Insights Director, Financial Services

ROLE SPECIFICATION
Spencer Stuart is investing in our approach to business development, with a focus on more effective client targeting, improving the quality and impact of our interactions with potential clients, and creating a more competitive, insights-led approach to business development and in-practice communication.

The Insights Director (ID) will be instrumental in achieving our ambition to be the world’s pre-eminent leadership advisory firm in the financial services sector. The ID will recommend, design, and actively drive and execute insights-related projects and programs that help support the Practice’s agenda and continue to raise Spencer Stuart’s reputation as an industry leader.

The ID will partner with Practice leadership and members on strategic business development-related insight and content creation, to help drive our strategic priorities. The ID will work in close collaboration with the consulting, Client Development and other BD enablement team members, as well as cross-functional teams to help acquire, organize, analyze, and create the knowledge that enables Spencer Stuart to deliver superior value for its clients.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to:

• Global Financial Services Practice Leader

Partners closely with:

• Financial Services Practice Director

• Other Insights Director

Other key relationships:

• Financial Services Client Development Managers (CDM)

• Financial Services Client Development Analysts (CDA)

• Regional Practice Leaders (Financial Services)

• Global Sector Leaders (Financial Services)

• Consultants

• Associates (and broader execution team)

• Marketing Team

• BD enablement members across the firm

LOCATION: NEW YORK (USA).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Insights Creation

• Work with the Global Practice Leader and the Practice Director to identify priority areas for proactive primary and secondary research and analysis (e.g., major markets, our clients, our competitors, behaviors, how our processes produce better outcomes, what the best candidates look like, how our placements perform, etc.) – including oversight to materials on strategic and top-of-house work important to the Practice.

• Partner with the other Insights Directors to leverage and ensure for optimized learnings transfer / scaling of our in-practice developments.

• Coordinate with the Marketing team to develop Practice-specific intellectual capital (e.g., market analyses, white papers, and other external publications).

• Gather and deliver research/data/analysis/content to understand the Practice’s competitive landscape and to conduct research regarding white space and/or areas of potential growth.

• Identify, highlight, and communicate key talent challenges and trends of which the Practice should be aware, to sharpen business development perspectives.

Business Development and Opportunity Pursuit

• In close collaboration with Practice Consultants and the Client Development team, proactively identify opportunities to insert knowledge/ insights/data/analytics into pitch approaches/materials.

• Maintain awareness of current news and emerging topics associated with key client engagements and market opportunities and collaborate with the Practice Director, the CDM and the CDAs to share information and knowledge with the Practice in a timely way.

• Partner with the Client Development Manager to ensure news, pipeline and/or other “BD trigger” information is captured on a timely, systematic basis and shared with relevant colleagues and teams on a regular basis.

• Work with relevant teams to drive the adaptation of new tools and technologies as appropriate.

Insights Sharing

• Serve as a “key” resource who can provide guidance on major players, sector trends, specific functions, terminology and coding.

• Actively contribute and participate in the global Business Development effort, by sharing insights, ideas and best practices with Insights Directors and Practice Directors across the firm.

• In close collaboration with the Client Development Manager, the Practice Director and the Marketing team, develop a communication strategy for radiating Insights across the Practice and the firm.

Team Leadership

• Support the Practice Director and Leadership in the retention of development and coaching of the Financial Services Client Development team.

• Champion/socialize BD & insights initiatives across the Practice and Firm.

DESIRED OUTCOMES
Desired outcomes will be developed and refined in partnership with the Global Practice Leader. Some initial priorities for the first 12 months include:

• Contribute meaningfully to the development of new, strategic, and insightful approaches to BD content- and market insights (sectors and talent).

• Deliver new and relevant pieces of secondary research applicable to active BD pursuits.

• Be recognized by the Practice consultant community as a reliable and proactive asset on key BD pursuits and insights dissemination; Becomes the go-to person for ideation, brainstorming and candid idea exchange

• Maintain strong and broad ties across the global Practice and Client Development teams; Serve as a visible and accessible teammate and partner, having influenced significant brand awareness initiatives and content

The ideal candidate will be a bright, articulate, self-motivated problem solver with a balance of creativity and strong analytical skills. They will combine strategic thinking and commercial know-how with a healthy dose of creative thinking. Their greatest objective is enabling the delivery of interesting content about the financial services industry, inspiring curiosity about the industry and Spencer Stuart’s point of view. 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. Harnessing the practice’s pulse on the market and their own observations around hot leadership topics, this person owns, develops and drives the practice’s insights agenda. They are a strong relationship builder 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

• 10+ years of consulting, professional services, market research (quantitative/qualitative) and/or executive search experience

• Has managed BD content-creation activities and processes

• Has managed operational activities and processes

• Undergraduate degree (A master's degree would be a plus)

• Exposure to some of our key financial services sectors is a plus