Profile of NERA Economic Consulting

A career at NERA follows a structured path from entry-level researcher to senior expert and leadership roles. The firm prides itself on being a meritocracy, with clear benchmarks for promotion and no artificial barriers to advancement. Below is a typical progression of consulting roles at NERA and what each entails:

• Research Associate / Analyst: These are entry-level positions for those typically holding a bachelor’s degree (often in economics, finance, or related quantitative fields). New hires may be called “Research Associate” or simply “Analyst” depending on the office. In this role, individuals work closely with senior consultants on project tasks like data collection, spreadsheet modeling, statistical analysis, and fact-finding research. Analysts at NERA learn the ropes by checking calculations, running regression models, preparing charts, and helping draft report sections. They receive guidance from more experienced team members and a dedicated mentor. This stage is about building core skills – for instance, mastering software tools (Excel, statistical packages), understanding how to apply economic theory to real cases, and learning to handle large datasets. After gaining some experience, analysts often take on more complex tasks such as designing portions of an analysis or training newer hires. Tenure: Analysts typically spend 2-3 years in this role before promotion, or some leave to pursue graduate degrees (NERA has a track record of analysts moving on to top PhD or MBA programs after a few years of experience).
• Senior Analyst / Senior Research Associate: This is the intermediate tier for those who have demonstrated strong skills as junior analysts (or for Masters’ degree holders who join the firm with some experience). Senior Analysts handle greater responsibility in project work. They might supervise junior analysts, lead portions of analysis independently, and have more client exposure in meetings or presentations. For example, a Senior Analyst may be in charge of running a complex econometric model and interpreting its results, or coordinating the data analysis across multiple team members to ensure consistency. They also begin to contribute more to the writing of reports and the development of methodologies for new problems. This role is a bridge between pure support work and true consulting: senior analysts start to think like consultants – identifying potential issues, suggesting analytical approaches, and ensuring quality control of the team’s work. Many Senior Analysts at NERA have or are pursuing advanced degrees part-time, and this role often precedes a promotion to consultant level.
• Consultant (also sometimes titled Associate Economist or simply “Associate”): At NERA, the Consultant level is typically the post-graduate entry or the point at which an analyst transitions into a consultant role. Many Consultants hold a Ph.D. in economics or a related discipline, or an MBA/MS with substantial experience. Others are promoted internally from Senior Analyst. Consultants function as the backbone of project execution – they design analysis plans, carry out complex quantitative work, and start developing subject-matter expertise. A consultant might, for instance, take the lead on drafting an expert report for a client (under guidance of a senior director), or present preliminary findings in client meetings. They handle a mix of technical tasks and client-facing communication. This role also involves honing the ability to frame economic arguments and ensuring that analyses directly answer the key questions of a case. Project management skills start to become important at this stage: a consultant may coordinate small teams of analysts, manage timelines, and ensure the workstream stays on track. It’s common for consultants to begin focusing on a practice area (like specializing in antitrust, or securities, etc.) where they build deeper expertise.
• Senior Consultant / Manager / Principal: (Titles vary; NERA doesn’t always use “Manager” formally, but conceptually this is the level.) After several years as a Consultant, high performers move into more senior consulting positions. Often called Senior Consultant, Principal, or sometimes Associate Director, this level signifies that the individual can lead entire projects and is recognized as an expert in their field. They will scope and propose project approaches, manage client relationships on smaller engagements, and take responsibility for the quality of work delivered. A Senior Consultant might act as the project manager on a large case: outlining the analysis approach, delegating tasks to consultants and analysts, and synthesizing results into a coherent story or report. At this stage, they also frequently serve as the right hand to the testifying expert (who might be a Vice President or Managing Director) – helping craft expert testimony, preparing answers to likely deposition questions, and occasionally even serving as a testifying expert themselves in smaller matters. Senior Consultants/Principals are expected to contribute to business development by maintaining client contacts and identifying opportunities for future work. They are also mentors to junior staff, playing a role in training and recruiting. Reaching this level typically requires not just technical excellence, but also clear leadership potential and client-handling skills.
