ZS
Strategy Insights & Planning Associate Consultant : Life Sciences & Commercial Strategy
Be an Early Applicant
Supports pharmaceutical clients through market research, commercial analytics, strategic problem-solving, and actionable insight development. Designs analyses, synthesizes findings, presents recommendations, supports commercial excellence initiatives, manages project plans, maintains client relationships, and mentors Associates. Works across strategy, insights, analytics, and commercial transformation engagements in a collaborative consulting environment.
ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving 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. 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.
Strategy Insights and Planning Associate Consultant: Life Sciences & Commercial Strategy
ZS's Strategy Insights and Planning teams partner with clients to design and deliver solutions to help them tackle a broad range of business challenges. Our teams work on multiple projects simultaneously, leveraging advanced data analytics and problem-solving techniques. Our recommendations and solutions are based on rigorous research and analysis underpinned by deep expertise and thought leadership.
In this role, you will join a high-impact team supporting one of the world's leading pharmaceutical organizations as it navigates a rapidly evolving commercial landscape. You will work alongside consultants, strategists, and analytics professionals to help clients solve complex business challenges, generate actionable commercial insights, and shape strategic decisions that influence patient outcomes. This position offers broad exposure across commercial excellence, market insights, analytics, and strategy engagements within a dynamic and growth-oriented environment.
What you'll do
What you'll bring
How you'll grow:
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
Strategy Insights and Planning Associate Consultant: Life Sciences & Commercial Strategy
ZS's Strategy Insights and Planning teams partner with clients to design and deliver solutions to help them tackle a broad range of business challenges. Our teams work on multiple projects simultaneously, leveraging advanced data analytics and problem-solving techniques. Our recommendations and solutions are based on rigorous research and analysis underpinned by deep expertise and thought leadership.
In this role, you will join a high-impact team supporting one of the world's leading pharmaceutical organizations as it navigates a rapidly evolving commercial landscape. You will work alongside consultants, strategists, and analytics professionals to help clients solve complex business challenges, generate actionable commercial insights, and shape strategic decisions that influence patient outcomes. This position offers broad exposure across commercial excellence, market insights, analytics, and strategy engagements within a dynamic and growth-oriented environment.
What you'll do
- Leverage problem solving skills and frameworks to develop solutions to our client s business problems
- Assist in structuring and conducting market research and/or desk research to derive insights and contribute to client decision making
- Design custom analyses using tools like Excel and ZS's proprietary software
- Synthesize and communicate results to clients and ZS teams through oral and written presentations
- Support commercial excellence initiatives, including field force strategy, customer engagement planning, performance analytics, and business optimization efforts.
- Translate complex business questions into structured analyses and actionable recommendations for clients and project teams.
- Work collaboratively across global teams, leveraging an onshore-offshore delivery model to deliver high-quality client outcomes.
- Contribute to strategy, insights, analytics, and commercial transformation engagements across multiple business functions and therapeutic areas.
- Develop client relationships and serve as key point of contact on certain aspects of projects
- Actively support management of the program plan and conduct regular status updates with the client - risk and issue mitigation . You will also as sist in driving the project forward to ensure project goals and deadlines are met
- Advance problem-solving skills and improve ZS's capabilities
- M entor and support development of Associates on your projects and teams
What you'll bring
- Bachelor's or master's degree required in any discipline with strong record of academic success in quantitative and analytic coursework such as operations research, applied mathematics, management science, data science, statistics, econometrics or engineering.
- 3 + years of relevant post-collegiate job experience. A PhD may substitute in lieu of work experience.
- Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or broader life sciences industry is strongly preferred.
- Exposure to commercial analytics, market research, forecasting, customer insights, or related strategic consulting work.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and evolving environment with shifting priorities and ambiguous business challenges.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with clients and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Basic AI aptitude and curiosity, with an openness to using AI-enabled tools to enhance research, analysis, problem-solving, and day-to-day productivity.
- Ability to combine quantitative analysis with qualitative insights to evaluate business problems, identify meaningful trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- High motivation, good work ethics, maturity and personal initiative
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Empathy, adaptability and high personal impact
- Strong attention to detail, with a quality-focused mindset
- Self-discipline for planning and organizing tasks
- Aptitude for, and enjoyment of, team leadership
- Fluency in English
- Client-first mentality
- Intense work ethic Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach
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
ZS Thousand Oaks, California, USA Office
ZS Los Angeles Office

Residing only a mile away from one of ZS’s major clients, our LA office is a hub for collaboration. This office often has clients stopping by to workshop, network or just grab a coffee. Teams here are set up to conduct market research onsite, witnessing first-hand the patient’s experience.
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