Strategy Associate

About Us

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide. At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world. In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing. Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere. Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

Job Purpose

The FT operates in a rapidly changing world, shaped by the rise of AI, shifting reader expectations, and intensifying competition. To stay ahead, the FT needs clear, bold thinking matched by practical action. We need a strategy that does more than exist on slides – it should genuinely guide our decisions, energise our teams, and accelerate our progress. As Strategy Associate you’ll support the definition and coordination of this practical, forward‑looking strategy with the Group Strategy function and Chief Strategy & Development Officer (CSDO). You’ll work closely with CSDO leadership and Group stakeholders across commercial finance and corporate development. Together, you will build on our strong existing planning foundations to ensure our strategic ambitions and financial goals consistently reinforce one another. Your role with the wider CSDO team will act as a connector between the company‑level strategy and divisional / functional plans – managing the dynamic nature of both and the need to ensure that they remain in sync.

What you’ll be doing – key responsibilities

• Supporting the delivery of internal consulting engagements, at times owning workstreams autonomously.
• Developing solutions for the most complex strategic problems facing the organisation, using hypothesis‑driven problem‑solving techniques.
• Supporting the regular consolidation and interpretation of competitor, market and trend analysis.
• Participating in relevant portfolio review discussions as appropriate, supporting with relevant domain expertise.
• Producing high‑quality strategy materials for the CSDO function and its partners (CEO, Board and senior leadership).
• Supporting on selected pivotal enterprise‑level initiatives that span multiple divisions.
• Collaborating with FT Strategies (our consulting division) where appropriate to ensure external insights inform internal strategy, and to support talent rotation between teams.

What you’ll be known for

• Strong quantitative skills, such as the ability to build financial models, research output, draw key insights from complex data or visualise data as compelling charts to support your analysis and project work.
• Ability to translate insight into action – always distilling the ‘so what’ from analysis into practical next steps.
• Relentless energy, resilience, and composure to work through ambiguity, resistance and strategic complexity.
• Outstanding Excel and Powerpoint skills, which we may assess during the recruiting process.
• Strong project management skills, and ability to manage internal FT partners and external experts when appropriate.
• Fluency in using generative AI to accelerate research, writing and data tasks while maintaining accuracy and analytical standards.
• A curious mind, adaptability and strong interpersonal skills.
• Being a clear communicator with a track record of aligning diverse, senior partners.
• Being comfortable navigating ambiguity, driving alignment and delivering clarity under pressure.
• A proven ability to use data to inform decisions quickly and clearly.

Required experience

• At least 4 years’ experience at a strategy / management consulting firm in a client‑facing role, or in in‑house strategy roles at large corporates.
• Experience managing cross‑functional critical initiatives.
• Experience influencing senior collaborators, creating alignment and clarity.

Application Closing Date: 10th July 2026 (Friday), 5pm BST

What’s in it for You?

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best‑in‑class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. We currently operate a hybrid model which requires staff to work onsite 50% of the time, subject to role requirements & regular review. While flexible working requests will be considered, not all patterns are suitable for all roles. We believe this balanced approach supports flexibility and protects our culture, making collaboration and communication easier, building stronger relationships and team cohesion, and supporting peer learning. We reserve discretion on reasonable notice to change this approach either generally or for specific individuals or teams.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email talent@ft.com and a member of our team will be happy to help.