I started with Coleman in September 2015 as an Analyst on the Expert Network Development team. We worked on large, proactive recruiting projects with the objective to understand our clients’ holdings and recruit top-tier experts for them. In 2016, I moved over to Client Management to support one of our client teams. Since May 2017, I’ve been a Client Manager leading US Global Fulfillment, a relatively new team in the Coleman structure.
The Global Fulfillment team is unique unto itself here at Coleman Research. Let’s take a closer look at what sets it apart. There are three Global Fulfillment teams, one for each geographic region that Coleman operates in (APAC, EMEA, and US). As I mentioned, I head the US Global Fulfillment team (US GF for short). These three teams operate independently from the greater Client Management structure, which makes up the bulk of Coleman’s revenue generation.
One key difference between Global Fulfillment and Client Management is that the GF teams are not bound by a particular set of clients at any given time. Rather, GF teams work exclusively with our international offices to coordinate round-the-clock project coverage and to aid in requests for expertise in the region where that the GF team is located. US GF works across all of Coleman’s client types, but only for clients who are based in APAC or EMEA. For example, if a client in India wishes to consult with American experts on the US Steel market, the US GF team would be in a prime position to lend assistance as we’re local to that market (and time zone) and can more easily engage with the consultants who work in that space. Consider, however, if a US-based Client Management team received an urgent project as their day was coming to a close – this would be a great opportunity to contact the APAC GF team (as they’re 13 hours ahead) and have them execute on it when their day is starting. Our global support goes in all directions.
Due to the global reach of our work, communication is critical. We rely on all sorts of modalities – from shared documents and instant messaging, to video conferencing and good ol’ classic email. Overcommunication is key to ensuring our work is understood in the proper context. The end goal is to deliver value to clients and colleagues alike, so by being efficient and communicative, we can achieve it!
Working on a Global Fulfillment team offers a unique experience. Analysts and Associates work with hedge funds, private equities, management consultants, family offices, mutual funds, and even sell-side behemoths. While the Client Management segment is divided into teams based on client-type, Global Fulfillment operates as a singularity without fragmentation, allowing for broad client exposure. Second to that is the volume of work. Due to the global nature of our work, there’s always a steady stream of projects. “Slow” days are infrequent, and that can be a fantastic thing as it keeps us on top of our game! Lastly, because so much of what we do is tucked behind the scenes, qualitative feedback goes into determining our success. The golden rule of Global Fulfillment is “If you put good in, you get good out”.