Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice Manager
Kearney
Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice Manager
Kearney
Global management consulting on strategy, transformation
As a Manager within Kearney’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice, you will play an important role in supporting the growth and development of our Pharma R&D Strategy offering. You will work closely with clients and internal teams to develop strategic insights and deliver high-impact outcomes across complex pharmaceutical R&D and clinical development challenges.
We are seeking experienced consultants with expertise across Pharma R&D, particularly those with a traditional consulting background advising biopharma clients on clinical development, drug development strategy, operating models, and R&D transformation initiatives.
This role is focused on strategic advisory work rather than operational program execution. Ideal candidates will bring strong hypothesis-driven problem solving, executive communication skills, and experience managing complex strategy engagements within pharmaceutical R&D organizations.
Key responsibilities\:
Support and manage strategy engagements for pharmaceutical and biopharma clients across R&D and clinical development functions
Advise clients on topics including clinical development strategy, drug development strategy, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, clinical trial feasibility, and R&D operating models
Support digital strategy and transformation initiatives across Pharma R&D organizations
Drive strategic problem solving from analysis through executive recommendation development
Manage engagement workstreams and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact client outcomes
Contribute to proposal development, business development activities, and growth of Kearney’s Pharma R&D Strategy capabilities
Mentor junior consultants and support a collaborative, high-performing team environment
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 8+ years of professional experience
Relevant management consulting experience with exposure to strategy engagements within Pharma R&D and clinical development
A strong consulting background with experience supporting strategic advisory engagements within pharmaceutical and biopharma organizations
Experience advising clients across one or more of the following areas\:
Clinical development
Drug development
Clinical operations
Regulatory affairs
Pharmacovigilance / drug safety
Clinical trial feasibility
Clinical development program strategy
R&D operating models
Digital strategy and transformation within R&D organizations
Deep pharmaceutical industry expertise; candidates focused primarily on medtech or consumer health are less aligned for this role
Demonstrated ability to support strategic advisory engagements versus operational execution-focused delivery work
Strong communication skills and executive presence
Experience supporting proposal development, client pitches, and business development activities
Proven ability to independently manage multiple complex workstreams
Exceptional analytical, problem solving, 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
Manager base salary – $212,000-$235,000. 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-KH1
As a Manager within Kearney’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice, you will play an important role in supporting the growth and development of our Pharma R&D Strategy offering. You will work closely with clients and internal teams to develop strategic insights and deliver high-impact outcomes across complex pharmaceutical R&D and clinical development challenges.
We are seeking experienced consultants with expertise across Pharma R&D, particularly those with a traditional consulting background advising biopharma clients on clinical development, drug development strategy, operating models, and R&D transformation initiatives.
This role is focused on strategic advisory work rather than operational program execution. Ideal candidates will bring strong hypothesis-driven problem solving, executive communication skills, and experience managing complex strategy engagements within pharmaceutical R&D organizations.
Key responsibilities\:
Support and manage strategy engagements for pharmaceutical and biopharma clients across R&D and clinical development functions
Advise clients on topics including clinical development strategy, drug development strategy, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, clinical trial feasibility, and R&D operating models
Support digital strategy and transformation initiatives across Pharma R&D organizations
Drive strategic problem solving from analysis through executive recommendation development
Manage engagement workstreams and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact client outcomes
Contribute to proposal development, business development activities, and growth of Kearney’s Pharma R&D Strategy capabilities
Mentor junior consultants and support a collaborative, high-performing team environment
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 8+ years of professional experience
Relevant management consulting experience with exposure to strategy engagements within Pharma R&D and clinical development
A strong consulting background with experience supporting strategic advisory engagements within pharmaceutical and biopharma organizations
Experience advising clients across one or more of the following areas\:
Clinical development
Drug development
Clinical operations
Regulatory affairs
Pharmacovigilance / drug safety
Clinical trial feasibility
Clinical development program strategy
R&D operating models
Digital strategy and transformation within R&D organizations
Deep pharmaceutical industry expertise; candidates focused primarily on medtech or consumer health are less aligned for this role
Demonstrated ability to support strategic advisory engagements versus operational execution-focused delivery work
Strong communication skills and executive presence
Experience supporting proposal development, client pitches, and business development activities
Proven ability to independently manage multiple complex workstreams
Exceptional analytical, problem solving, 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
Manager base salary – $212,000-$235,000. 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-KH1
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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