Ricardo Strategic Consulting is somewhere where talented and motivated people develop rapidly, taking on steady stream of new and complex challenges.
From the start you will be a valued asset in our team and fully integrated in our diverse, client-facing projects. As your career progresses you will manage increasingly complex work, lead project teams and become a valued advisor to our clients.
Read on to learn about our roles at RSC and what your career path might look like
Business Analyst
At RSC, a Business Analyst is a fully-fledged consultant and member of a project team right from day one.
Typically your tasks will include:
- Working on individual project assignments and taking over responsibilities for discrete project modules
- Conducting qualitative research and interviews
- Performing market and data analysis
- Developing client presentations
During this phase you will learn all the skills of the consulting trade by closely working with your more experienced project team members, and through targeted training modules. You will work on a wide variety of different projects and taking on increasing responsibility for project delivery.
Business Analysts will typically aim to be promoted to Associate level after 2-3 years in their role.
Short Profile - Lakshman Koundinya VS, India
I joined Ricardo Strategic Consulting in 2010 after graduating with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng). Between my BEng and MBA I had over 4 years of work experience, where I worked on a variety of projects with a focus on automotive, energy and power systems. Since joining Ricardo Strategic Consulting, I have been able to work in a sector that I am passionate about. I have been involved in a wide range of projects covering corporate strategy, market entry, key account strategy and due diligence for clients spread across different global locations. As a senior business analyst, my job provides me with immense opportunities in problem solving and strategy development and I have been able to further enhance my knowledge of the automotive industry.
Associate
Associates at Ricardo are the core of a consulting team and lead substantial portions of the engagement, from pre-proposal research through to final implementation.
Our Associates manage such tasks as:
- Responsibility for one or more project modules
- Performing high-value qualitative and quantitative research
- Synthesizing conclusions into recommendations
- Supporting senior team members in delivering presentations
- Working with senior team members to implement project recommendations
When Associates are ready for the next level of responsibility, they move on to the Manager level.
Short Profile - Leslie Y. Bednarz, USA
After completing my BSME from the University of Michigan, I worked for the automotive interiors group of Johnson Controls, for over 5 years. During my time at JCI, I worked in both engineering and commercial roles while completing my MBA in the evening. Shortly after receiving my MBA, I joined Ricardo Strategic Consulting and I have worked on a wide variety of projects for a diverse selection of clients. My management consulting experience has both complemented and expanded my previous industry experience.
While at Ricardo Strategic Consulting, I have worked on projects varying from competitive benchmarking & product strategy to integrated cost reduction and a new market entry strategy for non-automotive clients. My experience at Ricardo Strategic Consulting has been invaluable, and I am a proud member of a team that is comprised of top-rated colleagues who deliver and exceed client expectations.
Short Profile - Justin L. Twitchell, USA
After completing my MBA at the Kellogg School of Management, I joined General Motors as a consultant in GM’s internal consulting group. At GM, I worked directly for the vice president of R&D and Strategic Planning and then spent some time in the purchasing organization. I found that I really enjoyed consulting and wanted to continue my career as an ‘external’ consultant. Ricardo was a perfect fit for me given my experience at GM. It allowed me to stay in the automotive industry and get a broad view of the many different companies in the industry. I enjoy the wide variety of project scope and location and my colleagues are top-notch. I have found that Ricardo truly is an excellent place to continue my career.
Manager
Managers are a central figure within our organization. As a Manager you will truly own the client problem and often form the hub of a specific assignment.
Managers will hold an important role at every stage of the project and thus typical tasks might be:
- Overall responsibility for smaller projects or for specific project modules in large projects
- Structuring the project process for the assigned modules
- Operational project management in relation to clients and colleagues
- Contributing to acquisition strategies
- Preparing and delivering high-impact presentations
Short Profile - Sarah Crombie, UK
I started my career as a Production Engineer with ExxonMobil working in onshore gas processing and offshore oil and gas production in Australia. After moving to London, I wanted to broaden my exposure to the challenges that energy companies face and I saw consulting as an ideal way to do this. I joined Arthur D. Little’s Energy Practice as a Consultant and progressed to Manager, working for IOCs, NOCs and government organizations covering strategy, energy market analysis and operations performance improvement work. I joined Ricardo Strategic Consulting in 2011 as a Senior Manager in the Energy Practice where I focus on strategy and market analysis in the upstream oil and gas and midstream gas sectors. I enjoy the learning curve that the ever evolving energy sector provides and furthermore, I am very enthusiastic about the opportunity we have to develop Ricardo’s presence in the energy sector.
