Management consultant

Controller Job Description

A management consultant, also sometimes called a management analyst, helps a company or government entity plan and execute projects with the desired outcome of becoming more profitable or competitive. A management consultant may specialize in a particular industry, such as healthcare, manufacturing, or education. Alternatively, a management consultant’s focus may be on a function, such as human resources, information technology, financial restructuring, or inventory control. A management consultant works with company leadership to assess the company and identify problems, gather information, and implement solutions. Management consultants frequently work in teams, and most work for consulting firms, rather than being on the payroll of the company they are analyzing. Management consulting, in a nutshell, is problem-solving. Businesses today face numerous problems, many of which are detrimental to operating efficiently. With the ever-changing market landscape and the emergence of new technologies, companies need to continue to evolve. Companies often need assistance to implement changes vital to their economic health. Management consultants provide their expertise to help their clients attain efficiency through the proposed changes.

Management consultants often work at the client site without their superiors, and must be self-motivated to complete work in a timely manner with minimal oversight. They also need organizational skills because clients rely on management consultants to be very organized about their approach to solving the client’s problem and implementing the solution. Consultants need to be able to absorb a great deal of information about the client’s business, analyze the data and make clear and useful recommendations, therefore analytical, problem solving, and critical thinking skills are also necessary. Effective communication skills will be helpful in interacting with many of the client’s employees at various levels of the organization. Management consultants typically present their work results in the form of reports, manuals, and other forms of documentation that require good writing skills. Since management consultants often either bill by the hour or work under a fixed-fee agreement, they must actively manage their time to keep within budget. Consultants must be able to have the flexibility and creativity to handle any situations that arise while implementing solutions for the client.

Many entry-level jobs require a bachelor’s degree. Management consultants often major in business administration, economics, finance, psychology, management, marketing, accounting, or computer and information science. Many employers prefer candidates who have completed an MBA (Master of Business Administration). While not required, management consultants can get the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) certification by attending courses and passing an exam given by The Institute of Management Consultants USA. 

Typical duties of a Controller

• Learn about the client’s business challenges and technologies to understand their business   needs, interview company personnel
• Review internal client company data such as financial statements, payroll information, or existing computer systems
• Outline the scope of the work and identify and map out schedules, milestones, and required resources to meet the project objectives
• Determine and communicate the work product or results that will be delivered to the client upon project completion
• Develop and carry out communications to the company’s senior stakeholders, company staff, and internal and external project teams
• Conduct any required training classes for employees at a variety of levels
• Provide respectful feedback to company management
• Work tactfully to inspire faster adoption, greater utilization, and higher proficiency by employees regarding new ways of operating as a result of the consulting project outcomes
• Meet with client to ensure the provided solution is working

Skills:

• Ability to structure and manage intensive workloads
• A worthy team player, dedicated to contributing toward the outcome desired by the team
• High degree of emotional intelligence to effectively deal with increasingly diverse clients and teams
• Confidence and maturity to work with senior executives

Qualifications:  Business administration, Economics, Finance, Psychology, Management, Marketing, Accounting, or Computer and Information Science.