LAS Associate

Position Summary

Leadership Advisory Services Practice
The Leadership Advisory Services (LAS) Practice is an exciting, vibrant and uniquely dynamic practice within Spencer Stuart, critical to the firm’s growth ambitions. The LAS practice helps organizations make better decisions about leaders and leadership teams – it focuses on assessing, developing and strengthening leadership performance so companies can achieve their strategic goals. It’s about evaluating and elevating leadership quality to help organizations thrive in changing business environments – from choosing future leaders and developing them to strengthening teams and aligning culture with strategy.

LAS professionals provide advice and partnership to clients navigating a range of key leadership and talent issues, including:

• Aligning culture and talent strategy with business strategy

• Maximizing team performance and effectiveness

• Merger and acquisition leadership support

• Leadership Assessment and Development

• CEO performance and succession planning

• Talent development and transition support

• Broader HR and Talent Advisory for c-suite

ABOUT THE POSITION
An LAS Associate is expected to work pro-actively and efficiently on multiple client engagements through the combination of solid project management skills, quality delivery, client centricity, ownership mentality and strong collaborative skills.

Based in Singapore, the Associate will have a primary focus in LAS, working closely with the Consultants with opportunities to be staffed on regional and global consulting assignments. The LAS Associate serves clients across a diverse range of industry sectors developing a breadth of multi-sector experience.

In LAS, the Associate supports Consultants in the full execution of client engagements, including the deep dive, multi-method assessment of executives, teams and organizations, and the formulation of written materials relative to assessment and development findings. The Associate contributes actively at all stages of the engagement lifecyclcle – from advisory recommendations and client projects to business development and RFP support.

The LAS practice serves as an innovation hub for the broader firm. In addition to executing client engagements, the Associate serves as a subject matter expert on Spencer Stuart’s solution offerings. He/She plays an important role in the education and training of internal colleagues (both LAS and Search) regarding product offerings and participates actively in internal initiatives for LAS product development and the build-out of the practice infrastructure (including adoption of AI tools).

In summary, Successful candidates for the Associate position will have superior project management ability, results orientation, rigorous attention to details, intellectual curiosity and enjoy the challenge of working with a diverse set of senior-level executives and board members. Associates will be expected to acquire deep and insightful candidate pool knowledge over time which would be related to a specific industry, function or geography.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to
Research Director (solid line)
LAS Regional Practice Leadership (dotted line)
Consultants (search/ LAS) (on assignment/engagement basis)

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LAS ASSOCIATE
Delivery Excellence
The LAS Associate is critical to the execution of client engagements and plays an active role in all aspects of the engagement lifecycle. The successful Associate will handle multiple engagements across varied time zones with competing deadlines, and will work effectively with Consultants and colleagues who have differing styles in order to consistently produce world-class deliverables for the firm’s clients:

• Assists in the development of client communications and engagement plan

• Assists in the administration of proprietary leadership advisory tools and assessment methodologies

• Works with Consultant to synthesize data from multi-method assessments and prepares client reports/deliverables capturing an integrated point of view

• Contributes to summary client presentations and other documents identifying key organizational, cultural or strategic findings across the engagement

• Fosters business development opportunities and assists in preparation for pitch presentations; participates in new business pitches

• Participates in client meetings to relay assessment and advisory findings Leverages knowledge of an industry, function, and other appropriate resources to gather relevant information

Engagement Management
In collaboration with relevant team members, the LAS Associate participates in the planning and management of the engagement lifecycle. Working with technology resources and a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders, 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 think ahead, develop engagement plans and timelines, and anticipate next steps

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

• Fosters close communication and builds strong working relationships with colleagues

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

• Takes ownership of the project by doing what is needed at all phases of the client engagement

Practice Building
The successful Associate is a self-starter who will operate comfortably in this environment characterized by rapid change and ambiguity. He/She will assist in driving structural and product-driven enhancements within LAS by:

• Participating actively in internal initiatives relative to LAS product development and the build-out of practice infrastructure, if needed by taking on responsibilities for additional tasks

• Building relationships with and proactively engaging with search colleagues; developing an understanding of the firm’s core search business and facilitating wider understanding of LAS products, services and strategy Listens and asks questions to clarify understanding and demonstrate knowledge

• Places team goals ahead of individual goals

• Considers the needs of colleagues and adapts own communication style accordingly

Candidate Profile

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of 3 years of experience: In a relevant leadership advisory/strategy consulting environment or corporate Human Resources Management with a focus on learning and development, assessment, organizational development and/or organizational culture consulting

• Domain or Subject Matter Expertise: Prior experience related to the application and interpretation of psychometric instruments will be highly advantageous

• International mindset: Ideally will have experience in working across borders

• Language: Fluency in English (written and spoken); additional language skills will be an advantage

• University Graduate: Bachelor’s Degree required. Advanced degree is preferable, particularly in Psychology, Organization Development or Human Resources

CRITICAL CAPABILITIES
Project Management
Plans, manages and drives own efforts to identify and develop a slate of quality candidates as measured by consultant, client and candidate feedback.

• Takes an end-to-end view of each project and the required resources; works at pace and with attention to detail while managing competing deadlines and priorities; has a sense of urgency

• Works on multiple projects; meets deadlines and is resilient under pressure; delivers on commitments on time or notifies as early as possible if deadlines will slip

• Demonstrates enthusiasm, tenacity and intellectual curiosity; action-oriented; deals with problems immediately

• Is results focused and flexible; demonstrates a strong work ethic

Credibility and Influence

Communicates effectively both in writing and verbally; has "gravitas" (executive presence) and is able to build relationships.

• Interacts with a range of internal and external stakeholders and candidates with differing working styles

• Becomes a credible and authentic professional by observing colleagues and emulating role models

• Adapts verbal and written communications according to expectations for role and audience, specifically how to be confident, succinct, concise, prepared and professional

Market Knowledge

• Obtains and incorporates knowledge to enhance client work in a meaningful way. Knows how to get information and effectively uses the available firm resources

• Has a genuine interest in/curiosity about people and businesses; and has an understanding of businesses and their interrelationships

• Understands how to identify and navigate the various relevant sources available (Quest, Passport, Global Information Services, Hoovers, LinkedIn, etc)