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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead client projects, identify growth opportunities, and build long-term relationships.
- Company: Dynamic growth consultancy focused on consumer goods and services.
- Benefits: Work remotely, flexible hours, competitive pay, and a collaborative culture.
- Why this job: Join a low-ego team and shape the future of a growing consultancy.
- Qualifications: 6-10 years in strategy/growth consulting with strong consumer goods experience.
- Other info: Opportunity for hands-on work and professional development in a flat structure.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Who are we
Category Growth is a growth consultancy specialising in consumer goods and services. We operate as a growth accelerator for our clients — partnering closely with senior teams to rapidly identify, prioritise and unlock compelling growth opportunities. We combine human expertise with AI-enabled tools, including our proprietary Pulse AI capability, to help clients go faster, think broader, and make clearer choices on where to play and how to win. We deliberately don’t operate a traditional pyramid consulting model. Instead, we work in small, senior partner teams, closely integrated with our clients. This allows us not only to deliver robust strategy, but to help teams translate it into rapid, practical action.
Why work with us
We believe great consultants don’t need to be in the office - or online - 24/7. We’re outcome-focused, remote-based and offer genuine work-life flexibility around clearly defined project engagements and deliverables. As a small and growing business, there’s a strong sense of ownership, trust and shared ambition. You’ll work directly with other senior practitioners, contribute to shaping how Category Growth evolves, and be part of a collaborative, low-ego team. This is a chance to help build something — not just deliver projects.
What you’ll do
As an Associate Director, you’ll play a senior, hands-on role in delivering high-quality client work and building long-term client relationships. You will:
- Work directly with clients to identify, shape and unlock growth opportunities
- Contribute across futures, strategy and innovation engagements — from early opportunity framing through to actionable recommendations
- Bridge consumer insight, commercial reality and strategic direction
- Operate comfortably in fast-paced, hypothesis-led projects, often with imperfect information
- Build trusted, long-term relationships with client teams
- Actively contribute to the wider Category Growth community, culture and capability
What we’re looking for
Core experience
- Typically 6–10+ years’ relevant experience with a minimum 3 years in Strategy / Growth consulting.
- Strong background in consumer goods, ideally across multiple categories
- A broad skill set spanning at least two of strategy, commercial, marketing or innovation
- Strong hands on core consulting skills: you need to be willing and able to do the excel analysis, session design, powerpoint slides etc. yourself (not managing someone else to do it)
- Experience working with senior client stakeholders and owning workstreams or engagements
Approach and values
The right Associate Director will be:
- Low ego, high ownership — confident but humble
- Pragmatic and action-oriented — focused on what really matters
- Comfortable working at pace, with ambiguity and evolving briefs
- Commercially strong, able to own analysis and translate it into clear recommendations
- Brand- and consumer-literate, with polished, senior-ready communication skills
- Curious about how AI and new tools can enhance strategy and innovation
- A natural relationship builder with a client-first mindset
- Willing to roll sleeves up and get hands-on
Practical requirements
- A minimum commitment of 3 days per week
- Legal right to work in the UK (we are unable to offer visa sponsorship)
- Flexibility to join client calls across the week
- Willingness to attend occasional in-person client sessions
- Ability to join Category Growth team sessions regularly in London
What you’ll get from us
- Freedom to work from anywhere in the UK, provided you can travel to London for in-person sessions when needed
- Flexible working hours, around defined client deliverables and engagements
- Interesting, senior-level client work across consumer goods and services
- A flat structure with no hierarchy or internal politics
- Competitive, transparent project-based remuneration (not PAYE) of up to £800 day initially, with potential to move to project revenue share model over time
- Additional incentives available for new client introductions
- A collaborative team that values diversity of thought and experience
- Ongoing development through peer mentoring and shared learning
- The opportunity to help shape a growing consultancy and community
- Access to an established client base and a proven, evolving proposition
If this sounds interesting, please get in touch with us at john@categorygrowth.com with your CV and brief message on why you’re interested in the role (no long cover letters required). No recruitment firms please.
Associate Director in Portsmouth employer: Category Growth
Contact Detail:
Category Growth Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director in Portsmouth
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. A personal recommendation can go a long way, especially in a close-knit field like consulting.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to growth consulting. We all know that confidence is key, so role-play with a friend or even in front of the mirror to nail your delivery.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your hands-on skills! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, highlight your experience with data analysis, strategy development, and client engagement. They want to see that you can roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our collaborative team at Category Growth.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director in Portsmouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Yourself: When you're writing your application, let your personality shine through! We want to get to know the real you, so don’t be afraid to show your unique style and approach.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with what we’re looking for. Highlight your relevant consulting experience and how it connects to the role of Associate Director.
Keep It Concise: We appreciate brevity! A brief message explaining why you’re interested in the role is all we need. No lengthy cover letters required, just get straight to the point.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently, so don’t hesitate!
How to prepare for a job interview at Category Growth
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the ins and outs of growth consulting, especially in consumer goods. Brush up on your knowledge about AI tools like Pulse AI, as well as the latest trends in strategy and innovation. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to the team.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Skills
As an Associate Director, you'll need to roll up your sleeves and get involved. Be prepared to discuss specific examples where you've done the analysis, designed sessions, or created presentations yourself. Highlighting your hands-on experience will show that you're not just a manager but a doer.
✨Build Relationships
Demonstrate your ability to build long-term relationships with clients. Share stories from your past roles where you've successfully engaged with senior stakeholders. This will illustrate your client-first mindset and your knack for fostering trust and collaboration.
✨Embrace Ambiguity
The role involves working in fast-paced environments with evolving briefs. Prepare to discuss how you've navigated ambiguity in previous projects. Show that you're comfortable making decisions with imperfect information and can adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
