Analyst, Business Development

Spencer Stuart seeks to recruit an Analyst, Business Development who will work closely with one of our senior Partners and the Partners core team. This distinctive early-career opportunity combines direct apprenticeship with a trusted advisor to CEOs and boards with the mandate to help build a modern, AI-enabled platform connecting research, ideas, content, audiences, executive relationships, and new opportunities.

The Analyst will gain a front-row seat to consequential questions facing CEOs, board directors, and investors while helping turn a growing body of ideas, conversations, and relationships into a platform that reaches more leaders and creates more meaningful connections. The work spans rigorous research, writing, executive briefings, content development, relationship strategy, business development, and AI-enabled experimentation. The Analyst will identify emerging themes, develop points of view, and build repeatable systems that move strong ideas from initial insight to substantive content, conversations, and opportunities.

This is not a traditional marketing, business development, or social media role. It sits at the intersection of executive relationships, artificial intelligence, research, writing, media, and business development. The successful candidate will bring excellent judgment, exceptional writing, analytical rigor, high agency, strong AI fluency, and an intuitive understanding of professional social media. With meaningful creative ownership and permission to experiment with emerging technology within Firm standards, the Analyst will build highly transferable skills and an exceptional professional network while learning how enduring relationships with senior leaders are developed.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to

TMT Practice Leader, Muthiah Venkateswaran

Other key relationships

Jason Baumgarten, Partner

Jasons core team, including Analysts, Associates, and Consultants

TMT Talent Partner, Meghan OLeary

Relevant practice, marketing, research, and knowledge colleagues

External relationships

CEOs, board directors, investors, founders, academics, authors, journalists, and other relevant leaders and connectors

Position location

Seattle or San Francisco strongly preferred; exceptional candidates in other U.S. locations, ideally in the Pacific time zone, may be considered

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct rigorous research on leadership, governance, organizational performance, technology, private equity, and other topics relevant to the Partners work; synthesize executive conversations, academic research, company information, datasets, and market signals into clear hypotheses and distinctive points of view.
• Develop and manage a pipeline of articles, social content, presentations, executive surveys, podcasts, videos, and longer-form projects, ensuring each piece offers a useful idea rather than simply promotion.
• Research and prioritize CEOs, board directors, investors, founders, academics, authors, journalists, and other relevant leaders and connectors; identify timely and credible reasons to engage priority relationships and prepare concise executive briefings.
• Support selected business development initiatives by bringing together Firm experience, market intelligence, relationship context, and relevant points of view; capture insights, commitments, and next steps following conversations.
• Use generative AI and automation to strengthen research, synthesis, idea capture, meeting preparation, content development, relationship intelligence, and knowledge management while complying with Spencer Stuarts confidentiality, data-security, and professional standards.
• Build repeatable systems that connect research, ideas, content, audiences, relationships, conversations, and opportunities; coordinate priorities, production timelines, approvals, and follow-through so strong ideas consistently become finished work.
• Maintain accurate and usable records of priority relationships, conversations, commitments, intellectual capital, and next steps within approved Firm systems; track meaningful indicators of audience quality, relationship development, and opportunity creation.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

The successful candidate will be an intellectually curious, self-directed builder who is energized by turning ambiguity into action and ideas into something tangible. We are less focused on a particular major or conventional background than on trajectory, initiative, judgment, and quality of thinking. The ideal candidate will read broadly, challenge conventional interpretations, test the evidence, and use AI to sharpen their thinking and explore what might be possible. They will move fluidly between research, writing, executive briefings, engagement analysis, and high-value meetings and interviews. With meaningful creative ownership and room to experiment with emerging technology within Firm standards, the Analyst will help transform strong ideas into substantive projects while building an extraordinary professional network and learning firsthand how enduring relationships with senior leaders are developed.

Specific experience should include:

• Recent college graduate or up to three years of relevant professional experience.
• Exceptional research, writing, synthesis, and analytical skills, with the ability to work across qualitative and quantitative information and make complex ideas clear without making them simplistic.
• Excellent project management, organization, attention to detail, and follow-through across multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated curiosity about people, companies, leadership, technology, and how organizations make decisions.
• Practical fluency with generative AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude, combined with an understanding of LinkedIn and professional social media and how technology and digital engagement can be used thoughtfully to advance ideas and relationships.
• Professional judgment, discretion, and credibility in work involving senior executives and confidential information.
• Permanent U.S. work authorization.