Principal
Principals at Ricardo are widely recognized for their expertise in their chosen area of specialization. As a seasoned expert you will use your profound experience and knowledge to deliver large and complex projects.
Our Principals also have the ability to analyze and interpret new or emerging client needs and turn them into successful projects that add real value. They assume full client relationship responsibility and have specific business development targets.
They also engage strongly in personnel management and development.
Short Profile - Simon Alexander Schnurrer, Germany
After graduating from the University of Mannheim, I joined a large international strategy consulting firm in Germany as a member of their automotive team. My next career step was to become team leader in the strategic marketing department of a premium automotive manufacturer, before I went back to consulting after several years in industry.
As a Principal at Ricardo Strategic Consulting, I am responsible for the management of large and complex projects. Furthermore I support business development, intellectual capital development and firm building (e.g. recruiting). I have led projects for almost all of the large automotive manufacturers in Europe, mostly on strategy topics with top management visibility. I truly enjoy working in Ricardo Strategic Consulting’s highly skilled international team with colleagues who share the same enthusiasm about the automotive industry. Yet, Ricardo Strategic Consulting also offers me to look beyond the automotive sector, as many of the real "game changers" in today’s market require competence from several industries.
Director
At the most senior level Directors actively shape the face of Ricardo Strategic Consulting.
Our Directors are recognized thought leader in their area of expertise and are sought out by clients and colleagues alike for this. As a Director at RSC you will have to have a proven track-recording of succeeding in client projects and winning business as well as demonstrate excellent leadership skills and have the ability to inspire.
Directors drive the achievement of RSC business objectives at market unit and client level and in addition often bear responsibility for specific fields of expertise. They also take the lead in areas such as strategic business and personnel development.
Short Profile - Peter Hughes, UK
As Director and Head of Ricardo Strategic Consulting’s newly established Energy Practice, I am responsible for developing RSC’s “energy offer” to its clients, both existing and new, an offer which can be summarized as helping them to understand the fundamental changes taking place in the global energy sector, and the impact that those changes are likely to have on their business and their activities. A key first stage in this respect has been to build a core team of talented energy professionals able to deliver genuine insight to our clients.
My own background comprises more than 30 years in the global energy, and in particular oil and gas, business. Some 20 years of this have been spent in the corporate sector, including most recently senior executive roles at BG Group and BP, and the remaining 10 years on the advisory side working for blue chip consultancies, interspersed by a year out to do the Sloan Fellowship at London Business School in the early 1990s.
The RSC Energy Practice has already started to make its mark through a ground-breaking study looking at the future trajectory of oil demand, which amongst other things is taking full advantage of Ricardo’s industry-leading knowledge of the technology change in the transportation sector that will have such a profound impact on oil demand in the coming years. The study is being sponsored by a diverse group of organizations, including both major energy companies on the one hand and OPEC on the other.
Short Profile - Ian Kershaw, UK
As a Managing Director at Ricardo Strategic Consulting Northern Europe, I am responsible for improving the profitability and competitiveness of our clients, coaching and growing a talented team of Ricardo Strategic Consulting consultants and contributing to Ricardo's overall financial performance and pool of expertise.
The foundations of my career were in line management roles in R&D, manufacturing and finance at a vehicle manufacturer and a major tier 1 powertrain supplier. After 13 years in the automotive industry, an Engineering degree and a Cranfield MBA, I spent seven years with blue chip global strategy consultancies before joining Ricardo at the beginning of 2004.
The Northern European team supports an amazing selection of clients, including a global construction equipment maker, a developer of electric two wheelers, European government institutions, a developer of Formula 1 engines and a number of private equity firms.