Healthcare and Life Sciences Practice Principal
Kearney
Healthcare and Life Sciences Practice Principal
Kearney
Global management consulting on strategy, transformation
As a Principal within Kearney’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice, you will play a key role in driving the growth and development of our commercial strategy offering. You will work closely with senior clients and internal teams to develop strategic insights and deliver high-impact outcomes across complex healthcare and biopharma challenges.
We are seeking experienced strategy consultants with deep expertise in commercial strategy within Life Sciences, particularly those with a traditional consulting background advising biopharma clients on growth, portfolio, go-to-market, and market access decisions.
This role is focused on strategic advisory work rather than operational commercial launch execution. Ideal candidates will bring strong hypothesis-driven problem solving, executive communication skills, and experience leading enterprise-level strategy engagements.
Key responsibilities\:
Client Leadership & Delivery
Lead large, complex commercial strategy engagements for Pharma clients
Advise senior executives on strategic topics including\:
Go-to-market strategy and commercial model design
Portfolio and growth strategy
Clinical/scientific strategy supporting portfolio decisions
Pricing, reimbursement, and market access strategy
Commercial due diligence and enterprise growth strategy
Drive strategic problem solving from issue identification through analysis, synthesis, and executive recommendation development
Translate complex analyses into clear, actionable insights for C-suite stakeholders
Lead cross-functional teams and independently manage high-impact engagement workstreams
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior client leadership across biopharma organizations
Provide thought leadership on evolving commercial and market trends within Life Sciences
Business Development & Practice Growth
Originate and expand client relationships across Life Sciences accounts
Support growth of Kearney’s commercial strategy capabilities within the practice
Lead proposal development and contribute to senior-level client pitches
Identify opportunities to expand strategic advisory relationships within existing and new clients
Contribute to the development of intellectual capital and differentiated market offerings
Program Leadership & Team Development
Mentor and develop junior consultants and engagement teams
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team environment
Provide coaching and oversight across multiple engagements to ensure quality and impact
Help build and strengthen Kearney’s Commercial Strategy presence within Life Sciences
Who you are\:
After nearly 100 years, we know this business is fundamentally about making connections—between facts, figures, insights, strategies, tools, technologies, and above all, people. That’s why we look for collaborative, insightful, and inquisitive problem-solvers who don’t accept the first thing in front of them and who are always unapologetically themselves.
We want to hear from you if you have\:
MBA preferred and 10+ years of professional experience
Significant management consulting experience at the Principal level or equivalent
A traditional strategy consulting background with strong experience in commercial strategy engagements
Experience advising Life Sciences clients, particularly within one or more of the following areas\:
Go-to-market strategy (preferred)
Portfolio strategy
Clinical/scientific strategy
Pricing and market access strategy
Commercial growth strategy within biopharma
Demonstrated ability to lead strategic advisory engagements versus operational execution-focused commercial launch support
Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior stakeholders
Experience managing proposal development, client pitches, and business development efforts
Proven ability to independently lead multiple complex workstreams and client relationships
Exceptional communication, analytical, and leadership skills
Willingness to travel as required
What we can offer you\:
Every day, our people work to be the difference for our clients, our communities, and our colleagues. Helping them make an impact, they are sustained by a competitive remuneration package plus comprehensive benefits and perks, including but not limited to\:
Generous retirement/pension savings contributions
Comprehensive medical insurance for employees and immediate family
Gym membership discounts
Non-partner equity-based awards (for consulting managers and above)
Structured and on-the-job learning and development opportunities
Personalized opportunities including talent mobility, flexible work programs, and externships to help you chart a unique career journey to pursue your own personal and professional goals
Principal base salary – $245,000-$270,000. It is important to note that at Kearney, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role. Individual salaries within each range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. Kearney reviews compensation regularly and may adjust base salaries to reflect market competitiveness. In addition to salary, individuals may be eligible for a discretionary performance bonus. Our full suite of benefits includes paid time off, 401(k) match and profit sharing, medical, dental and vision coverage, healthcare concierge, backup child/adult care, annual employer HSA contribution, home office stipend, subsidized Gympass and annual wellness program, and leaves of absence when needed to support employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination
Kearney prides itself on providing a culture that allows employees to bring their best selves to work every day. Our people can feel comfortable, confident, and joyful to do great things for our firm, our colleagues, and our clients. Kearney aims to build diverse capabilities to help our clients solve their most mission critical problems.
Kearney is committed to building a diverse, unbiased and inclusive workforce. Kearney is an equal opportunity employer; we recruit, hire, train, promote, develop, and provide other conditions of employment without regard to a person’s gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information or any other differences consistent with applicable laws. This includes providing reasonable accommodation for disabilities, or religious beliefs and practices. Members of communities historically underrepresented in consulting are encouraged to apply.#LI-DNP
As a Principal within Kearney’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice, you will play a key role in driving the growth and development of our commercial strategy offering. You will work closely with senior clients and internal teams to develop strategic insights and deliver high-impact outcomes across complex healthcare and biopharma challenges.
