Oliver Wyman - Thought Leadership Lead (9-12 Month Parental Leave Cover Contract), IMEA - Dubai

Description

Oliver Wyman is now looking to recruit a Thought Leadership Lead (Maternity cover) for 9-12 months, to join our Middle East office and be part of our IMEA (India Middle East Africa) team!

The role will be based out of Dubai office.

Job Overview

Building on Oliver Wyman's reputation as a trusted publisher of rigorous, insightful thought leadership, we are seeking an experienced Thought Leadership Lead to oversee and project-manage the development of high-quality content across the India, Middle East, and Africa (IMEA) region during a parental leave cover period.

This role is editorial-first and focused almost entirely on shaping, editing, and delivering content across reports, articles, op-eds, and digital platforms. Working closely with senior consultants, subject-matter experts, and the wider marketing team, the Thought Leadership Lead will ensure that all content meets Oliver Wyman's standards for clarity, credibility, creativity, and accuracy.

With an accomplished background in a similar role, the successful candidate will act as a hands-on editor and content strategist, supporting the full lifecycle of content development - from early idea shaping and angle-setting, through drafting and editing, to final sign-off and publication. While this role does not own the Media Relations execution, it collaborates closely with our Media Relations & PR Lead by providing strong editorial input, messaging, and talking points to support external amplification.

Editorial Strategy & Content Oversight

• Oversee and help deliver the IMEA editorial pipeline in line with business priorities, key themes, and target audiences
• Work with the Head of Marketing, Marketing Managers, and global editorial stakeholders to shape content plans, timelines, and formats
• Ensure consistency of voice, messaging, and quality across all thought leadership outputs
• A capable writer

Content Development & Editing

• Act as a lead editor across a wide range of content, including flagship reports, shorter insight pieces, op-eds, and LinkedIn posts
• Edit for clarity, structure, tone, and impact while maintaining the author's voice and intellectual integrity
• Apply rigorous fact-checking, data validation, and quality control to all published materials

Content Shaping & Angle Development

• Help consultants and subject-matter experts refine ideas into compelling, audience-relevant narratives
• Identify strong editorial angles and storylines that increase the relevance and reach of Oliver Wyman's insights
• Advise on how to adapt core ideas for different formats and channels without diluting substance

Project Management & Delivery

• Co-own timelines and workflows for content production (alongside Marketing Managers), ensuring deadlines are met across multiple concurrent projects
• Coordinate inputs from consultants, designers, analysts, and external vendors where required
• Manage revisions, approvals, and final sign-off processes efficiently and diplomatically

Collaboration & Messaging Support

• Partner with the PR Manager by developing clear messaging frameworks and talking points to support media engagement
• Work closely with digital, social, and campaign colleagues to ensure content is optimized for distribution
• Provide editorial guidance and best practices to internal stakeholders to improve content quality over time

The ideal candidate is an accomplished editorial professional with a strong background in shaping, editing, and delivering high-quality thought leadership content in a fast-paced, professional environment.

Experience & Background

• Native-level fluency in written and spoken English
• Minimum of 8 years' experience in editorial, content, publishing, or communications roles, ideally within professional services, consulting, media, or a content-led agency environment
• Proven experience editing complex, technical, or data-driven content and translating it into clear, compelling narratives
• Experience working closely with senior stakeholders and subject-matter experts, with the confidence to challenge and refine ideas constructively

Working Style

• Highly organized, with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through
• Comfortable managing multiple content pieces and deadlines simultaneously
• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to work autonomously while collaborating closely with a broader team
• Calm and resilient under pressure, able to manage tight timelines and multiple review cycles

Regional & Practical Considerations

UAE preferred

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent editorial judgement, with a sharp eye for structure, flow, tone, and narrative coherence
• Strong copy-editing and line-editing skills, with a high bar for accuracy, consistency, and fact-checking
• Ability to balance creative flair with intellectual rigour and brand discipline
• Strong project management skills, including planning, prioritisation, and stakeholder coordination
• Confident adviser who can guide consultants and senior leaders on how to strengthen their content and messaging
• Creative thinker who can help shape original, relevant, and impactful content grounded in client insight and market context
• Flexible problem-solver who can adapt quickly and find pragmatic solutions in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

Bachelors degree in Journalism, English, Communications, Marketing, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Oliver Wyman, a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), is a management consulting firm combining deep industry knowledge with specialized expertise to help clients optimize their business, improve operations and accelerate performance. Marsh McLennan is a global leader in risk, strategy and people, advising clients in 130 countries across four businesses: Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Mercer and Oliver Wyman. With annual revenue of $24 billion and more than 90,000 colleagues, Marsh McLennan helps build the confidence to thrive through the power of perspective. For more information, visit or follow on LinkedIn and X. Marsh McLennan is committed to embracing a diverse, inclusive and flexible work environment. We aim to attract and retain the best people and embrace diversity of age, background, disability, ethnic origin, family duties, nationality, parental status, personal or social status, political affiliation, race, religion and beliefs, sex/gender, skin color, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Marsh McLennan is committed to hybrid work, which includes the flexibility of working remotely and the collaboration, connections and professional development benefits of working together in the office. All Marsh McLennan colleagues are expected to be in their local office or working onsite with clients at least three days per week. Office-based teams will identify at least one "anchor day" per week on which their full team will be together in person.