Associate Principal - European Competition practice

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments around the world. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings, and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance-related issues. Since 1965, clients have engaged CRA for its combination of industry experience and rigorous, fact-based analysis that provide clients with clear, implementable solutions to complex business concerns.

Position Overview

CRA's European Competition practice specialises in providing economic advice on matters of competition policy and regulation. We assist firms and their legal advisors in all types of competition proceedings: firms considering merger and acquisition opportunities or involved in merger control proceedings; and firms undergoing investigations relating to cartels, restrictive commercial agreements, abuse of dominance or state aid. We also provide advice to firms involved in regulatory proceedings and sector inquiries. We offer assistance on the estimation effects of damages in cartel cases, international arbitration and intellectual property disputes.

For more information on the Antitrust & Competition Economics practice in Europe visit http://ecp.crai.com.

Associate Principals work with those testifying in judicial proceedings to provide economic analyses of mergers and other competition matters before the major competition authorities of the world. Associate Principals have the unique opportunity to work alongside some of the most respected scholars, specialists, and industry experts in the world, providing conceptual and practical input to competition case work and playing a key role in shaping some of the largest and most significant competition cases in Europe. We employ tools such as merger simulation, upward pricing pressure analysis, econometrics, bargaining theory, or game theory to tailor our analyses to the facts of each case. Whether before a court or a regulatory agency, CRA consultants set a high standard for the clear communication of sophisticated economic analysis in complex cases. You will have access to internal training programs focused on creative problem solving, communications, and leading and managing colleagues, teams and cases. Associate Principals may:

• Work closely with leading academics and consult with attorneys and other clients in industry and government on a wide variety of finance, strategy and economics issues;
• Conduct research in a supportive, team-oriented environment;
• Act as a primary point of contact for clients and assist in the development and presentation of client deliverables including expert reports summarising our opinions, conclusions, and recommendations and third party financial, market and industry data;
• Independently conceptualise and identify issues, design complex economic and financial models to analyze economic and financial data;
• Oversee analysis in statistical analysis programs (such as Stata, SAS, R or Python);
• Manage the research process, and supervise, train and mentor junior analysts;
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of analyses and opinions;
• Drive practice-building activities (training, recruiting, publication, expertise sharing, etc.).

Desired Qualifications

• Good first degree in economics and a postgraduate degree qualification (MSc/MPhil or PhD/DPhil) from well-regarded institutions with focused study in economics or a related specialism (industrial organisation, and/or statistics/econometrics);
• Extensive and relevant experience (5-9 years), competition policy/economic consulting experience preferred;
• Demonstrated understanding of economic concepts, competition/regulatory authorities and quantitative and qualitative analysis methods;
• Fluency in English;
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills;
• Experience managing and developing teams of junior colleagues;
• Extensive executive client presence and interaction skills.

To Apply

Applicants should submit the following materials for immediate consideration:

• Curriculum Vitae – please include current contact information;
• Covering letter – please describe your interest in a role with CRA's Antitrust and Competition Economics practice in Brussels and how this role matches your goals.

Work Location Flexibility

CRA creates a work environment that enables our colleagues to benefit from being together in the office to best deliver on our promise of career growth, mentorship and inclusivity. At the same time, we recognise that individuals realise a range of benefits when working from home periodically. We currently expect that individuals spend at least 3 to 4 days a week working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office or to client meetings), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team.

Responsible AI Use in Recruiting

We believe that recruiting is fundamentally a human process, and we are committed to a hiring process that is consistent, transparent, and people-focused. While AI and other technology-enabled tools help our team operate more efficiently, we strive to provide every candidate with a personalized, thoughtful, and high-touch experience. As CRA invests significant human effort to find qualified members for our teams, we expect candidates to invest corresponding human effort to learn about CRA, prepare thoughtful application materials, and engage with our interviewers. Read more about appropriate hiring manager, recruiting team, and candidate AI at CRA on our website.  

Our Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer. As part of our focus on equity and inclusion, we work to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.

The statements included in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.