Sr. Consultant / Engagement Manager (Strategy)
Blue Matter Consulting is a strategy consulting firm focused exclusively on the life sciences industry. We partner with biotech startups and multinational pharmaceutical corporations to help them achieve commercial success across the lifecycle of their products, portfolios, and organizations. Our work spans new product planning, launch strategy, portfolio and disease area strategy, and organizational strategy and excellence, with deep expertise in specialty therapeutics including oncology and rare diseases.
We have a unique entrepreneurial culture and invest in building Blue Matter to be one of the best places to work. We operate globally, with offices in the US (San Francisco, New York, Boston), Europe (London, Zurich, Netherlands), and India (Mumbai, Gurgaon, Pune).
The Role
As a Senior Consultant or Manager in our India office, you will operate as an integrated member of US- and Europe-based project teams — owning workstreams, managing junior team members, engaging directly with global clients, and contributing to the strategic direction of live engagements.
At the SC level, you will take increasing ownership of workstream design and execution while developing as a client-facing contributor. At the Manager level, you will manage cross-functional project delivery, act as a thought partner to clients, and take on responsibility for mentoring and developing consulting talent.
You will carry the same expectations for quality, ownership, and client impact as your US/Europe counterparts. The role involves working partial overlap hours with US or European time zones a few days each week; work timing flexibility is provided.
Primary Responsibilities
- Own and manage project workstreams end-to-end — build research plans, execute against timelines, and ensure high-quality delivery
- Design, execute, analyze, and synthesize primary and secondary research efforts
- Identify key insights, recommendations, opportunities, and threats to inform corporate and commercial strategies
- Create and utilize analytical tools to support strategic decision-making
- Develop slides or memos effectively communicating results of analyses
- Prepare material for and contribute substantively to project meetings, workshops, and client presentations
- Proactively communicate progress, flag risks, and manage expectations with project leadership and senior stakeholders
- Engage with global clients regularly (e.g., weekly updates, workshops, interim and final presentations)
- At Manager level: support project leadership in scoping engagements, developing project plans, and assigning tasks across the team
- At Manager level: act as a thought partner to clients — challenge thinking, enhance outcomes, and bring subject-matter perspective
- Coach and mentor junior team members; support their professional development and deliverable quality
- Demonstrate accountability for completion and high-quality delivery of all assigned responsibilities
- Participate in and contribute to internal initiatives including business development, knowledge management, and new capabilities development
Who We Are Looking For
We look for Senior Consultants and Managers who can manage workstreams and teams with minimal oversight, are scientifically trained (by experience or academic background), and demonstrate strength across four core competencies:
- Critical Thinker — Able to approach a problem, understand its context and strategic implications, work with ambiguous information, and develop content that informs decisions and trade-offs
- Program Planner — Able to scope and structure workstreams, manage project plans, and delegate effectively across team members and time zones
- Strategic Partner — A credible, reliable contributor who challenges client thinking and enhances outcomes; at Manager level, a genuine thought partner to senior clients
- Mentor — A strong people engager who coaches junior consultants, provides constructive feedback, and helps guide their professional development
Desired Experience and Skills
- In-depth understanding of the biopharma industry and healthcare ecosystem (US or European market knowledge strongly preferred)
- Understanding of clinical trial phases and their impact on strategic decision-making
- Demonstrated ability to integrate scientific, business, and industry knowledge in developing creative solutions for clients
- Strong analytical skills and structured, hypothesis-driven problem-solving
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Ability to manage competing priorities under tight timelines while maintaining deliverable quality
- High-quality deliverable development and impactful presentation to clients
- Demonstrated ability to manage and foster motivated, capable project teams
- Prior experience coaching or mentoring junior team members
- Willingness and ability to read complex scientific material and distill key insights
- Proficiency in MS PowerPoint and Excel
- Experience using proprietary pharma databases
- Prior experience in specialty therapeutic areas (e.g., oncology, immunology, neurology, rare diseases) is a plus
- Experience with pharma marketing analytics, valuation, or forecasting/modeling is a plus
- Prior demonstrated success working across time zones with international teams is a plus
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree(s) in the biology domain — PhD, MBBS, MD, BDS, MS, MBA, BPharm/MPharm, PharmD, or MPH
- Senior Consultant: 4–5 years of prior consulting experience, OR at least 4–5 years of biopharma industry experience in roles such as marketing, portfolio planning, corporate strategy, or business development
- Manager: 5+ years of life sciences consulting experience, OR equivalent combination of consulting and biopharma industry experience with demonstrated project management capability
- US/Europe life sciences industry knowledge and exposure is strongly preferred
What we can offer you:
- Diverse, intellectually stimulating projects across our clients products, portfolios, and organizations — from biotech startups to multinational pharmaceutical corporations
- Direct engagement with global clients and US/Europe project teams, with real ownership from day one
- Supportive environment to learn and grow, regardless of your starting skill and knowledge level
- Being empowered to drive your development, own your work, and manage your time
- Hybrid office and home working model (depending on project schedules)
- Structured onboarding program to help you hone your existing consulting skills and develop leadership capabilities
- Support for your developmental journey with: A peer-level buddy to help you navigate your way around Blue Matter and share their experiences
- A senior-level career coach to support your overall professional development and career progression
- A senior-level India-based local mentor for ad hoc guidance and support
