Strategy Analyst

As part of our annual strategy cycle, we are seeking a freelance strategy analyst to support our leadership team in analysing and synthesising key inputs into CDP's 2026 strategic plan.

The analysts will work collaboratively with internal stakeholders across seven strategic workstreams:

• Market analysis

• Competitor research

• Client value creation

• Internal commercial analysis

• Existing client analysis

• Visioning and scenario development

• Strategic storytelling and board preparation

Your role will focus on data analysis, insight generation, and narrative development, helping to turn research and analysis into coherent, visual, and evidence-based outputs, used as inputs for leadership discussion in January.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Strategy Team in synthesising findings from multiple workstreams into a unified strategic story.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis across market, competitor, and client data sources.
• Prepare board-level presentation materials, summaries, and visual frameworks (e.g., growth opportunity maps, market positioning, client segmentation).
• Identify and articulate strategic implications and options for CDP's business model, service mix, and market focus.
• Collaborate with internal commercial, client, and innovation teams to ensure data accuracy and alignment.
• Develop clear, concise, and visually compelling outputs that support decision-making and communication.

Deliverables

By early January 2026, the analysts will contribute to:

• A synthesised strategic insights deck for leadership and board discussion.
• Supporting data analysis and visualisations underpinning strategic recommendations.
• Input into future vision and opportunity framing for CDP's growth agenda.

Duration: 4–6 weeks (November–December 2025)

Location: Hybrid – flexible with onsite collaboration at CDP (Cambridge, UK) as needed and preferred

Reporting to: Leadership team

Start Date: As soon as possible

Skills & Experience

We're looking for analysts who are:

• Experienced in strategy consulting, market intelligence, or corporate strategy roles.
• Confident working with ambiguous, complex datasets and drawing strategic conclusions.
• Skilled in structuring and communicating insights visually (slides, frameworks, or data dashboards).
• Comfortable balancing analytical depth with commercial and creative thinking.

Essential skills:

• Strong experience in market analysis, segmentation, and competitor benchmarking.
• High proficiency in Excel (or Google Sheets) and PowerPoint (or Google Slides).
• Ability to produce clear, persuasive written summaries and strategic narratives.
• Excellent stakeholder communication and presentation skills.
• Experience synthesising findings for executive or board-level audiences.

Preferred / beneficial experience:

• Background in innovation, design, product development, or technology consulting.
• Familiarity with R&D-intensive or regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, medtech, consumer electronics).
• Understanding of strategic frameworks (e.g., Porter's Five Forces, Ansoff Matrix, Value Chain, Jobs-to-be-Done).
• Experience working with CRM / project data to assess client and commercial performance.

Profile

Ideal candidates will be:

• Structured thinkers with strong analytical discipline.
• Self-starters who can work independently and collaboratively.
• Experienced in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Comfortable joining a project mid-cycle and adding value quickly.

Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) is a leading product innovation and development consultancy. For over 30 years we've been trusted by global brands and high-tech leaders to tackle their most complex innovation challenges, particularly when time to market is critical and confidence in direction is essential.

Our multi-disciplinary team brings together researchers, designers, engineers, and scientists — all under one roof, to accelerate innovation and deliver user-centred, commercially viable, manufacturable solutions. We work across highly regulated healthcare, dynamic consumer, and industrial markets.