Senior Associate - Operations (Advisory) at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

Job Description & Summary

• A career within Operations Consulting services, will provide you with the opportunity to help our clients optimise all elements of their operations to move beyond the role of a cost effective business enabler and become a source of competitive advantages. We focus on product innovation and development, supply chain, procurement and sourcing, manufacturing operations, service operations and capital asset programmes to drive both growth and profitability.
• To really stand out and make us fit for the future in a constantly changing world, each and every one of us at PwC needs to be a purpose-led and values-driven leader at every level. To help us achieve this we have the PwC Professional; our global leadership development framework. It gives us a single set of expectations across our lines, geographies and career paths, and provides transparency on the skills we need as individuals to be successful and progress in our careers, now and in the future.
• As a Senior Associate, you'll work as part of a team of problem solvers, helping to solve complex business issues from strategy to execution.

PwC Professional skills and responsibilities for this management level include but are not limited to:

• Use feedback and reflection to develop self awareness, personal strengths and address development areas.
• Delegate to others to provide stretch opportunities, coaching them to deliver results.
• Demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to bring order to unstructured problems.
• Use a broad range of tools and techniques to extract insights from current industry or sector trends.
• Review your work and that of others for quality, accuracy and relevance.
• Know how and when to use tools available for a given situation and can explain the reasons for this choice.
• Seek and embrace opportunities which give exposure to different situations, environments and perspectives.
• Use straightforward communication, in a structured way, when influencing and connecting with others.
• Able to read situations and modify behavior to build quality relationships.
• Uphold the firm's code of ethics and business conduct.

Project Delivery & Management

Business & Industry Analysis:

• Keeps abreast of industry issues (e.g. regulation, drivers, threats etc.), understands their relevance to assigned projects and forms an opinion on target/client business.
• Forms an opinion/point of view and articulates client’s issues/current state from available documentation e.g. strategy document, business plan, procedures manuals, organograms etc.
• Data gathering and handling
• Able to scope and execute primary research using all relevant research providers
• Aware of key sources of data – where to find it, how to access it etc. – and able to identify/find new sources of data specific to a given project (incl. market sources and previous projects)
• Aware of alternative methods for data gathering e.g. interviewing to verify/supplement published market research
• Aware of all internal and external data sources and their limitations
• Able to synthesize key messages and trends and their implications for the client from large volumes of data (client/external)
• Sense-checks and validates research and work output with other data sources
• Presents data accurately and completely - “Right first-time” approach
• Demonstrates ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses
• Communicates effectively with team members - e.g. changes to hypotheses, data problems, new issues, timing
• Financial analysis
• Understands drivers of revenues and profitability
• Understands key ratios - e.g. profitability margins
• Able to perform basic analysis of financial statements, business plans etc. to understand key organisational drivers, trends, plans etc.
• Excel skills
• Can set up clear, easy to  follow and fully sourced spreadsheets
• Data manipulation using simple formulae and techniques - e.g. vlookups, pivot tables
• Able to construct basic  models
• Process Analysis & Design skills
• Able to perform critical analysis of processes to identify gaps, redundancies, automation requirements and other improvement opportunities
• Able to map processes using basic process mapping tools e.g. Ms. Visio
• Able to document Standard Operating Procedures for key business areas highlighting KPIs, process inputs/outputs, key risks and mitigating controls
• Able to identify opportunities for process optimisation
• Interviewing skills
• Professional approach to interviewing
• Designs  interview programme – identifying contacts, writing questionnaires
• Able to hold in-depth conversations –  i.e.  not just  sticking  to  the  script,  making interviews focused on the key questions to be resolved
• Extracts key messages and implications from interviews
• Suitable documentation  of interview feedback to a client-ready standard
• Strongly contributes to Client Team Meetings having the ability to present sections of findings internally
• Supports senior staff at meetings by having grasp of all data and findings – and framing opinions accordingly

Reporting:

• Prepares concise, well-written documents using appropriate business and technical language
• Uses clear simple slides - using appropriate graphics
• Understands the operations consulting environment and roles of various parties within it
• Displays effective time management, prioritizes issues appropriately and meets agreed timelines
• Appreciates the importance and principles of risk management and supports manager with basic risk management tasks (e.g. client and engagement acceptance procedures, draft engagement letter preparation etc.)

Business and Team Development

• Exhibits professional conduct at client meetings and on client location – e.g.  appropriate language, dressing, interactions, etiquette
• Assists in proposal preparation & research, making an active effort to spend available time on Business Development activities 
• Builds an internal network of contacts, e.g. business and community, cross-functional, cross-LoS and communicates relationships to appropriate partners or leaders
• Understands and can communicate broad range of services provided by PwC and begins to identify needs client may not recognize
• Communicates the importance of knowledge of roles and responsibilities and standards to team members
• Demonstrates importance of quality by reviewing work products of others and making necessary modifications
• Contributes to industry teams - e.g. presentations on past projects, sector research, keeps up to date with sector news, knowledge management etc.
• Contributes to wider team - e.g. Induction, buddying, peer group & social activities.

Other:

• Utilization of approximately 70 -85% (i.e. 1,390 – 1,480 hours)
• Proactively defines and discusses development objectives on- and off-projects
• Demonstrates ability to work across various sectors
• Asks for upward and downward feedback in a timely manner, takes feedback on-board positively and takes action to address areas for growth and improvement
• Provides  constructive  and  honest  upward  (and  where  appropriate,  downward)  feedback  in  a  timely manner
• Maintains a focus on project economics – e.g. hours, etc. – and submits timesheets on a timely basis
• Understands risk management procedures and implements them in day to day work. Able to create drafts/handle key risk management procedures (e.g. engagement letters).
• Assists manager in filing & ordering documentation/work papers (both hard copy and electronic) during projects and  takes  responsibility/active  role in project close-down and archiving process
• Keeps up to date with current business events and issues – e.g. economic trends, sector news
• Basic understanding of Operations service offerings and how they fit into the wider firm’s offering

Requirements

Education:

• First Degree in relevant field
• MBA/MSc (with business/accounting/finance/operations orientation) is desirable
• ACCA or other accredited accounting qualification is desirable
• PMP or other project management certification is desirable
• Lean/Six-Sigma/ISO or other business processes/quality-related certification is desirable

Job Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in Operations consulting in a professional services environment or 1 year relevant experience in a large/global organization
• Experience outside market of operation will be an added advantage
• Experience in building and maintaining strong relations with senior level clients and key industry contacts

Demonstrated experience in any of the following knowledge areas:

• Operations optimisation
• Operating model design
• Process analysis and design
• Supply chain optimisation (covering Procurement, Logistics, Inventory Management etc.)
• Cost management
• Financial analysis
• Project/Programme Management

Demonstrated leadership skills and experience leading projects and diverse teams
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Job Knowledge Requirements:

• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of one of the following industries – Financial Services, Financial Technology, Consumer Markets, Government Agencies, Telecommunications, Energy
• Working knowledge and understanding of compliance and risk review procedures, business processes and internal controls

Job-related Skills and Competencies:

• Flexibility in your approach to meeting goals as team lead
• Ability to communicate clearly with colleagues and senior clients
• A proven track record of establishing and maintaining strong relationships
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, delivering results and meeting client expectations
• Strong technical depth
• Project management skills – ability to manage multiple projects
• Understand and live the PwC values
• Demonstrable creativity and innovation
• Presentation, communication and facilitation skills
• Adapting and responding to change.