Helpful but not required: experience with CRM or relationship-management systems, podcast production, student journalism, long-form writing, or structured academic research.

CRITICAL CAPABILITIES FOR SUCCESS

Project Management

Plan, manage, and drive your own efforts in support of business development, intellectual capital, relationship development, and AI-enabled experimentation. Handle multiple projects with competing deadlines, work with individuals who have differing styles, and consistently turn strong ideas into finished work.

• Take ownership from idea through completion, including coordination, follow-up, and measurement.
• Anticipate next steps and act independently with minimal direction, seeking clarification when it materially changes the outcome.
• Build repeatable workflows and systems that connect research, content, audiences, relationships, and opportunities.
• Reassess priorities as conditions change, raise risks early, and propose practical solutions.

Problem Solving

Synthesize research, executive conversations, market signals, and performance data to form a succinct, accurate, and useful point of view. Move beyond information gathering to identify the issue beneath the initial request and connect ideas across leadership, business, technology, research, and culture.

Listen carefully and ask incisive questions.

• Subject researched facts to analysis and interpretation before drawing conclusions.
• Make responsible inferential leaps despite incomplete information and clearly label assumptions.
• Use strong writing and storytelling to produce clear, distinctive, and credible work for senior audiences.
• Recognize clichs, unsupported claims, AI hallucinations, and false precision; verify important claims against authoritative sources.

Impact and Effectiveness

Contribute to the efficiency and quality of the team while strengthening relevant external relationships. Communicate naturally with executives, colleagues, and external partners, adapting style and format to the audience and channel.

• Place team goals ahead of individual goals and willingly assist beyond assigned responsibilities when needed.
• Prioritize relationships based on relevance, timing, accessibility, and mutual value; identify specific and credible reasons for engagement.
• Remain poised under pressure and communicate expectations, decisions, and next steps clearly.
• Use professional social media and content thoughtfully, distinguishing reach from relevance and impressions from influence.
• Exercise discretion and treat personal, professional, and confidential information with care.

Industry and Functional Knowledge

Obtain and incorporate knowledge to enhance client and business development work in a meaningful way. Develop informed perspectives on leadership, governance, organizational performance, technology, private equity, media, and other topics relevant to the Partners work.

• Know how to find and evaluate the most relevant internal and external information.
• Build awareness of key leaders, organizations, market developments, and the ecosystem of critical influencers and connectors.
• Connect research and content to audiences, relationships, conversations, and opportunities.

Developing Self and Others

Develop self and others; seek and apply feedback to strengthen performance, judgment, and impact.

• Demonstrate self-awareness, learning agility, and a genuine commitment to continuous development.
• Reflect on experiments and outcomes, then shift effort toward the highest-value topics, formats, and relationships.
• Share useful knowledge, workflows, and lessons with colleagues.
• Adjust behavior and working style for the benefit of the team.

Firm Values

Champion the Firms values, culture, and Code of Conduct; engage, participate, and collaborate with others. Build trust by consistently pairing curiosity and initiative with sound judgment, humility, and discretion.

• Embrace diverse opinions and encourage teamwork.
• Promote inclusivity by bringing cultural awareness and sensitivity to every interaction.
• Participate in and contribute to internal activities and the broader Firm community.
• Represent Spencer Stuart well and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Firms values and professional standards.

The base compensation for this position is $80,000 per year. The actual base compensation offered will be dependent on the individuals skills, experiences, and qualifications. This position will be eligible to participate in our annual discretionary bonus program.

Spencer Stuart also offers a competitive benefits package, which includes:

• Retirement savings plan with discretionary profit sharing contribution and employer match;
• PTO (minimum 15 days per year, increases with tenure), paid sick time (10 days per year), company holidays (12 days per year), and paid leaves of absence when applicable;
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, and healthcare flexible spending account;
• Life Insurance, and short-term and long-term disability insurance;
• Wellness benefits, including an employee assistance program, virtual mental health program, and mindfulness program; and
• Voluntary benefit options, including supplemental life insurance, identity theft protection, and whole life insurance with long-term care and critical illness coverage.

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