This apprenticeship standard is in the process of being revised. In the meantime, the version below remains approved for delivery. Further details of this and other occupational standards in revision are available in the revisions status report.
Provide business advice to public, private and not-for-profit organisations.
Junior Management Consultant
Management consultants provide business advice to public, private and not-for-profit organisations. This usually involves helping them solve a challenge of some kind, such as how to grow their business, how to make it more efficient or how to organise and structure itself in a different way. Some specialist consultancies have a particular focus – for example, how to write proposals for new work, or how to change an organisation or how to develop their workforce. Others are more generalist and you could work across several different types of project. Working on client site away from your office is a possibility, while hours are varied and often depend on the project.
Tasks can be varied. You might be involved in conducting research, analysing and interpreting data or be responsible for organising the logistics of the project. As you develop and progress, you might be involved in contributing to report writing which uses statistical evidence to support recommendations and conclusions, or support the creation of slide decks to deliver key messages to clients. You might also become more focused on a particular type of service offering (financial, strategic, operational, etc.) or industry (financial services, public sector, telecommunications etc.).
A competent Junior Management Consultant, on completion of the Apprenticeship Standard, will meet the following requirements:
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Knowledge |
What is required |
|---|---|
|
Business environment |
Know the different industry sectors, the types of organisations within these sectors, and how a management consultancy can support their needs |
|
Management consultancy business |
Know how a consultancy typically works, how it manages relationships with its clients, and understand the ethical considerations it operates under |
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Business finances |
Know key financial ratios and performance indicators (such as balance sheets and cash flow forecasts) that are necessary to effectively assess an organisation’s financial health |
|
Project management |
Know how a project moves through its lifecycle of planning, design, development, testing, deployment and evaluation. Know what risks and issues are and how to report and monitor them to project and client teams |
The above technical knowledge will be understood through formal learning and applied according to the business environment.
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Skills |
What is required |
|---|---|
|
Communication skills |
Speak and write clearly, influence others, actively listen, question effectively and structure conversations. Support or run meetings and clearly present a point of view to audiences. Communicate appropriately through a variety of channels and platforms |
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Team working skills |
Work effectively within a group environment made up of different personality types. Be aware of one’s own and other people’s emotions and use this understanding to guide decisions |
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Business analysis |
Use a range of tools and methodologies to help analyse an organisation (such as SWOT analysis). Undertake qualitative and quantitative research |
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Relationship building |
Build rapport and trust, maintain relationships once they are built and be able to repair them when they are damaged |
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Personal management |
Manage time effectively and prioritise workloads. Take time to reflect on project successes and learn from failure. Maintain good health and energy through a work / life balance |
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Project management |
Plan, organise and manage resources in order to achieve set goals. Help create objectives at the start of a project, support the development and implementation of project plans and help monitor progress. Proactively identify risks and issues and help create action plans to address these. |
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IT technical capabilities |
Be able to assist in the creation of reports, word processed documents, spreadsheets, slide decks for presentation and software for project management. These are the most prominent, though there are others depending on the consultancy |
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Report writing |
Help produce reports that clearly present recommendations for change using a range of qualitative information and numerical data |
The above skills will be acquired and demonstrated, through a process of continuous self-improvement, in a changing and sometimes pressured environment.
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Behaviours |
What is required |
|---|---|
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Professionalism |
Reflect the expected behaviours of the organisation, project and client teams. Be tactful and discreet with sensitive information and protect confidentiality |
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Self-development |
Frequently seek and act upon feedback, reflect on performance and have a desire for learning |
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Adaptability |
Be flexible to the needs of the project (working times and locations). Be open minded and able to work with a range of different people |
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Adherence to legal and ethical frameworks |
Work within legal and ethical frameworks to protect all stakeholders, including the client, from reputational damage |
The above behaviours will be developed and exhibited, while adhering to high standards of quality.
It is anticipated that the Apprenticeship will typically last 24 months, depending on prior qualifications and relevant work experience and at the discretion of the employer.
Individual employers will identify entry requirements in terms of previous qualifications, training or other criteria. Most candidates will have Level 2 Maths and English (equivalent to GCSE grade C or above), ideally as part of 5 GCSE A-C grades or other comparable qualifications. Apprentices without English or Maths at Level 2 must achieve this prior to the completion of the Apprenticeship.
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There are no set qualifications that must be completed to become or progress as a management consultant. However, firms often support the continuous development of their consultants and may provide sponsorship.
Upon completion of the programme, an apprentice might specialise in a particular type of consultancy or industry or remain more generalist. The skills that are developed often lead to employment in organisations within a certain industry, while some consultants who are established go on to run their own consultancy practices.
The standard will be initially reviewed every three years to ensure it reflects employer
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| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date | Latest end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 06/04/2016 | Not set | Not set |