Associate

Role overview

This position is part of a high-performance consulting environment focused on creating durable impact and strengthening client capabilities. It suits someone who is energized by demanding work, learns quickly from setbacks, and keeps pushing forward with resilience and curiosity.

In this role, you will collaborate with senior client leaders and McKinsey colleagues on ambitious programs that shape sectors and contribute to national outcomes. You will be supported through coaching, mentorship, structured learning, and broad exposure designed to accelerate your leadership growth.

What you can expect

• Ongoing learning through an apprenticeship-style culture, with structured development and actionable feedback that helps you improve continuously.
• Room to contribute ideas from the start, with a strong emphasis on practical thinking, integrity, and inclusive perspectives.
• Exposure to a global network of colleagues across 65+ countries and more than 100 nationalities, bringing a wide mix of experience and viewpoints.
• A compensation package aligned to location, experience, and capability, together with broader benefits that support your well-being and that of your family.

Key responsibilities

You will work closely with client executives and internal teams on challenging strategic and operational issues. The work may involve helping clients improve industries, redesign business models, and build stronger competitive positions across sectors such as oil and gas, metals and mining, telecommunications, retail, banking and finance, and public sector environments.

You will be expected to contribute to problem solving, develop practical recommendations, support project execution, and learn rapidly in a fast-moving advisory setting.

Qualifications and profile

• A strong undergraduate record, or a postgraduate qualification such as a Master’s, MBA, or PhD.
• At least 5 years of business management experience with a respected organization, along with a track record of strong performance and meaningful achievements in a comparable role.
• Deep familiarity with one or more relevant industries, including oil and gas, mining, telecommunications, retail, public sector, government, law, engineering, medicine and health, or banking and finance.
• Broad functional understanding across areas such as strategy, business development, manufacturing, supply chain, product development, project management, marketing, and sales.
• Excellent problem-solving ability and the capacity to break down complex challenges.
• Strong logical thinking, creative judgment, and quantitative aptitude.
• A proactive mindset, willingness to take initiative, and comfort with calculated risk-taking to create new opportunities.

Work location

The role is based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The broader office network also includes Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Auckland.

Additional information

The organization emphasizes ethics, integrity, diversity, and fast-paced development. It also highlights a commitment to helping organizations in Australia and New Zealand achieve world-class performance and realize broader economic and social benefits.