When associates have built a strong set of consulting skills and demonstrated leadership among clients and within the team, they are ready for the next level of responsibility: engagement manager. Engagement managers own the client problem. They are responsible for determining how to bring the best of McKinsey to the client. They are the hub and center of managing the day-to-day activities of the full engagement team.
By working closely with clients and McKinsey partners to continually define the problem, and by supporting the team in executing the various workstreams, engagement managers ensure the engagement stays on track and is focused on delivering valuable insights to the client. Engagement managers also coach and mentor business analysts and associates on their team. It's at the engagement manager level that most consultants naturally identify an area of particular interest and work on developing deeper expertise to apply to assignments going forward.