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Research Analyst
Management consultants and business analysts help companies work through difficult problems and spot new opportunities. They dig into data, spot what's really happening, and suggest changes that work better - from how a business operates day-to-day to where it should focus next.
No degree needed for many routes
AI impact: medium£££ payDirect entry route
58
AI impact
how much AI is reshaping it
Robin · your guide
Curious about being a research analyst? Here's the honest picture - what you'd really do, what you'd earn, and every way in. No need to decide anything yet.
What you'd actually do
As a management consultant or business analyst, your job is to help businesses run better and make smarter decisions. You spend time understanding their problems, looking at the numbers, and working out what should change. Then you help them make those changes happen, and check they actually work.
Every day is different. One day you might be digging through spreadsheets and sales figures. The next, you could be sitting with the boss and the team, explaining what you found and talking through ideas. You need to be good at spotting patterns in data, asking sharp questions, and explaining tricky stuff in ways people actually understand.
1Conduct in-depth market research to identify trends and opportunities for clients.
2Facilitate workshops and interviews to gather insights from stakeholders.
3Develop comprehensive reports and presentations to communicate findings and recommendations.
4Utilise analytical tools and methodologies to assess business performance and develop strategic plans.
5Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement solutions and monitor progress.
6Provide ongoing support and advice to clients during the implementation phase.
7Stay updated with industry developments and best practices to inform client strategies.
Career progression & pay
01
Getting in
Junior Research Analyst
£28,000 - £34,000
BSc in Statistics, Economics, or related field
In this entry-level role, you will assist in data collection and preliminary analysis, gaining hands-on experience with research methodologies and tools.
02
Building up
Mid-level Research Analyst
£45,000 - £55,000
3-5 years experience + proficiency in statistical software (e.g., SPSS, R)
At this stage, you will lead research projects, mentor junior analysts, and provide strategic insights to inform business decisions.
03
At the top
Senior Research Analyst/Head of Research
£80,000+
10+ years, chartered status with MRS or equivalent
In this peak role, you will oversee the research department, develop strategic initiatives, and represent the organisation in industry forums.
Degrees that lead here via Business and Management
Apprenticeships that lead here
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Who hires - top UK employers
Deloitte
A global leader in consulting and professional services, Deloitte offers extensive opportunities for Research Analysts to work on high-impact projects.
KPMG
KPMG is renowned for its commitment to innovation and research, providing a dynamic environment for analysts to thrive.
Ipsos MORI
As a leading market research agency, Ipsos MORI offers a vibrant workplace for analysts passionate about consumer insights.
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey is a top-tier consulting firm that values data-driven insights, making it an excellent place for Research Analysts.
GfK
GfK is a global market research company that provides a collaborative environment for analysts to explore data and trends.
AI & the future of this job
Management consulting sits in genuinely contested territory right now. AI is already handling large chunks of the work that junior analysts and graduates historically owned: market research synthesis, slide deck drafting, financial modelling, and even competitor benchmarking. The roles that remain valuable are those requiring stakeholder trust, political judgement, and the ability to walk into a boardroom and make a recommendation land. The profession is not disappearing, but the ladder is being pulled up from the bottom rungs first.
Within 5 Years
Significant role compression
By 2031, the junior analyst tier in most mid-to-large consultancies will look materially smaller. AI agents are already handling research briefs, data pulls, and first-draft deliverables that used to fill two or three analyst years. Firms will retain fewer graduates and expect each one to manage AI outputs rather than produce raw work themselves. The client-facing, facilitation, and problem-framing sides of the job remain human, but they are now expected from day one rather than earned over a two-year apprenticeship.
Within 10 Years
Restructured workforce, fewer entry points
By 2036, the traditional pyramid structure of consulting, lots of juniors feeding work up to a handful of partners, will be significantly flatter. AI will handle the bulk of analysis, benchmarking, and report generation with minimal human input. The consultants who thrive will be those who combine deep sector expertise with the interpersonal credibility to influence executive decision-making. Boutique and specialist firms focused on implementation and change management may actually grow, because that work is harder to automate than analysis.
Within 20 Years
Deeply transformed, hybrid roles dominant
By 2046, it is likely that the word consultant will mean something quite different from its current form. Human consultants will function more as orchestrators of AI-driven insight pipelines, responsible for framing problems, managing client relationships, and making high-stakes calls that carry reputational and legal weight. There will still be a profession here, and it may be a well-paid one, but the volume of practitioners will be considerably lower than today. Those who built genuine expertise in a sector, rather than generalist analytical skills, will be the ones still in demand.
How to stay ahead
Develop a genuine sector specialism early
Generalist business analysis is the most exposed part of this profession to AI substitution. Pick a sector, whether healthcare, energy, financial services, or public policy, and build knowledge deep enough that clients see you as an authority rather than a facilitator. Sector expertise is far harder to replicate with a language model than slide-deck production is.
Make AI tooling a core skill, not an afterthought
Learn to use AI research agents, data analysis platforms, and prompt engineering well enough that you can direct and quality-check their outputs critically. Firms are already screening for this. Being fluent in these tools means you can do the work of two junior analysts, which makes you significantly more employable in a contracting market.
Prioritise client-facing and facilitation experience
The parts of consulting that AI cannot replicate are running a tense stakeholder workshop, building trust with a sceptical CFO, or reading the room when a recommendation is meeting political resistance. Seek out every opportunity during internships, placements, or university projects to practise these skills deliberately. They are your long-term competitive advantage.
Consider implementation and change management as a niche
Strategy decks are increasingly automatable; getting organisations to actually change how they operate is not. Change management, programme delivery, and organisational design require human presence, sustained relationships, and behavioural understanding. Consultants who position themselves on the delivery side of engagements rather than purely the advisory side will find more resilient demand over the next decade.
How to get in - your routes
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