At STL Partners, we believe in nurturing talent and fostering growth. Our career development programs are designed to help you reach your full potential. Whether you are just starting your career or looking to advance to the next level, we offer tailored development plans, mentorship opportunities, and access to industry-leading training resources.
I started at STL as a Consulting intern and am now one of the Consulting Directors. This career progression has only been possible because STL always champions people to take on new challenges and responsibilities.
Tilly Gilbert, Director, Consultant
You will start life at STL as an Analyst, learning a range of core research skills and building a foundational knowledge of the telecoms industry and our research portfolio.
From the beginning you will be working updating existing research across our portfolio, conducting primary and secondary research, carrying out qualitative and quantitative analysis, and preparing reports for publication. STL drives its Analysts to take full ownership of the work they do from the outset – this means you will soon be cited as an author on our published research and presenting findings to our clients on analyst calls. As you progress as an Analyst you will take on your own independent research, covering new topic areas for STL and developing new research tools such as trackers, use case directories and playbooks. Once you have built a good foundational knowledge in telecoms, you will also begin to specialise in one or two of our core areas of research (e.g. network innovation, enterprise services, consumer services, sustainability).
As well as working on research projects, Analysts are also involved with the day-to-day running and improvement of STL. This might involve helping out with business development, marketing or recruitment. We encourage Analysts to participate in initiatives that interest them and improve STL, whether this is organising company socials, DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) or improving coaching and onboarding internally.
As a Senior Consultant you will begin leading increasingly complex research projects and take more of a key role in business development. You will also become the lead analyst for one of STL’s research areas.
As the lead analyst for one of part of our research portfolio, you will be responsible for leading on analyst presentations for clients in that area, running public webinars showcasing our research, coming up with new angles or topics to cover in that domain, and coaching new analysts working on updates to existing research tools. You will be responsible for meeting our research production targets in your research domain.
Senior Analysts are trusted to play a bigger commercial and business development role, joining sales calls with the Principal Analysts and Directors and moderating panels at industry events. You will also take more ownership of internal initiatives, for example working in a cross-functional team with consultants and marketing to develop propositions in one of STL’s growth topic areas or owning an initiative which improves the day-to-day running of the business.
Some Senior Analysts also line manage new Analysts, guiding them on their entry into STL and the telecoms industry.
As a Principal Consultant your primary focus will be making a significant commercial impact on STL – dedicating a large amount of time to business development and increasing our brand awareness. You will drive cultural change and research development, and you will be regarded as an expert in your field of research, both within the company and in the wider industry.
You will take a greater role in the operations and management of the Research business, collaborating with the Directors on our strategy and execution. Principal Analysts have full commercial responsibility for at least one pillar in our research portfolio. This includes leading the most complex research projects, with teams of up to 4 people, driving marketing strategy, and developing a compelling proposition for clients. You will also line manage Analysts and Senior Analysts, nurturing their research and commercial skills.
In business development, Principal Analysts are expected to identify and capture new opportunities with new clients, as well as nurture our existing customers. You will develop close relationships with our key clients, ensuring that we maintain and grow our business with them and that STL is seen as a trusted and essential advisor. You will act as an ambassador for the business at industry events and work on promoting our brand in the sector.
You will start life at STL as a Consultant, learning a range of core consulting skills on exciting client projects and developing your wider business acumen on internal initiatives.
You will be staffed on a range of pure strategy and strategic marketing projects for clients as an analyst, conducting primary and secondary research, carrying out qualitative and quantitative analysis, building models and synthesising deliverables. STL drives its Consultants to take full ownership of the work they do from the outset – this means you will soon be presenting back to C-level clients. As you progress as a Consultant you will take up the ‘Project Manager’ role in projects, which involves handling project logistics, tracking tasks and budgets internally, and liaising with the client. Those that progress rapidly may begin to lead some smaller consulting projects with teams of up to 4 people.
As well as working on client projects, Consultants are also involved with the day-to-day running and improvement of STL. This might involve helping out with business development, marketing or recruitment. We encourage Consultants to participate in initiatives that interest them and improve STL, whether this is organising company socials, DEI (diversity, equality and inclusion) or improving coaching and onboarding internally.
As a Senior Consultant you will begin leading increasingly complex strategy projects and take more of a key role in business development. You will also drive one of our internal functional areas across delivery & operations, sales, people & culture, or team strategy.
Projects that you will begin to lead will have teams of 4+ people and will involve increasingly complex client problems (check out our project case studies for more details). As a Senior Consultant you are expected to not just deliver these projects in an effective and efficient way, but also to take a greater role in coaching more junior team members.
Senior Consultants are trusted to play a much greater business development role, identifying new opportunities and prospects, putting together proposals and getting sales over the line. You will also take more ownership of internal initiatives, developing new propositions for one of our growth topic areas or owning an initiative which improves the day-to-day running of the business.
As a Principal Consultant your primary focus will be making a significant commercial impact on STL – dedicating a large amount of time to business development and increasing our brand awareness. You will drive cultural change and practice development, and you will be regarded as an internal expert in knowledge or domain areas – leading the most complex strategy projects in core and new domains.
You will take a greater role in the operations and management of the Consulting business, collaborating with the Directors on our strategy and execution. Principal Consultants will also line manage Consultant and Senior Consultants, guiding others on their STL journey.
Principal Consultants will lead the most challenging projects that STL wins, sometimes with teams of upwards of 6 people. You are expected to fully own the client relationship ensuring that there are recurring opportunities for STL and we are seen as a long-standing advisor.
In business development, Principal Consultants are expected to identify and capture new opportunities with new clients, as well as nurturing our existing customers. You will act as an ambassador for the business at industry events and work on promoting our brand in the sector.
We have a number of other teams that form the backbone of STL Partners, playing a crucial role in ensuring the efficient and seamless operations that drive our continued success. These business functions include:
The career development and job responsibilities for each of these departments differs. However, professional growth and career development are at the heart of everything we do. All team members have personalised development plans, access to both internal and external training, and opportunities to gain new qualifications. Each team member also participates in an annual performance review, with the opportunity for promotions and career advancement.