Strategy Insights & Planning Associate Consultant, Commercial Strategy & Launch Excellence
ZS's Strategy Insights and Planning teams partner with clients to solve complex business challenges and drive meaningful impact across the healthcare industry. This team works closely with commercial leaders, marketers, sales organizations, insights and analytics teams, and other cross-functional stakeholders to design and execute strategies that improve business performance and customer outcomes.
This role is ideal for individuals who enjoy solving ambiguous business problems, collaborating across diverse stakeholder groups, and helping organizations successfully bring products to market. Much of the team's work supports commercialization efforts across the product lifecycle, from launch planning and readiness through post-launch optimization and growth strategy.
What You'll Do
- Partner with client marketing and commercial teams to develop and execute business, brand, and launch strategies.
- Support product launch planning and commercialization efforts, including pre-launch readiness, launch execution, and post-launch performance optimization.
- Work across marketing, sales, insights and analytics, market research, and other cross-functional teams to align stakeholders and drive organizational goals.
- Structure and solve complex, ambiguous business challenges using strategic problem-solving frameworks and hypothesis-driven thinking.
- Develop actionable recommendations by synthesizing market research, stakeholder input, industry trends, and business insights.
- Design and facilitate governance models, decision-making processes, and operating structures that improve cross-functional collaboration and execution.
- Lead project management and orchestration activities, including workstream coordination, risk management, timeline management, and stakeholder communication.
- Support initiatives focused on sales force effectiveness, sales readiness, customer engagement, and patient experience.
- Create executive-level presentations, business cases, and strategic narratives that influence decision-making and drive action.
- Present recommendations and progress updates to client stakeholders and senior leadership teams.
- Develop strong client relationships and serve as a trusted thought partner on key project activities.
- Mentor Associates and contribute to the growth of team capabilities and best practices.
What You'll Bring
- Master's degree, PhD, or bachelor's degree with 2-5 years of relevant professional experience in consulting, healthcare, life sciences, marketing strategy, commercial operations, business strategy, project management, or related fields.
- Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to bring structure to complex and ambiguous business challenges.
- Experience managing cross-functional initiatives and driving alignment among multiple stakeholders.
- Exceptional project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong executive communication, presentation, and storytelling capabilities.
- Ability to develop insight-driven recommendations, even when limited data is available.
- Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build collaborative partnerships.
- Intellectual curiosity and the ability to quickly understand new industries, markets, and business environments.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- High degree of initiative, adaptability, accountability, and attention to detail.
- Collaborative mindset and commitment to delivering exceptional client service.
- Experience in healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or life sciences is a plus but not required.
Why Join This Team
- Work on highly visible and impactful commercialization and launch initiatives.
- Partner directly with client marketing and commercial leaders.
- Gain significant client exposure and opportunities to influence strategic decisions.
- Collaborate with a highly supportive, engaging, and team-oriented group.
- Solve new challenges every day in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Experience meaningful work that directly impacts how products reach and serve customers and patients.
- Enjoy strong mentorship, professional development, and opportunities for growth.
How you'll grow:
- Cross-functional skills development & custom learning pathways
- Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
- Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions
Perks & Benefits:
At ZS, your growth matters. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well-being, financial future, time away, and professional development. With robust skills-building programs, multiple career progression paths, internal mobility, and a deeply collaborative culture, you'll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, expand your capabilities, and thrive as part of a global community. For details on total rewards in United States , visit ZS US office locations | Where we work | ZS .
Hybrid working model:
We are committed to giving our employees a flexible and connected way of working. A flexible and connected ZS allows us to combine work from home and on-site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of our week. The magic of ZS culture and innovation thrives in both planned and spontaneous face-to-face connections.
Travel:
Travel is a requirement at ZS for client facing ZSers; business needs of your project and client are the priority. While some projects may be local, all client-facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed. Travel provides opportunities to strengthen client relationships, gain diverse experiences, and enhance professional growth by working in different environments and cultures.
Considering applying?
At ZS, we honor the visible and invisible elements of our identities, personal experiences, and belief systems-the ones that comprise us as individuals, shape who we are, and make us unique. We believe your personal interests, identities, and desire to learn are integral to your success here. We are committed to building a team that reflects a broad variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Learn more about our inclusion and belonging efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces and obtaining the resources they need to thrive.
If you're eager to grow, contribute, and bring your unique self to our work, we encourage you to apply.
ZS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities without regard to any class protected by applicable law.
Work Authorization:
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.
To complete your application:
An on-line application, including a full set of transcripts (official or unofficial), is required to be considered.
NO AGENCY CALLS, PLEASE.
Find Out More At:
www.zs.com
Salary: $120,000.00 - $137,000.00
Skills Required
- Master's degree or PhD, or Bachelor's with 2-5 years relevant professional experience
- Strong strategic thinking and hypothesis-driven problem-solving skills
- Experience managing cross-functional initiatives and driving stakeholder alignment
- Exceptional project management and organizational skills
- Strong executive communication, presentation, and storytelling capabilities
- Ability to develop insight-driven recommendations with limited data
- Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build collaborative partnerships
- High degree of initiative, adaptability, accountability, and attention to detail
- Collaborative mindset and commitment to delivering exceptional client service
- Willingness and ability to travel as needed for client-facing work
- Authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship (not eligible for visa sponsorship)
- Experience in healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or life sciences
ZS Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Parental & Family Support — ZS provides partnership with Carrot offering up to $95,000 for fertility and family planning, backup care via Bright Horizons, Milk Stork support, and 10 weeks of paid family/parental leave (with up to 16 weeks for birth mothers in some materials). This breadth stands out as a core strength across its U.S. package.
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Healthcare Strength — Health and protection offerings include full medical, dental and vision (with in-network exams 100% covered and a $300 eyewear allowance), basic life up to 3x salary, disability, long-term care at no cost, and supplemental options. These elements position core coverage as comprehensive.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — Public materials cite transgender-inclusive healthcare, HIV services, domestic partner eligibility, and LGBTQIA+ benefits guides alongside broad dependent coverage. This points to inclusive policies that extend meaningful access to diverse employee groups.
ZS Insights
What We Do
ZS is a management consulting and technology firm that partners with companies to improve life and how we live it. We transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Founded in 1983, ZS has more than 15,000+ employees in over 40 offices worldwide.
Why Work With Us
ZS is home to passionate people who embrace innovative thinking, collaboration and a client-first mindset. Welcome to a company where new ideas are celebrated, curiosity is welcomed, learning opportunities are abundant and colleagues become lifelong connections.
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
The Flexible & Connected model is our ZS standard. ZSers decide where it makes the most sense for them to work each day given client or teamwork.













































































