EY (Including EY-Parthenon)

EY’s titles vary more than MBB because (1) EY operates through member firms with local job architectures, and (2) titles differ by service line (Consulting vs. Strategy & Transactions vs. EY-Parthenon vs. Global Delivery Services). In practice, you’ll still see a recognizable consulting ladder across many markets: Analyst/Consultant → Senior Consultant → Manager → Senior Manager → Director → Executive Director → Associate Partner → Partner, with additional regional titles such as Supervising Associate appearing in some geographies. 

For each role below, I use the same structured template:

• Title
• Client-facing: yes / sometimes / no
• Geography
• Business unit
• Typical degree required
• Typical work experience at entry
• Plain-language description
• Typical duration in role
• Typical next role(s)

8.1 Client-Facing Generalist Consulting Roles

These are the core “consulting ladder” roles you’ll see across Business Consulting, Technology Consulting, and People Advisory Services (with local naming differences).

Analyst

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Common in many markets (often entry level)
• Business unit: Consulting (often Business Consulting / Risk / Transformation Delivery)
• Typical degree required: Bachelor’s degree
• Typical work experience at entry: 0–2 years
  
• Description: Entry-level consulting team member supporting analyses, process mapping, documentation, and project execution; typically owns well-defined work products with close coaching.
• Typical duration: 1–3 years
• Typical next role(s): Consultant; Senior Consultant (in fast-track cases)

Consultant

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global (very common)
• Business unit: Consulting (e.g., Technology Consulting “Consultant / Senior Consultant”)
• Typical degree required: Bachelor’s or master’s; MBA can be an entry point in some markets
• Typical work experience at entry: 1–5 years (or post-grad entry)
• Description: Owns discrete workstreams and contributes independently to client delivery: interviews, analysis, requirements, and deliverables with moderate oversight.
• Typical duration: 2–3 years
• Typical next role(s): Senior Consultant

Senior Consultant

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global (very common)
• Business unit: Consulting (Technology Consulting and Business Consulting frequently use this title)
• Typical degree required: Bachelor’s/master’s; MBA helpful but not required
• Typical work experience at entry: 3–8 years (or promoted Consultant)
• Description: Leads key workstreams, mentors junior staff, drives output quality, and acts as a primary day-to-day client contact for a module of work.
• Typical duration: 2–4 years
• Typical next role(s): Manager

Manager

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global
• Business unit: Consulting (Business Consulting or Technology Consulting)
• Typical degree required: Varies; strong delivery record matters most
• Typical work experience at entry: 6–12+ years total
• Description: Leads delivery for a project or major workstream, manages the team and plan, handles risks/issues, and steers client alignment and outcomes.
• Typical duration: 2–4 years
• Typical next role(s): Senior Manager

Senior Manager

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global
• Business unit: Consulting (Technology Consulting and Business Consulting both use it)
• Typical degree required: Varies; advanced degrees common but not mandatory
• Typical work experience at entry: 10–16+ years total
• Description: Oversees multiple workstreams or engagements, shapes solution approach, supports selling and account growth, and manages senior client stakeholders.
• Typical duration: 2–5 years
• Typical next role(s): Director; Associate Director (in some markets)

Director

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global (common across member firms)
• Business unit: Consulting (e.g., Technology Consulting Director roles)
• Typical degree required: Not standardized
• Typical work experience at entry: 12–20+ years total
• Description: Senior client leader who owns major programs, drives origination and proposals, and often leads an industry or capability portfolio in a market.
• Typical duration: Indefinite, performance-based
• Typical next role(s): Executive Director; Associate Partner (market-dependent)
  

Executive Director

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Market-dependent but widely used in many regions
• Business unit: Consulting (often used for senior leadership in certain practices, including Tech/Cyber)
• Typical degree required: Not standardized
• Typical work experience at entry: 15–25+ years total
• Description: Senior leadership band that often sits between Director and Partner-equivalent roles; carries major sales and delivery responsibility for key accounts and offerings.
• Typical duration: Indefinite
• Typical next role(s): Associate Partner; Partner (structure varies)

Associate Partner

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global, but usage varies by service line and country
• Business unit: Consulting leadership (and sometimes Strategy & Transactions / EY-Parthenon)
• Typical degree required: Not standardized
• Typical work experience at entry: 15–25+ years total
• Description: Senior commercial leader responsible for originating and leading significant client work; in some markets it’s a distinct rung before Partner, while in others it is used more selectively.
• Typical duration: Indefinite, performance-based
• Typical next role(s): Partner

Partner

• Client-facing: Yes
• Geography: Global
• Business unit: Consulting leadership (and broader EY service lines)
• Typical degree required: Not standardized
• Typical work experience at entry: 15–30+ years total
• Description: Top client-service leader with major account ownership, revenue responsibility, and a significant role in practice leadership and talent sponsorship.
  
• Typical duration: Indefinite
• Typical next role(s): Regional/market leadership, global roles, board/advisory careers

Supervising Associate

(Region- and service-line specific; appears in some consulting postings and is often between “Senior Associate” and “Manager” depending on the local framework.)

• Client-facing: Sometimes
• Geography: Region-specific
• Business unit: Consulting (varies)
• Typical degree required: Bachelor’s; master’s helpful
• Typical work experience at entry: 4–8+ years
• Description: Senior individual contributor who may lead small teams or coordinate delivery components; frequently used where EY uses “Associate/Senior Associate/Supervising Associate” bands.
• Typical duration: 1–3 years
• Typical next role(s): Manager; Senior Consultant (local equivalence varies)