Career Alignment and Seniority Assessment for MBB-level Consulting Roles

Question

Dear All,

I am considering opportunities in consulting and would appreciate insights from those familiar with the industry regarding how my profile aligns and the most appropriate seniority level to target.

A brief overview of my background:

I am currently leading the transformation of a Regulatory Reporting Business Unit, evolving it from a pure Back Office function to a Middle Office role with a focus on first-level control over regulatory reporting. I am also actively involved in large-scale Finance Transformation projects within my organization.
I have prior Big 4-consulting experience in financial services, with a focus on risk management, regulatory compliance, and process optimization in a global professional services firm.
Additionally, I am a university lecturer, teaching financial markets and regulation.

I would love to hear from those with experience in consulting:

Does my profile align with opportunities in MBB consulting?
What seniority level (e.g., Senior Manager) would be most suitable for my experience?

If anyone is available, I would be happy to connect privately for further discussion.

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Answer 1

Your profile is highly relevant for consulting, particularly in financial services and transformation-focused roles. Regarding:

1. Fit for MBB?

Yes, your background aligns well with MBB, especially in their Risk, Compliance, and Finance practices. Your blend of Big 4 consulting, industry leadership, and academic experience is compelling for firms looking for experienced hires with subject-matter expertise.

You may be especially well-suited for:

Expert Track roles (e.g., McKinsey Risk/Finance, BCG Financial Institutions practice)
Implementation roles if you enjoy operational delivery
Potentially generalist consulting with FS focus, depending on how broad your current role is

2. Appropriate seniority level?

Given your leadership of transformation initiatives and prior consulting experience, Associate Partner (McKinsey), Principal (BCG), or Senior Manager (Strategy& / Big 4) could be realistic targets. Entry point may vary depending on firm and geography, but Senior Manager or equivalent is a strong starting point to explore.

Final tip:

Tailor your application to highlight strategic impact, stakeholder leadership, and transformation ownership; that’s what sets senior profiles apart in MBB interviews.

Happy to help refine your story or application if you’d like to connect further!

Answer 2

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing your profile.

In short, yes, you have an attractive profile for consulting. It's important how this is effectively communicated in the CV, so make sure you write a good one. Also try and get referrals for all the top firms before applying.

You might find this article useful on how to build a solid application strategy:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

As to what seniority to apply for, discuss this directly with the recruiter from each firm that you are targeting. The expectations differ between firms and often times the recruiter might even suggest roles that are not available online but would be most relevant to you.

Best,
Cristian

Answer 3

Hi there,

I was in risk practice of McKinsey for three years, feel free to DM me for a private chat to discuss. Happy to help you calibrate.

Best,

Han

Answer 4

Hi,

To answer your questions:

Profile alignment: Yes your profile is well suited to:

Client-facing: Specialist/Expert track e.g. Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice.
It really just depends on what you want to do.
Because you can be a generalist consultant and just do alot of financial or regulatory studies (projects), or you can be a specialist.
Internal roles: Finance, Risk & Compliance would be the best places

Seniority:

I can't tell how senior the role you're currently at, but I would assume:

Client-facing: Associate Partner or Engagement Manager.
Back-office: Director levels

What I recommend:

Look at the roles available on their websites and look at people on Linkedin - this is to give yourself a feel as to what you could do, what kind of person you want to become.
Reflect and answer the questions:

Why become a consultant?
Do I just want another company and do the same job? (Go for internal roles)
Do I want to do a semi-pivot and do something different but use my skills (Go Consulting and see what roles are available - I think given your experience you'd probably be able to come in at a more senior role for an Expert Track)

Then once you're ready :

Tailor your CV
Start case-prepping

Happy to chat :)

Answer 5

Your quality of life should be your primary consideration. While prestige and salary at MBB firms are certainly attra... (read entire answer)

Your quality of life should be your primary consideration. While prestige and salary at MBB firms are certainly attractive, they aren't worth sacrificing your well-being and sle... (read entire answer)