Strategic Research Analyst

Recently named by Washingtonian Magazine as one of Washington, DC's Best Places to Work, The Advisory Board Company (NASDAQ: ABCO) is a leading health care research firm providing best practices insight and implementation services in business strategy and clinical operations. Serving over 2,500 of the country's preeminent hospitals, health care systems, pharmaceutical companies and insurers, The Advisory Board provides executive education, strategic planning, decision facilitation, and process redesign and improvement services through its membership programs, Academy training sessions, and H*Works implementation services. A continually expanding business portfolio provides employees with significant opportunities for career development at an accelerated pace, while an employee-focused internal environment places emphasis on service ethic, spirit of generosity, team engagement, and continuous learning.

Strategic Research Analysts work with research teams to give shape to book-length analyses of strategic issues facing The Advisory Board Company's health care constituencies. Strategy studies document and summarize the company's findings on best (and worst) demonstrated practices in the health care industry. Analysts assist in the conception, research, analysis writing and presentation of two to four research studies per year. Study cycles, from conception to completion, range from four to six months for smaller studies to approximately nine months for the largest, most complex studies.
REQUIREMENTS
Analysts' job responsibilities vary according to the stage in the study cycle. However, throughout the research process, analysts meet regularly with their research teams to accomplish the objectives presented below.
-Discuss study topic and subsidiary issues with team
-Map the research process and delegate responsibilities
-Conduct in-depth interviews with senior health care executives
-Perform root-cause analysis
-Identify and critique best demonstrated practices
-Brief team regarding research progress and new research developments
-Revisit hypotheses as necessary
-Analyze and synthesize research findings
-Share knowledge, ideas and insight
-Develop innovative constructs for presentation of findings

Attributes Sought and Further Developed in the Analyst Role
-Creativity and persistence
-Exemplary interviewing skills
-Intellectual curiosity and acuity of thought
-Excellent problem-solving and brainstorming skills
-Ease in working both independently and interdependently within a team
-Ability to present oneself and one's ideas with clarity, confidence and poise
-Flexibility and comfort with ambiguity and change