Business Consultant

Job description

Role Title: Business Consultant

Business: Design & Initiation

New or Existing Role: New

Grade: GCB5

Role Purpose

· Design & Initiation (D&I) has two core purposes to support HSBC in becoming a simpler, better, faster organisation:
· Advising leaders with multi-year transformational agendas, providing structure, planning and input to transformation strategy (the D&I team is part of the trusted advisory portfolio)
· Driving design and mobilisation effort on strategic programmes, adding speed, certainty and accuracy to the structure and the delivery of programme benefits
· The Business Consultant will be aligned to a business domain and/or function. The purpose of the role is to manage and execute business efforts across a portfolio of consulting projects or play a key role in one of the global priority programmes

Key Accountabilities

Impact on Business

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

· Understanding wide array of approaches to information gathering that supports effective problem solving

· Able to navigate through unclear problems and develop structure and definition

· Applying structured thinking in presenting analysis and conclusions

· Taking ownership of solving problems end to end, solving discrete problems systematically and independently

Business Analysis and Design

· Understanding the end to end process of designing, developing and deploying target operating models

· Articulating the use of basic level business models and operating models and participating in their development

· Key contributor within an engagement team to test and refine designs with stakeholders

· Performing effective analysis and gap assessment to the required level of granularity based on different stakeholder needs / views

· Analysing the current state, identifying the future state and then validating assumptions with stakeholders to align with business requirements

Innovation and Idea Management

· Demonstrating confidence in putting forward new ideas, and testing new ideas with colleagues and peers

· Supporting requests to develop thought leadership and methodology collateral

· Identifying opportunities to bring new and efficient ways of working in the project

· Participating in activities to improve D&I methodology

· Keeping abreast of industry trends to bring innovative ideas to the business solutions / engagements

Delivery at Pace

· Building and maintaining a reputation for reliable, efficient and effective delivery of business solutions

· Understanding the importance of managing own time and workload

· Immediately highlighting/escalating any off track activities and bottlenecks slowing the success of delivery

· Identifying the opportunities to accelerate the delivery of the projects and acts on them

· Promoting pace and energy within the team

· Understanding the resource and scheduling process

· Clearly understanding own role and the role of others

· Endorsing team engagement initiatives, fostering learning and collaboration

· Promoting and demonstrating self-development (e.g. training)

· Providing ongoing visibility of project timings and commitments

Planning and Plan Management

· Identifying necessary steps for the completion of discrete sets of activities with some appreciation of stakeholder perspective

· Supporting the team and coordinating with stakeholders to facilitate the documentation of scope, quality, cost and effort

· Proactively monitoring plan execution and provides comprehensive updates, taking ownership of any assigned plan

Commerciality

· Understanding the purpose and priorities of the organisation, both now and in the future

· Thinking commercially to identify opportunities to develop business from new/existing internal customers

· Considering impact and dependencies of the group priorities for the project and its deliverables

· Challenging business decisions based on domain knowledge

Leading Self and Others

· Understanding expectations of their role on each engagement

· Investing time to understand the needs, ambitions and expectations of others

· Training/coaching the use of frameworks to less experienced colleagues

· Listening to developmental feedback from line management and making a conscious effort to address these

Impactful Communication

· Being open, honest, clear and inclusive in communication

· Actively listening

· Using appropriate communication tools

· Taking account of how others may interpret words and actions

Major Challenges

· Managing the complexity involved in consulting projects that span multiple stakeholders
· Maintaining a trusted adviser status and managing scope while maintaining an internal objective view to challenge the business solutions

Role Context

· Work relatively independently and have the gravitas and acumen to consult with business management.

· Be self-motivated and driven but able to manage and work in a team whenever required

· Be easily accessible and available to support business stakeholder and Consulting Leadership needs

· Become an information intermediary to help connect activities / change initiatives underway across the bank which benefit the stakeholders in each engagement

· Be able to cope and bring structure to ambiguous situations and problems. He / she will be expected to adopt an agile and flexible approach to work

· Be culturally sensitive

Management of Risk

· The jobholder will also continually reassess the operational risks and likelihood of operational risk occurring. This will be achieved by reviewing risks associated with the role and inherent in the business, taking account of changing economic or market conditions, legal and regulatory requirements, operating procedures and practices, management restructurings, and the impact of new processes

· The jobholder should address any areas of concern with line management and / or the appropriate business stakeholders. Effective and timely remedial action should be evidenced

Desired profile

Qualifications :

Knowledge

· Demonstrate knowledge of trends and issues facing the industry and in particular those that affect their business area

· Be able to articulate to stakeholders the targeted benefits for a change intervention.

· Be knowledgeable about HSBC's environment including: structures; business drivers; Group and businesses' strategy;

· Be knowledgeable of the external environment including: Main banking competitors; Innovation & Technologies; Regulatory environment; Key events in world / local news that could impact HSBC; Global economy;

· Utilise financial skills to develop a high level business case, considering investment and high level benefits.

· Basic knowledge of banking, key domains and change industry.

· Knowledge of change management, project management and target operating model design methods

E xperience

· At least 3-5 years of experience working on business consulting/Industry expereince in large complex organisations.

· Overall financial services industry knowledge with specific functional expertise ideal.

· Demonstrated ability to build, maintain and navigate the organisation using formal / informal networking skills.

· Demonstrated experience with organisational change and business transformation

· Problem solving and analysis skills

· Some experience in managing others

· Experience supporting the definition of a business problem, and solutions based on data.

· Experience of validating and prioritising business requirements.

· Good experience with data analysis and interpretation.

· Some experience in supporting the facilitation of requirements / design sessions.

· Familiarity and experience with financial services business and governance models.

Q ualifications and Accreditations

· Typically qualifications would include an undergraduate or postgraduate degree

· MBA is beneficial.

·  Local industry accreditation e.g. ACIB (Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers). Optional.

As a business operating in markets all around the world, we believe diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why HSBC is committed to being an inclusive employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

We want everyone to be able to fulfil their potential which is why we provide a range of flexible working arrangements and family friendly policies

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating a diverse environment.

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/popups/uk-privacy-statement#/ overview