Manager – Strategy & Advisory

Role Purpose

The Manager – Strategy & Advisory will lead and support the delivery of high-quality consulting engagements across private sector, public sector, and development partner clients.

A core focus of the role is private sector strategy development, alongside broader advisory work in financial services, public sector transformation, and donor-funded programs.

This role requires prior experience in a professional consultancy environment, strong analytical capability, and hands-on proficiency in strategy and analytics tools used in consulting engagements.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Advisory Delivery

• Lead and contribute to consulting assignments across private sector, financial services, public sector institutions, and development partner-funded programs
• Private sector strategy development including growth strategy, market entry, transformation, and operating model design
• Conduct market assessments, industry benchmarking, and competitive analysis
• Develop strategic recommendations, business models, and implementation roadmaps

Consulting Project Delivery (Core Requirement)

• Deliver structured consulting work in a professional services environment
• Apply standard consulting methodologies including diagnostic, design, and implementation support
• Manage workplans, deliverables, timelines, and quality assurance
• Ensure outputs meet consulting-grade standards including clarity, structure, insight, and defensibility

Tools & Analytical Capability (Core Requirement)

• Demonstrated ability to use consulting and analytical tools
• Advanced Excel for financial modeling and analysis
• PowerPoint for executive-level storytelling and structured presentations
• Data visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent
• Market research and benchmarking tools
• Ability to translate data into clear insights and client-ready outputs

Project Management & Team Leadership

• Manage delivery of end-to-end consulting engagements
• Supervise and mentor junior consultants and analysts
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and multiple workstreams
• Ensure high-quality and timely delivery of all project outputs

Client Engagement

• Interface with senior client stakeholders during engagements
• Facilitate workshops, strategy sessions, and presentations
• Translate client needs into structured analytical workstreams

Business Development Support

• Support proposal development, RFP responses, and pitch preparation
• Contribute to identifying new consulting opportunities within existing clients
• Support strengthening of client relationships and pipeline development

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Finance, Engineering, Public Policy, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 5–8 years of relevant experience in consulting, advisory, strategy, banking, or development finance
• Mandatory experience working in a consulting or professional services environment
• Demonstrated experience in private sector strategy development
• Experience in financial services advisory or transformation, public sector reform or policy advisory, or development partner-funded projects
• Strong analytical, structuring, and problem-solving capabilities

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong capability in private sector strategy development and corporate advisory
• Excellent consulting-grade analytical and problem-solving skills
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and data analysis tools
• Strong communication and executive presentation skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment
• Strong client-facing confidence and stakeholder management skills
• Team leadership and mentoring capability

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Quality and timeliness of consulting deliverables
• Client satisfaction and engagement feedback
• Contribution to private sector strategy and advisory assignments
• Effective use of consulting tools and analytical outputs
• Support to proposal development and business growth
• Performance and development of junior team members

Preferred Experience

• Experience in Big 4 or international consulting firms strongly preferred
• Exposure to financial sector strategy or transformation projects
• Experience working with development partner-funded advisory programs
• Familiarity with Ethiopia’s private sector and regulatory environment

Why Join Grant Thornton Ethiopia?

• Opportunity to work on high-impact private sector and national advisory projects
• Exposure to financial institutions, government, and international development partners
• Strong career progression within a global consulting network
• Hands-on experience with complex strategy and transformation engagements
• Collaborative and high-performance consulting environment

Skills Required:

• Accounting / Finance
• Economics / Statistics
• Sales / Marketing / Business / Management