Engagement Manager - Business Consulting

Start your next chapter at KAE – a Strategic Insights Consultancy, specialising in market research, competitive intelligence, and evidence-led strategy. We help clients across payments, financial services, and technology sectors to understand their markets, outmanoeuvre competitors, and make confident, data-driven decisions.

Our culture is collaborative, ambitious, and supportive—encouraging ownership, independence, and innovation. We’re committed to social and environmental responsibility, and we believe our journey to help businesses become more sustainable starts within.

About the Opportunity

As an Engagement Manager, you will lead the delivery of multiple concurrent client research engagements, managing the full project cycle from shaping client briefs and scoping projects to designing solutions and leading project teams. You will set the approach and methodology for research, leverage insights, and advise clients on actionable strategies. This includes exercising strong professional judgement about what is appropriate, proportionate, and impactful for each client context. You will also work closely with the senior leadership team to shape the firm and support business development activities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing multiple client engagements, leading, and upskilling project teams to ensure effective delivery.
• Providing direction on analysis and insight generation and taking a hands-on approach where required, and sense‑checking outputs to ensure they are focused on client impact
• Presenting clear, actionable findings and recommendations to clients, and facilitating client workshops.
• Managing client and internal stakeholder relationships throughout the project lifecycle.
• Proactively managing resource allocation, profitability, and commercial aspects of projects.
• Supporting business development through client account management, targeted outreach, and thought leadership.
• Coaching and developing less experienced consultants, contributing to recruitment, and driving internal improvement projects.
• Acting as an inspirational role model and reflecting KAE’s values.

Who We’re Looking For

You’ll be an experienced research expert or consultant with at least five years’ background in research or strategy consulting, and a genuine passion for market research methods. You’ll have a strong track record of conducting primary research - including complex, in-depth interviews with C-suite stakeholders - and you’ll be comfortable leading client engagements to deliver strategic outcomes. Experience in financial services or payments would be highly desirable.

Additionally, we will also ask you to have:

• Strong project management skills, with experience managing multiple concurrent projects and client relationships.
• Proven data analysis skills (quantitative and qualitative).
• Previous team leadership and management experience.
• Excellent business acumen and understanding of strategy, marketing, and product issues.
• Ability to create compelling presentations and deliver them confidently to senior clients.
• Experience supporting business development activities, such as client account management, proposal development, scoping & pricing of engagements, or thought leadership.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills, with fluency in English.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships internally and externally.
• Commercial awareness, attention to detail, and a proactive, collaborative approach.
• Sound professional judgement, including the confidence to be clear about risks, assumptions, and areas requiring further validation.
• Alignment with KAE’s core values: work together, care and share, stay curious, choose courage.
• Willingness and ability to spend a minimum of 3 days per week in our London office.

Why KAE?

• Leadership and impact: Take ownership of high-profile projects and help shape the future of KAE.
• Supportive environment: Collaborate with talented colleagues in a culture that values learning, growth, and innovation.
• Hybrid working: Enjoy flexibility with a mix of office and remote work, plus occasional opportunities to travel.
• Inclusive culture: We celebrate diversity and are committed to equality, inclusion, and transparency in career progression.

Remuneration and Benefits

• £65,000 – £84,000 base salary, plus discretionary bonus (company and individual performance).
• Comprehensive benefits: pension, life insurance, private medical insurance, cash health plan (including annual flu vaccinations), enhanced maternity/paternity leave, cycle to work scheme.
• Social clubs, flexible working hours, hybrid work model, and short Fridays during summer.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We believe caring about our people is what makes us different. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture, ensuring every voice is heard and every career trajectory is transparent and fair.

Ready to take the next step in your consulting career at KAE, a strategic insights consultancy? Apply now and help us shape the future of market intelligence.

Additional Information

KAE is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes all employment decisions objectively on merit without regard to age, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Please note that New Minds Resourcing Ltd are acting as our retained consultants for the recruitment of this role. All applications will be shared with both New Minds and KAE.