• Vice President (VP) / Director: The title Vice President (or simply Director in some regions) at NERA corresponds to a seasoned consultant who has effectively made the transition to a thought leader and business generator. VPs are often experts with 10+ years of experience and usually hold advanced degrees (many are PhD economists). In their role, Vice Presidents lead major client engagements, often serving as the testifying expert in court or the lead economist in high-profile advisory projects. They are responsible for maintaining and deepening client relationships – many VPs have their own client following, where a law firm or company executive will routinely seek them out for expert work. A VP at NERA will manage teams (often multiple projects at once), guide the technical approach, and ensure that the firm’s high standards are met in every deliverable. They also have internal responsibilities: training staff, developing new service offerings, and contributing to the intellectual capital of the firm (for example, writing articles or speaking at conferences under NERA’s banner). In the firm’s hierarchy, Vice Presidents are roughly analogous to “Partners” in a partnership model – they are key revenue drivers and assume ownership of the firm’s success. NERA is known to have dozens of VPs/Directors across its global offices (often each practice area or office will have a few VPs overseeing work). Promotion to VP is a significant career milestone, reflecting that one has become a recognized authority in economic consulting.
• Senior Vice President / Managing Director / Partner: At the very top of the consulting ladder are the Senior Vice Presidents or Managing Directors (the exact title can vary, but these denote the most senior leaders among the consulting staff). These individuals are the elite experts and often have firm-wide leadership roles. They may head large practice groups (e.g., the Chair of the Antitrust practice might be an SVP, overseeing strategy and quality across all antitrust cases firm-wide) or regional leadership (such as the head of NERA’s Europe operations). Senior VPs/MDs handle the most complex and high-stakes engagements – multi-billion dollar litigations, international regulatory disputes, or advisory roles on public policy. Their time is split between providing strategic direction on projects, maintaining relationships with top-tier clients, and steering the firm’s overall direction (many are members of NERA’s Management Committee). Some Senior VPs have global reputations in their specialties and are frequently cited in the press or by courts for their expertise. While NERA doesn’t use the term “Partner” officially (since it’s a subsidiary of a corporation), the Senior VP/Managing Director role is effectively the partner-equivalent in terms of seniority, influence, and compensation structure.
• Chairman and President: Apart from the consulting track, NERA has the positions of President (the firm’s chief executive, as described earlier in Leadership) and sometimes a Chairman of the firm. The Chairman role is often held by a distinguished senior figure (for example, after stepping down as President, Andrew Carron took on a Chairman role). The Chairman may act as an ambassador of the firm, focus on strategic initiatives, and provide counsel based on their extensive experience, but typically does not engage in day-to-day management. The President, meanwhile, is the active head of the firm’s management, responsible for all operations and reporting up to Oliver Wyman Group. These roles are relatively few – NERA historically has one President at a time and occasionally an appointed Chairman or Vice-Chairman as a honorary leadership post. Most career professionals at NERA focus on progressing through the consultant ranks (Analyst up to Managing Director), with only a select few moving into the President/Chairman roles which are appointed positions.

NERA fosters career growth by offering regular evaluations, feedback, and training. The firm emphasizes that there are “no artificial barriers” – meaning promotions are based on merit and the business need for more leaders, not on rigid timelines. A high-performing analyst could rise to consultant and vice president on an accelerated timeline if they meet the criteria and the firm is expanding. Similarly, NERA encourages academic growth: many staff pursue part-time higher education or research, and NERA often supports that (some pursue doctorates with NERA’s support or teach as adjunct professors while working). The career path is designed to develop an individual from a technical contributor into a full-fledged expert and advisor. Not everyone will go the entire way to Managing Director; some may find a fulfilling long-term role as a technical VP, while others might exit to roles in government or industry after building strong credentials at NERA. Nonetheless, the progression steps at NERA are clearly defined, which helps early-career professionals understand what skills and accomplishments they need to advance (e.g., demonstrating leadership for a promotion to Senior Consultant, or bringing in new business to reach the VP level).