Strategy & Operations Associate Consultant

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, our most valuable asset is our people. Here you’ll work side-by-side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life-changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning; bold ideas; courage and passion to drive life-changing impact to ZS. Our most valuable asset is our people . 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 part of your success here. about our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces, obtaining the resources they need to thrive, and sharing the messages they are passionate about.  The Strategy & Operations (S&O) program consists of experts who facilitate the creation, sharing, and learning of best practices to drive strategic and operational excellence. The S&O Associate collaborates with senior executives leading either a mid-size client account team, practice area, or industry vertical (collectively referred to as “spaces”). In this role, you will be a critical contributor to the space you support. You will work with leaders to prioritize and drive key space initiatives, create the structure and processes that enable the space to achieve its vision, strategy, and key milestones. S&O professionals are key connectors with broad visibility across the space, building collaborative relationships within the space and across ZS to enhance efficiency. This involves providing strategic and operational support across 8 dimensions: 1) Space Management & Operations, 2) Strategic Planning & Enablement, 3) Investment Budget Planning & Optimization, 4) ZS-Client Working Model Strategy and Management, 5) External Engagement & Thought Leadership, 6) People Development & Engagement, 7) Business Development/ Pipeline Strategy & Management, 8) Capability Building & Dissemination As an S&O Associate you will have the unique opportunity to work at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and innovation, collaborating with senior executives and cross-functional teams to drive significant impact. You will help shape the future of the space you support, identifying and implementing solutions that streamline operations, foster growth, and maximize client success. Through your work, you will foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement, ensuring that each space operates at its highest potential while delivering measurable results to both clients and ZS. What You’ll Do  Manage and execute substantial projects and processes within assigned spaces that help enhance space creditability Optimize space operations; proactively suggest and implement improvements or enhancements to space leadership Connect the dots across initiatives within the space and firm to create operational efficiencies and save team members’ time. Help drive space-level strategy and facilitate change enablement Lead impact measurement & communication plans Collaborate on budget optimization and business development activities Interact independently with key members of the space and ZS team Act as a proxy for space leads in certain tasks, expanding scope and responsibility. Navigate the network within the assigned space and across ZS to accomplish key objectives. Deliver outputs that are of "internal-ready" quality, suitable for a broad audience. What You’ll Bring  Bachelor’s degree required 2+ to 5 years’ experience in professional services firm, consulting or strategy/operations experience preferred Fundamental understanding of consulting business models Strong analytical and problem solving skills Excellent oral and written communication Strong project management skills, successfully managing multiple projects at once, including those with intersecting workstreams Ability to navigate Experience and comfort working with multiple and senior stakeholders Empathy, adaptability and high personal impact  Proficiency and skill in MS Office Suite Perks & Benefits: ZS offers a comprehensive total rewards package including health and well-being, financial planning, annual leave, personal growth and professional development. Our robust skills development programs, multiple career progression options and internal mobility paths and collaborative culture empowers you to thrive as an individual and global team member. 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.