Strategy& - Associate - Interview with Senior Manager - Round 2 / 3

1. Expect a more “real” case
Senior Managers tend to run cases closer to how projects actually work:

• Less textbook frameworks
• More ambiguity
• More back-and-forth and pushback

2. Structure still matters, but judgment matters more
They care less about whether you pick the “right” framework and more about:

• Do you focus on what actually matters?
• Do you prioritize?
• Do you know when to go deep vs move on?

3. Communication is pivotal

• Clear, top-down answers
• Crisp synthesis after each section
• Whether they would feel comfortable putting you in front of a client

4. Be ready for experience-based questions
Expect questions like:

• Why Strategy& specifically?
• Why consulting now?
• Tell me about a time you handled ambiguity or pressure

5. Show commercial sense
Compared to MBB-style interviews, Strategy& often tests:

• Practicality
• Implementation awareness
• Trade-offs, not just analysis

they’re assessing whether you can operate like a junior consultant on a real team, not whether you can crack another framework.

Good that you are prepping cases. That is the core of what they are testing.

A few things to know about senior manager rounds. They have seen a lot of candidates. They can tell quickly if you are just pattern matching from a casebook versus actually thinking. So focus on being genuinely curious about the problem, not just running through a framework.

Expect the behavioral portion to carry more weight than earlier rounds. Senior managers are thinking about whether you are someone they would want on their team and in front of clients. Have a few tight stories ready. Times you led something, handled conflict, delivered under pressure. Keep them short and specific.

For Strategy& specifically, know that they sit within PwC and often work on deals, transformations, and capability building. If you can, learn a bit about their recent work or industries they focus on. Shows you did your homework.

One tip: senior interviewers often test how you handle pushback. If they challenge your answer, do not cave immediately. Do not be defensive either. Acknowledge their point, think for a second, and either adjust your view or explain why you still believe your approach makes sense. That confidence matters.

Stay sharp, stay calm, be yourself. You made it this far for a reason.

Good luck.

Hi!

Congrats on making it to the 2nd round! Keep prepping for the case; the interview should likely be very similar to the 1st round (based on my own experience). Beyond that, a few practical tips:

• Don’t neglect fit. This is what many candidates ignore; interviewers will spend time assessing whether they’d enjoy working with you, and some will probe on the behavioral questions. Make sure your core stories (leadership, teamwork, conflict, challenges) are polished and concise
• Be clear on why Strategy& / consulting. Have a crisp answer on why consulting or why this firm specifically, ideally grounded in what you’ve learned from people at the firm or the type of work they do
• Fundamentals still matter. Even if the case feels informal, keep your structure, prioritization, and communication tight
• Treat it as a joint problem-solving discussion. Interviewers often value how you engage and think out loud more than a perfect answer; they're not out to get you and would want you to succeed as well. 

Overall, prepare broadly, stay calm, and be yourself. Solid fundamentals + good fit usually go a long way.

All the best and good luck! Reach out if you need help

Hi there,

For a Senior Manager interview at Strategy& for an Associate role, the expectations shift slightly compared to earlier rounds. Case skills still matter, but they’ll be looking more at how you think, communicate, and would operate on a real project team.

In terms of preparation, make sure your case approach is clear and pragmatic rather than over-engineered. Strategy& cases often sit at the intersection of strategy and implementation, so be ready to discuss feasibility, risks, and next steps, not just the “right” answer. Strong synthesis and practical recommendations are especially important.

On the fit side, expect questions around teamwork, handling ambiguity, stakeholder management, and motivation for Strategy& specifically. Senior Managers often probe how coachable you are and how you’d work with clients and teams day to day.

Finally, prepare a couple of thoughtful questions for them about the work, team culture, or their own experience at the firm. This shows maturity and genuine interest.

Overall, focus on being structured, grounded, and personable rather than trying to be perfect.

Best,
Evelina

hey there :)

For a Senior Manager round at Strategy& the bar is usually a bit higher on communication and business judgment, so keep your case very structured, be clear and confident in your recommendations, and expect some pushback to test how you think. Fit matters more here too, so be ready to clearly explain why Strategy&, why this role, and show you would be someone they enjoy working with day to day. If you have prior consulting or business exposure, bring that in naturally when relevant. Feel free to reach out if you want to go deeper on this.

best,
Alessa :)

This is a great stage to be in. Congratulations on making it this far—you have successfully proven your core analytical capabilities.

The primary shift in focus for this Senior Manager/Principal round is moving beyond proving that you can solve the math, to demonstrating that you are ready to manage the client and lead the engagement. The SM is evaluating you as a peer and thinking: "If I hire this person, can I trust them to run a workstream independently, handle political dynamics, and look good doing it?"

The case will still be important, but the fit portion often carries significant weight here. You must pivot your behavioral stories (PEI or STAR method) from simple success anecdotes to high-stakes, nuanced narratives focusing on ambiguity, conflict management, and mobilizing teams who don't report to you. Specifically for Strategy&, prepare your "Why S&?" story to clearly articulate how you see the firm leveraging the broader PwC ecosystem—they are listening carefully for candidates who understand and embrace that integration.

Expect this round to feature a longer, more open-ended case that might have significant implementation or people management dimensions, or a completely non-quant mini-case focused purely on prioritization under pressure. Practice articulating your thought process out loud—your structure needs to be impeccable and your conversational tone needs to project executive presence. They are looking for someone they can put in front of a difficult client immediately.

All the best!