# Company-context brief: Associate Consultant (entry level)
Calder & Finch · prepared 2026-10-11 · sources: 2 Slack channels, 2 emails, 1 onboarding doc · reviewed by the hiring manager before sharing

> Example output of the company-context-brief skill. All content is made-up example data for a fictional firm.

## Role & level
Entry-level Associate Consultant on a small retail-strategy case team (one engagement manager, one or two
associates, a research analyst). In the first months, associates build the numbers behind client answers, draft
pages for the engagement manager and join some client calls.

## Work expectations
1. **Checks every number before it reaches a client, and can say where it came from** · ai_verification
   > "every number goes through a second check before it lands in a client deck"
   Source: Slack #cf-wrenfield-team, 2026-09-14
2. **Treats AI-tool output as a lead and verifies it against the client's own data** · ai_verification
   > "treat its output as a lead, not a source"
   Source: Slack #cf-wrenfield-team, 2026-09-15
3. **Pushes back on a client view with evidence instead of agreeing to keep things smooth** · communication
   > "push back with the evidence rather than agreeing to keep the meeting smooth"
   Source: Email "Standards for the engagement", 2026-09-12
4. **Leads with the answer: one headline, then drivers in order of size** · communication
   > "keep the first page to the answer: one headline, then the drivers in order of size"
   Source: Email "Standards for the engagement", 2026-09-12
5. **Revises the same day after manager feedback, with a short change note** · adaptation
   > "a revised version the same day with a short note on what changed and why"
   Source: Email "Feedback on draft decks", 2026-09-19
6. **Restates the client's question and asks a specific question when data is missing** · problem
   > "ask the client team a specific question rather than guessing"
   Source: Doc "Associate Consultant: what good looks like", 2026-08-01

## Skills to emphasize
- Profit-and-loss reasoning: separating revenue growth from margin and cost drivers.
- Source checking: reconciling figures to the client's close pack before they are used.
- Clear writing for a busy partner: answer first, two-minute read.
- Composure with senior client stakeholders who want a quick answer.

## Internal terms
- **Close pack**: the client's monthly or year-end finance pack; the source of truth for numbers.
- **Bridge**: a walk from last year's profit to this year's, driver by driver.
- **EM**: engagement manager, who runs the day-to-day case team.
- **Second check**: a teammate re-derives a number before it goes into a client deck.

## Tools used
- Spreadsheets for the profit bridge and driver math.
- Slides for client pages (one headline per page).
- Team chat for quick questions; email for client-facing notes.
- **AI policy:** the AI research assistant may be used for leads and drafting; any figure or claim from it must be
  checked against the client's exhibits before it is used, and the check should be visible in the work.

## Anything else
- Client constraints often arrive late (for example a contract that limits an option); associates fold them into
  the existing recommendation rather than starting over.
- New associates are not expected to know the industry; they are expected to be careful, curious and clear.

Left out for privacy: names of the case team and client staff, client revenue figures from the close pack.

```json
{
  "tryout_brief_version": 1,
  "company": "Calder & Finch",
  "role": { "title": "Associate Consultant", "level": "Entry level", "team": "Retail strategy case team" },
  "work_expectations": [
    {
      "expectation": "Checks every number before it reaches a client, and can say where it came from",
      "dimension": "ai_verification",
      "quote": "every number goes through a second check before it lands in a client deck",
      "source": { "type": "slack", "ref": "#cf-wrenfield-team", "date": "2026-09-14" }
    },
    {
      "expectation": "Treats AI-tool output as a lead and verifies it against the client's own data",
      "dimension": "ai_verification",
      "quote": "treat its output as a lead, not a source",
      "source": { "type": "slack", "ref": "#cf-wrenfield-team", "date": "2026-09-15" }
    },
    {
      "expectation": "Pushes back on a client view with evidence instead of agreeing to keep things smooth",
      "dimension": "communication",
      "quote": "push back with the evidence rather than agreeing to keep the meeting smooth",
      "source": { "type": "email", "ref": "Standards for the engagement", "date": "2026-09-12" }
    },
    {
      "expectation": "Leads with the answer: one headline, then drivers in order of size",
      "dimension": "communication",
      "quote": "keep the first page to the answer: one headline, then the drivers in order of size",
      "source": { "type": "email", "ref": "Standards for the engagement", "date": "2026-09-12" }
    },
    {
      "expectation": "Revises the same day after manager feedback, with a short change note",
      "dimension": "adaptation",
      "quote": "a revised version the same day with a short note on what changed and why",
      "source": { "type": "email", "ref": "Feedback on draft decks", "date": "2026-09-19" }
    },
    {
      "expectation": "Restates the client's question and asks a specific question when data is missing",
      "dimension": "problem",
      "quote": "ask the client team a specific question rather than guessing",
      "source": { "type": "doc", "ref": "Associate Consultant: what good looks like", "date": "2026-08-01" }
    }
  ],
  "skills_to_emphasize": [
    "Profit-and-loss reasoning: separating revenue growth from margin and cost drivers",
    "Source checking: reconciling figures to the client's close pack",
    "Clear writing for a busy partner: answer first, two-minute read",
    "Composure with senior client stakeholders who want a quick answer"
  ],
  "internal_terms": [
    { "term": "Close pack", "meaning": "The client's finance pack; the source of truth for numbers" },
    { "term": "Bridge", "meaning": "A walk from last year's profit to this year's, driver by driver" },
    { "term": "EM", "meaning": "Engagement manager, who runs the day-to-day case team" },
    { "term": "Second check", "meaning": "A teammate re-derives a number before it goes into a client deck" }
  ],
  "tools": [
    { "name": "Spreadsheets", "use": "Profit bridge and driver math" },
    { "name": "Slides", "use": "Client pages, one headline per page" },
    { "name": "Team chat", "use": "Quick questions inside the case team" },
    { "name": "AI research assistant", "use": "Leads and drafting; every figure checked against client exhibits" }
  ],
  "ai_policy": "AI tools may be used for leads and drafting; any figure or claim must be checked against the client's exhibits before it is used, and the check should be visible in the work.",
  "anything_else": [
    "Client constraints often arrive late; fold them into the existing recommendation rather than starting over.",
    "New associates are not expected to know the industry; they are expected to be careful, curious and clear."
  ]
}
```