The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
International Strategy Associate (L2) at Zavmo
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Deep dive into market sizing, competitive analysis for specific countries, building foundational financial models, and presenting clear insights from data.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivers high-quality research and analysis for multiple markets.
- Proactively identifies strategic opportunities or risks without being asked.
- Takes ownership of entire workstreams and delivers them independently.
- Starts to informally mentor new L1 analysts and review their work.
- 2
Strategy Consultant (Mid-Level) from a Consulting Firm
3-5 yearsSkills to master
- Project management, client engagement, structured problem-solving, and presenting recommendations to senior clients across various industries.
You're ready to move on when
- Led workstreams on market entry or growth strategy projects.
- Managed junior consultants and provided direct feedback.
- Comfortable with hypothesis-driven analysis and rapid iteration.
- Experience with diverse client industries, adapting quickly to new contexts.
- 3
Market Research Manager / Senior Analyst from a Global Company
4-6 yearsSkills to master
- Deep expertise in quantitative and qualitative market research methodologies, vendor management, and translating research into actionable business insights.
You're ready to move on when
- Designed and executed complex market research studies (e.g., segmentation, pricing).
- Managed external research agencies and budgets.
- Presented research findings and strategic implications to internal stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to connect research to commercial outcomes.