistants.

Spencer Stuart views the LAS skillset to be portable across industries; as such, the LAS Associate serves clients across

a diverse range of industry sectors, including but not limited to consumer goods, industrial, financial services, energy,

and professional services. The role requires approximately 20%-40% travel, primarily within the geographic or

continental region of the person’s home office (i.e., EMEA, North America, APAC). Occasional global travel may be

required.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to

Tokyo Office Manager

Tokyo Research Director

APAC LAS Associate Practice Leader

Consultants (on a per-engagement basis)

Other key relationships

LAS Practice Leadership

LAS Consultants

LAS People Manager

LAS Executive Assistants

LAS Associates, Senior Associates and Analysts

Home Office Colleagues, LAS and Search

Corporate Training and Information Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The LAS Associate is critical to the execution of client engagements and plays an active role in all aspects of the engagement lifecycle, from business development and execution through close. The successful candidate will handle multiple engagements across varied time zones with competing deadlines, and will work effectively with individuals who have differing styles, in order to consistently produce world-class deliverables for the firm’s clients.

Fosters business development opportunities and assists in preparing pitch presentations; participates in new business pitches.

At the outset of the client engagement, participates in stakeholder calls with board members and other key stakeholders.

Assists in the development of client communications and engagement plans, position descriptions, capability models, interview guides and customer deliverables.

Assists in the administration of cultural assessment tools, both as a standalone advisory offering and / or in combination with other LAS products and services.

Participates in the assessment of executives through structured capability-based interviews using proprietary leadership capability framework; conducts rigorous internal and external 360 referencing interviews.

Works with consultants to synthesize data from multi-method assessments; prepares written client assessment reports to present an integrated point of view of a candidate’s strengths, potential and development priorities.

Contributes to client presentations and other documents, identifying key organizational, cultural or strategic findings relative to the engagement.

Participates in client meetings to communicate assessment findings.

Works with consultants to draft executive feedback reports, including specific, actionable development ideas for executives.

Participates in executive feedback sessions and provides support for the creation of customized executive development plans.

In collaboration with relevant team members (including but not limited to executive assistants, LAS consultants, and search consultants / associates) the LAS Associate participates in the planning and management of the engagement lifecycle. Working with limited technology resources and a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders, often spanning time-zones and geographies, the LAS Associate assists in driving high-touch, high-value engagement management and seamless execution.

Demonstrates initiative and commitment by doing what is needed at all phases of the process.

Over time, develops an understanding of the resources required to execute all aspects of the engagement life-cycle; leverages this insight to consistently and proactively develop engagement plans and timelines, and anticipate next steps.

Communicates progress to the client and / or engagement team at agreed-upon intervals.

Fosters close communication and builds strong working relationships with peers and colleagues, including executive assistants, associates and analysts

Manages a large volume of information with rigorous attention to detail; develops personal systems and tactics for maximizing personal organization and productivity.

As the LAS Practice is experiencing an accelerated growth trajectory and serving as a strategic incubator of sorts for the broader firm, it is evolving its approach to assessment in search and leadership advisory services. As such, the LAS Practice encourages an “all hands on deck” attitude from each of its members.

Supports the continuous improvement and development of Advisory and Assessment products and processes; contributes to local, practice and firm-wide initiatives.

Commits time, effort and insight to LAS working groups and focused initiatives as required.

Practice-building activities may include but are not limited to : providing ongoing targeted feedback on current / existing LAS tools; assisting in the development of additional proprietary assessment tools; analyzing current business process methodologies and contributing to business process improvement initiatives; assisting in the due diligence of potential partner organizations or business development targets.

Participates and / or facilitates training and product roll outs across the broader firm.

Builds relationships with and proactively engages with Search colleagues to develop an understanding of the firm’s core search business and facilitate a wider understanding of LAS products, services and strategy.

Proactively contributes to the generation of intellectual capital and the aggregation of key practice information to be shared with and / or leveraged by LAS colleagues.

Candidate Profile

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

Minimum 3 years of experience in relevant leadership consulting, advisory or other professional services settings, or five or more years of experience in corporate human resources management, with a focus on talent development.

Demonstrated interest in organizational development, organizational psychology or behavioral psychology.

Ability to flex across multiple work streams and seamlessly adapt to different task and challenges with ease.

Capacity to work independently while maintaining high level of project management abilities and rigor.

Superior business writing skills (as evidenced through project work or writing samples to be provided upon request).

General business acumen, as defined by a keen and quick understanding of a range of business situations / contexts.

Direct interaction / experience with executive-level clients is advantageous but not required.

An undergraduate degree is required, postgraduate / MBA is preferable.

Excellent knowledge of the English and Japanese languages, both written and spoken. Command of additional languages is advantageous.

CRITICAL CAPABILITIES FOR SUCCESS

Driving Results

Works to meet / beat explicit goals.

Works to achieve goals while overcoming obstacles and / or planning for contingencies.

Shows strong feelings (such as urgency) about reaching targets.

Checks work of self and others against required quality standards.

Reviews performance and progress on a regular basis to ensure team is achieving results and / or seeking corrective action based on deviations.

Collaborating and Influencing

Engages individually to build collaboration.

Invites and uses the opinions and perspectives of others.

Engages people in a dialogue to gain commitment and bring them "on board," linking their perspectives to the intent.

Adapts own approach to the audience or individuals, anticipating impact of words and actions, preparing for possible resistance, and responding in an appropriate, respectful manner with a range of influencing styles.

Checks with both sides of a discussion to ensure common understanding. Candidate Profile Spencer Stuart.

Takes initiative to maintain contacts.

Customer / Client Mindset

Highly responsive to clients and follows good process.

Works to do things correctly in order to maximize client satisfaction.

Uses consistent approaches and good processes to address client needs.

Respects client needs and places highest importance on delivering timely and effective service.

Addresses client concerns both proactively and reactively.

Demonstrates a keen sense of urgency and professionalism in responding to client communications and navigating client situations.