Strategic Communications Consultant - Entry Level

At CRA, we specialize in Leadership Development and Strategic Communication, advising organizations and senior leaders on their toughest internal communication problems. This can include changes in leadership, policies, or organizational structure, employee engagement efforts, and crisis communication, among many other things.

For a person with curiosity, relational skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset, this role is a pathway to a career of unusual professional freedom and achievement. CRA is a firm with a strong commitment to excellence, relationships, and collegiality. If you want to challenge yourself intellectually, move fast, be coached, and expand the boundaries of your potential, this is the place for you. Ideal candidates have a background in the social sciences and an interest in organizational communication.
We are an eclectic bunch. Our academic backgrounds include everything from English Literature, to Women’s Studies, to Art History. Our hobbies range from hiking, to painting, to piloting airplanes. Amongst this group of colleagues, the name of your school matters less than the intensity of your passion and drive for what interests you, and in particular for communication – for simplifying the complex and creating clarity for our clients, no matter what problem they are trying to solve.

Consulting at CRA
The life of a consultant can be challenging. The nature of the job requires us to dive into new problems and adapt to the unique nuances of every industry. We are always thinking about how to tackle new problems – or attack old problems in a better way. We work on our clients’ schedules and anticipate their needs. Hours can be long and travel schedules intense. So, why do we have so many colleagues who have tenure that span decades, who have spent their entire career here?
A big part of it is the work itself. Our practice is the best in the world in our field. We engage every day in creative projects with prestigious clients and we simply cannot imagine doing anything else. We came to the firm with a passion for creating clarity, for language, for solving problems, and for making the people around us better. We stay because we live these passions every day while helping clients grow their businesses, create clarity across their organizations, and strengthen their leadership.
We also stay because our dedication to making people better applies to ourselves and one another. We grow ourselves as professionals and experts in our field. We are direct with feedback, earnest in our desire to bring our clients our best and dedicated to making our best better one day to the next.

The Work of “Consulting”
“Consulting” looks different depending on the area of expertise and firm culture. At CRA, it means…
- Writing and editing. We work closely with our clients to craft messages that inform communication opportunities for their organization and often draft specific communications (e.g., organization-wide emails, Town Hall talking points) for executive leadership or projects.
- Directing research and feedback initiatives to understand the current state and advise on next steps to help clients reach their goals.
- Giving advice and counsel, either through coaching engagements or our work on larger projects.
- Managing projects and building relationships. In our lean organization, we not only get the work done but also develop client networks and manage our projects every step of the way. We build relationships first and look for opportunities to partner with clients with whom we enjoy working.
- Working alongside a lot of different teams, often at the same time. A CRA Consultant is almost always managing multiple client engagement at the same time, ranging from working alongside teams and to working 1:1 with a particular leader as a coach and advisor.

Step One: Research Assistant
As a Research Assistant (RA), you will have a front-row view into challenging consulting engagements, including the development of corporate strategy messaging, leadership transitions, and all manner of institutional change. You will receive mentorship about every element of your professional development.
This position provides a pathway to Consultant, Managing Director, and Partner. You will learn the skills needed to be a successful consultant – engaging with senior clients, managing a demanding schedule, navigating complicated travel arrangements, and staying on top of the latest research. In addition to contributing to your team’s work, you will be encouraged to take ownership over independent research projects and content development, and receive mentorship in writing, professionalism, and advisory skills necessary for promotion to a Consultant role. The RA position is not permanent but the first stepping stone to more senior roles and an established position in the firm.

Headquarters
4 Radnor Corporate Ctr, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087, United States

Websitewww.crainc.com

When we started our journey in 1986, we had no idea we would become one of the distinguished consulting firms of our generation. We only knew we wanted to do exceptional work with exceptional people. So we built our firm slowly, one engagement and professional at a time. We learned quickly that to become trusted advisors, we had to tell the truth, as we saw it, even if that meant we wouldn’t get the contract. We also soon discovered we couldn’t be all things to all people, so we specialized, in our service offerings and in our research. Over time, we built the richest database of experience and proprietary knowledge in leadership and strategic communication in the world. Whereas early on we simply outworked everyone else, today we simply know things no one else knows. And we know how to apply that knowledge to real problems. This is a difference that makes a difference for our clients. More than 15 Fortune 100 clients have worked continually with us for over 10 years for one simple reason: We offer innovative solutions, processes, and practices they can’t find anywhere else. More importantly, we stand behind our work and our clients all the way. Our firm is not an ideal fit for every engagement or prospective client. After all, we eschew traditional approaches and work hard to be unconstrained by conventional wisdom. Our clients prize our ability to un-complicate the complicated, and offer practical solutions to their most pressing problems. For their trust and confidence, we are grateful. We love doing this work.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Writing Skills: 1 year (Preferred)
• Communication: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location:

• Multiple locations

Work Remotely:

• Temporarily due to COVID-19

Work Location: Multiple Locations