Cil Strategy Consultants

Analyst
Application Deadline: 20 November 2026
Department: Consulting - Entry Level
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Chicago
Compensation: $95,000 / year
Description
CIL is a global growth strategy consultancy. We work with organizations on the decisions that shape growth, from value creation strategies to pricing, data and analytics.
Our approach is rigorous and practical, grounded in deep sub-sector knowledge and careful analysis. We dig into the detail, test assumptions and stress-test every recommendation against the realities of the market. That's how we help organizations see what matters, think ahead, and set clear priorities that lead to confident decisions and strategies built to deliver results.
We have offices across the US, UK and Europe, and work across a wide range of sectors. Although we work in structured project teams, we are socially very equal, friendly and inclusive - our 'culture' is the product of our people. Our values of excellence, integrity, and supportiveness guide how we work, both with clients and each other.
The Analyst role
The Analyst role is the first stage in a strategy consultant's career. It is a demanding job, but you will receive first class training from our successful consultants. As an integral part of our project teams, CIL Analysts will:

• Grasp new business models quickly, typically working on a different project every 4-6 weeks.
• Take responsibility for testing commercial hypotheses through collecting and interrogating primary and secondary research.
• Carry out rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis of industry and internal company datasets.
• Play a key role in debating and refining hypotheses with the project manager and project leader, drafting clear and concise output for inclusion in the final report once agreed.
• Get in front of clients and help present our findings - we firmly believe that early client exposure is a great way to learn and develop.

What we're looking for
What CIL people are likeWe have a team of ~250 highly qualified, skilled people across our six offices. Successful CIL people share:

• Strong academic background (we are degree agnostic) from a top university.
• Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in small, high-performing teams.
• Intellectual curiosity, adaptability and a genuine enthusiasm for tackling new and unfamiliar problems.
• A proactive mindset, with the confidence to take ownership and the humility to learn quickly.

Qualification criteria

• Outstanding numeracy, written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional research techniques and critical thinking ability.
• Proven workload management skills.
• Business acumen and curiosity for solving business problems.
• Any languages an advantage as many of our projects involve an international element.
• You must have achieved or be on track to achieve, a 3.4 GPA (or equivalent).

Benefits
We are committed to being the best consultancy to work for in our field. As well as the benefits below, we pride ourselves on being flexible to the needs and personal circumstances of every single employee. The main benefits we offer include:

• Rapid, meritocratic progression, with exposure to investors and management teams from the start.
• Hybrid working, with a guideline of spending at least 80% of your time in-office.
• High-quality training delivered within a hugely supportive learning environment.
• Access to personal online coaching via Sanctus.
• Participation in our company bonus scheme.
• Matched 401(k) contributions with no vesting period.
• Generous holiday entitlement (19 days and 10 federal holidays) with the option to purchase 9 additional days each year.
• Option to request an extended period of unpaid leave (e.g. for a sabbatical) once you have been with the company for 2 years or more.
• Regular company events and socials.