We are seeking experienced strategy consultants with deep expertise in commercial strategy within Life Sciences, particularly those with a traditional consulting background advising biopharma clients on growth, portfolio, go-to-market, and market access decisions.
This role is focused on strategic advisory work rather than operational commercial launch execution. Ideal candidates will bring strong hypothesis-driven problem solving, executive communication skills, and experience leading enterprise-level strategy engagements.
Key responsibilities\:
Client Leadership & Delivery
Lead large, complex commercial strategy engagements for Pharma clients
Advise senior executives on strategic topics including\:
Go-to-market strategy and commercial model design
Portfolio and growth strategy
Clinical/scientific strategy supporting portfolio decisions
Pricing, reimbursement, and market access strategy
Commercial due diligence and enterprise growth strategy
Drive strategic problem solving from issue identification through analysis, synthesis, and executive recommendation development
Translate complex analyses into clear, actionable insights for C-suite stakeholders
Lead cross-functional teams and independently manage high-impact engagement workstreams
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior client leadership across biopharma organizations
Provide thought leadership on evolving commercial and market trends within Life Sciences
Business Development & Practice Growth
Originate and expand client relationships across Life Sciences accounts
Support growth of Kearney’s commercial strategy capabilities within the practice
Lead proposal development and contribute to senior-level client pitches
Identify opportunities to expand strategic advisory relationships within existing and new clients
Contribute to the development of intellectual capital and differentiated market offerings
Program Leadership & Team Development
Mentor and develop junior consultants and engagement teams
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team environment
Provide coaching and oversight across multiple engagements to ensure quality and impact
Help build and strengthen Kearney’s Commercial Strategy presence within Life Sciences
Who you are\:
After nearly 100 years, we know this business is fundamentally about making connections—between facts, figures, insights, strategies, tools, technologies, and above all, people. That’s why we look for collaborative, insightful, and inquisitive problem-solvers who don’t accept the first thing in front of them and who are always unapologetically themselves.
We want to hear from you if you have\:
MBA preferred and 10+ years of professional experience
Significant management consulting experience at the Principal level or equivalent
A traditional strategy consulting background with strong experience in commercial strategy engagements
Experience advising Life Sciences clients, particularly within one or more of the following areas\:
Go-to-market strategy (preferred)
Portfolio strategy
Clinical/scientific strategy
Pricing and market access strategy
Commercial growth strategy within biopharma
Demonstrated ability to lead strategic advisory engagements versus operational execution-focused commercial launch support
Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior stakeholders
Experience managing proposal development, client pitches, and business development efforts
Proven ability to independently lead multiple complex workstreams and client relationships
Exceptional communication, analytical, and leadership skills
Willingness to travel as required
What we can offer you\:
Every day, our people work to be the difference for our clients, our communities, and our colleagues. Helping them make an impact, they are sustained by a competitive remuneration package plus comprehensive benefits and perks, including but not limited to\:
Generous retirement/pension savings contributions
Comprehensive medical insurance for employees and immediate family
Gym membership discounts
Non-partner equity-based awards (for consulting managers and above)
Structured and on-the-job learning and development opportunities
Personalized opportunities including talent mobility, flexible work programs, and externships to help you chart a unique career journey to pursue your own personal and professional goals
Principal base salary – $245,000-$270,000. It is important to note that at Kearney, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role. Individual salaries within each range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. Kearney reviews compensation regularly and may adjust base salaries to reflect market competitiveness. In addition to salary, individuals may be eligible for a discretionary performance bonus. Our full suite of benefits includes paid time off, 401(k) match and profit sharing, medical, dental and vision coverage, healthcare concierge, backup child/adult care, annual employer HSA contribution, home office stipend, subsidized Gympass and annual wellness program, and leaves of absence when needed to support employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination
Kearney prides itself on providing a culture that allows employees to bring their best selves to work every day. Our people can feel comfortable, confident, and joyful to do great things for our firm, our colleagues, and our clients. Kearney aims to build diverse capabilities to help our clients solve their most mission critical problems.
Kearney is committed to building a diverse, unbiased and inclusive workforce. Kearney is an equal opportunity employer; we recruit, hire, train, promote, develop, and provide other conditions of employment without regard to a person’s gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy status, veteran status, genetic information or any other differences consistent with applicable laws. This includes providing reasonable accommodation for disabilities, or religious beliefs and practices. Members of communities historically underrepresented in consulting are encouraged to apply.#LI-DNP
Kearney provides management consulting services to corporations, governments, and nonprofit organisations. It helps clients with strategy, operations, procurement, mergers and acquisitions, organisational transformation, sustainability, and digital analytics. By analyzing data and applying methods like AI and machine learning, Kearney supports data-driven decision-making and develops digital operating models. The firm assists with supply chain optimisation, cost reduction, growth strategies, and large-scale transformation programmes across industries such as consumer, retail, energy, healthcare, financial services, industrials, technology, media, and transportation, as well as the public sector. In sustainability and ESG work, Kearney helps organisations adapt to regulations and pursue sustainable practices. Since its founding in Chicago in 1926 as part of McKinsey’s early history, it evolved from A.T. Kearney to Kearney in 2020 through a management-led evolution.
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