Business Strategy Associate

DEKA Research & Development is seeking a Business Strategy Associate to help shape the commercial story behind emerging technologies and new product opportunities.

Working closely with leadership, this individual will evaluate markets and competitors, help identify potential partners, and develop the strategic materials that inform major business decisions — including investment decks, business plans, market analyses, and commercialization strategies.

This is a role with broad exposure across product strategy, commercialization, partnerships, and new business development. It is well suited for a MBA graduate or early-career candidate with strong experience in consulting, strategy, finance, venture, or business development who is looking for meaningful ownership early in their career.

How You Will Make an Impact as a Business Strategy Associate:

• Help develop the strategic and commercial case for new products and technologies, from early concept through business proposal.
• Research markets, competitors, customers, and industry dynamics to assess opportunities and inform strategy.
• Distill complex research into clear insights, recommendations, and executive-level materials.
• Identify potential strategic partners, customers, investors, and other collaborators.
• Assist with the development of outreach strategies and materials and help lead early conversations with prospective partners.
• Support relationship-building with external organizations and manage follow-up on key opportunities.
• Build investment decks, strategic presentations, and other materials used in high-level internal and external discussions.
• Draft key components of business plans, including market opportunity, competitive positioning, business model, and go-to-market strategy.
• Build and refine financial models evaluating revenue potential, costs, economics, and business scenarios.
• Help drive strategic initiatives forward by managing priorities, follow-up, and next steps across multiple stakeholders.

Skills You Will Need to Be Successful:

• Bachelor’s degree with 1–3 years of relevant experience, MBA a plus 
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated experience conducting market, competitive, and industry research.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and develop a clear, well-supported point of view.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience developing high-quality executive presentations, analyses, briefings, or business cases.
• Strong financial and quantitative skills, including comfort building and interpreting Excel-based business models.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Exceptional organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• High initiative, ownership, and follow-through, with the ability to independently drive work from question to recommendation to execution.
• Comfort working directly with senior leaders and engaging external partners and stakeholders.
• Impeccable judgment and discretion when handling confidential information.
• Adaptability and enthusiasm for tackling new, ambiguous, or rapidly evolving problems.
• Genuine interest in technology, engineering, innovation, and bringing new products to market.
• Must be able to work on-site at DEKA five days per week and respond to occasional time-sensitive requests outside standard business hours.

About DEKA:

One hour from the beach, Boston, and the mountains, the historic Amoskeag Millyard once housed the largest textile mills in the world. It is now home to DEKA Research and Development, where we are taking the same innovation and cutting-edge technology into the modern age.

Behind DEKA’s brick walls sits a team of professionals who strive to make a difference every day through thoughtful engineering, design, and manufacturing. Here at DEKA, some of the most innovative and life-changing products of our time are created, and new ideas are always welcome and explored.