Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Analysing Data or Information Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Developing and Building Teams Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Processing Information Compiling, coding, categorising, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

The Work

Management consultants give independent advice and support to clients on management issues. They help companies to identify and investigate problems. They suggest solutions and help the company to put their advice into practice.  
 
An organisation may decide to call in a management consultant for a wide variety of reasons. Consultants may help to decide a company's future development, marketing policy, structure, information technology needs, or recruitment policy. Individual consultants may specialise in any of these areas.  
 
Sometimes management consultants visit organisations that have serious problems. For example, they may give urgent advice to a struggling retail chain. However, management consultants don't always have this 'emergency service' role. Instead, they may go to a company to give them a second opinion on ideas or to add their management experience to a particular project. Consultants work with organisations large and small, including financial institutions, local and central government, manufacturing industries and voluntary organisations.  
 
They arrive at an organisation with a fresh mind, to allow them to give objective advice. Consultants collect and analyse all the available information. Next, they consider all the available options. They write a detailed report describing the course of action they recommend, working closely with management staff at the organisation to make sure they agree with and understand the proposal. The management consultant may present a report in front of the management team using visual aid equipment and IT.  
 
During this process, management consultants may interview employees and managers from the client company. They may also work with other people outside the company, including research specialists, potential customers of the company, accountants and lawyers.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Document findings of study and prepare recommendations for implementation of new systems, procedures, or organisational changes.
• Interview personnel and conduct on-site observation to ascertain unit functions, work performed, and methods, equipment, and personnel used.
• Analyse data gathered and develop solutions or alternative methods of proceeding.
• Plan study of work problems and procedures, such as organisational change, communications, information flow, integrated production methods, inventory control, or cost analysis.
• Confer with personnel concerned to ensure successful functioning of newly implemented systems or procedures.
• Gather and organise information on problems or procedures.
• Prepare manuals and train workers in use of new forms, reports, procedures or equipment, according to organisational policy.
• Review forms and reports and confer with management and users about format, distribution, and purpose, identifying problems and improvements.
• Develop and implement records management program for filing, protection, and retrieval of records, and assure compliance with program.
• Design, evaluate, recommend, and approve changes of forms and reports.

Further Information

• Management Consultant - from: N.C.S. [UK]
• Management Consultant - from: GradIreland

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Entrants usually have a degree and management experience or have considerable experience in an area of industry or business. Some of the larger management consultancy firms recruit and train graduates. Training is on-going, both on-the-job and by professional courses.  

Training & Development Pathways

FET Centre Traineeship: Business Admin, Customer service, Accounts, Management in centres around Ireland NFQ Level 5-6 Search FET Courses

FET PLC Courses: Business Management, Sales, Marketing, Commerce, and Accounting at NFQ Levels 5-6 Search FET PLC Courses

Apprenticeship: Accounting, Finance, Sales Apprenticeships NFQ level 6-8 Search Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO Entry: Business, Commerce, Economics, Maths & Statistics, Accounts & Finance courses at NFQ Levels 6-8 Search CAO courses

Professional Organisations Training or networking events:

Postgraduate Study Options Sales, Business, Accounts, Management, Financial advice NFQ level 9

It is also useful to become an associate member of the Institute of Management Consultants and Advisers (IMCA) while gaining experience for full membership.  
Many consultants also undertake the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) or Certified Business Advises (CBA) qualifications which are competency based qualifications from the IMCA.

International Financial Services Skillnet Network 

Irish Banking & Payments federation 

Financial Services Union

The 30% club: Growth Through Diversity 

Last Updated: November, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €60k - €100k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
CPL / PayScale/ Morgan McKinley / Sigmar / Azon

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The five-year annual average growth for this occupation was strong; this is in part related to changes in the LFS methodology in 2017, although employment levels have also been increasing annually since then. Over 700 new employment permits were issued in 2021 for roles including risk/business analysts and project managers.

The ICT sector accounted for over a third of permits issued, although the numbers employed in this occupation in the ICT sector are small. The number of advertised vacancies in the OVATE data increased by 39%, albeit from a small base. While no shortages are evident, the skills in demand as highlighted by the Spotlight on Skills data in the introduction above (e.g. relationship management, critical thinking etc) would be of relevance for these occupations.

• Institute of Management Consultants and Advisers (IMCA)

  • 19 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
  • (01) 533 0814
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Management Institute

  • Clonard, Sandyford Road, Dublin 16
  • 1800 22 33 88
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here