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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 ongoing development.
- Why this job: Join a collaborative team and shape the future of a growing consultancy.
- Qualifications: 6-10 years in strategy/growth consulting with strong consumer goods background.
- Other info: Opportunity to work hands-on and influence company evolution.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 84000 £ per year.
Who are we
Category Growth is a growth consultancy specialising in consumer goods & 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 & 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 Sheffield employer: Category Growth
Contact Detail:
Category Growth Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Associate Director in Sheffield
✨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 your storytelling skills. You want to showcase your experience in strategy and growth consulting, so have some solid examples ready that highlight your hands-on approach and client relationship-building skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply anywhere; focus on companies that align with your values and work style. Check out our website for openings at Category Growth, where you can be part of a collaborative team that values low ego and high ownership.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay curious and keep learning! Familiarise yourself with AI tools and how they can enhance strategy and innovation. This will not only make you stand out but also show that you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get involved in the latest trends.
We think you need these skills to ace Associate Director in Sheffield
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 are most relevant to the Associate Director role. Highlight your consulting experience and any work with consumer goods to catch our eye!
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 for us to receive your application and ensures it gets into the right hands quickly!
How to prepare for a job interview at Category Growth
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the consumer goods sector and have a solid grasp of strategy and growth consulting. Brush up on recent trends, challenges, and innovations in the industry, especially those related to AI tools like Pulse AI. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to the company’s goals.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Skills
Since the role requires a hands-on approach, be prepared to discuss specific examples where you've rolled up your sleeves and tackled projects directly. Highlight your experience with Excel analysis, session design, and creating impactful presentations. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a strategist but also someone who can execute.
✨Build Relationships
Emphasise your ability to build long-term relationships with clients. Share stories that illustrate your client-first mindset and how you’ve successfully navigated complex stakeholder environments. This is crucial for a role that involves working closely with senior teams.
✨Be Ready for Ambiguity
The job description mentions working in fast-paced, hypothesis-led projects with imperfect information. Prepare to discuss how you handle ambiguity and evolving briefs. Share examples of how you’ve adapted your strategies in response to changing circumstances, showcasing your pragmatic and action-oriented approach.
