• Practice Groups
• Benefits Group
• International practice
• Human Capital Group
• Insurance and Financial Services
• Investment Consulting
• Case Studies
• Entry Requirements
• Training
• Profiles
• Locations
• The strategy group
• The thinking ahead group (TAG)
• Manager Research
• Client Consulting
• Technology/Benefits Administration Solutions

Client Consulting

Why consider a career in client consulting at Watson Wyatt?

Client consultants provide clients with investment advice on a wide range of issues, from developing an appropriate investment strategy to selecting fund managers.  The diversity of the work means that new joiners are quickly exposed to the many different areas within the Investment Practice (eg the strategy, manager research and structured products teams) and involved in the delivery of advice to clients on a variety of issues.

Watson Wyatt has a large client base that includes many FTSE 100 companies.  As a member of a client consulting team, you will be working on a number of high-profile clients.  Watson Wyatt believes in relationship building through trust and communication, and our consultants enjoy frequent contact and strong business relationships with their clients.  New joiners are a visible part of the client team from outset and the opportunity to strengthen client relationships will increase with your experience and development.

What skills do you require?

• Strong communication skills: A key attribute of a client consultant is the ability to explain complicated investment concepts in a clear and understandable way.  Both written communication skills and presentation skills are essential tools in enabling information and advice to be delivered most effectively.
• Numeracy: Although a background in finance and economics is not a necessity, strong numeracy skills are required in order to interpret analysis and form recommendations. 
  
• Problem solving: Strong analytical skills are required in order to devise solutions to a variety of issues.
• Teamwork skills: You will be working closely with other members of your own team, as well as colleagues from different areas within the Investment Practice, so the ability to work well in teams is essential.
• Initiative:  We encourage all associates to use initiative and to suggest improvements to any existing reports or methodology that we employ.
• Organisation: You will often be working on several tasks at a time.  It is therefore essential that you can remain organised and that you are able to prioritise to meet deadlines.
• Diligence: Our clients hold the advice given to them with high regard.  It is very important that all work is carried out to the best of our ability, and is carefully checked and reviewed before it is given to clients.

What will you be involved in?

• Preparing reports: Drafting and co-ordinating the production of regular client reports.  This will involve liaising with colleagues in different teams to produce reports covering portfolio risk analysis and fund manager developments and performance.
• Implementation of new strategies: Overseeing the transition of assets to fund managers or the restructuring of existing portfolios.
  
• Ongoing client work: You will need to respond to ad-hoc requests for information on a variety of investment issues from colleagues within the Practice and directly from clients.
• Attending client meetings: Initially you will be attending meetings with senior colleagues primarily to observe proceedings and to provide context to the work that you will involved in.  However as you become more experienced, opportunities will emerge to take a more prominent role.
• Internal meetings and presentations: We have regular team meetings and in addition to discussing work in progress, we also use the opportunities to present new ideas and debate a host of current topics and issues.