Senior Research Director

Accountabilities:

• • Lead and optimize a research pod, establishing clear priorities, accountability, operating rhythms, and quality standards while contributing to the evolution of broader research processes.
  • Manage and develop Research Directors and Research Managers through hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management, conflict resolution, upskilling, and team engagement.
  • Own research project success across the pod, serving as the senior escalation point when client needs, project complexity, or research challenges require additional expertise.
  • Drive in-depth project discovery and scoping to understand research objectives, business context, customer expectations, and success criteria.
  • Build and maintain detailed research context for clients, capturing relevant norms, standards, preferences, and requirements to ensure deliverables are aligned with stakeholder expectations.
  • Act as a strategic research advisor and solutions architect for high-value prospects and customers, helping define approaches for complex or non-standard research requirements.
  • Partner with Sales on discovery calls, capabilities presentations, proposals, and other new-business activities that support client acquisition and long-term growth.
  • Own and strengthen enterprise client relationships, working closely with insights professionals to deliver successful research outcomes and identify opportunities for retention and expansion.
  • Ensure projects meet agreed quality and speed standards while balancing multiple client engagements and competing internal priorities.
  • Establish a strong feedback loop between customer delivery and Product, identifying gaps between AI-generated research outputs and expert researcher expectations.
  • Identify and document "last-mile" requirements needed to transform research outputs into stakeholder-ready deliverables and help drive improvements across the product.
  • Champion adoption of new research workflows, tools, and product capabilities across the research organization.
  • Contribute to the broader commercial and operational objectives of the research function, including customer retention, expansion, and conversion of new opportunities into recurring business.

  Requirements:

  • 10+ years of market research experience, including at least 3 years managing teams, with significant experience on the supplier side within a market research agency environment.
  • Demonstrated expertise across quantitative and qualitative research, including leading discovery and scoping calls, developing questionnaires from scratch, creating analysis plans, and producing stakeholder-ready insights, toplines, and reports.
  • Proven experience owning relationships with enterprise and Fortune 500 US-based clients, particularly senior insights professionals, with a track record of delivering outcomes that support retention and account growth.
  • Strong ability to operate as a strategic research consultant, translating ambiguous customer needs into practical research approaches and high-quality solutions.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead complex initiatives in fast-moving, ambiguous environments where priorities and business requirements can change quickly.
  • Strong project and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple research engagements alongside internal organizational initiatives.
  • Effective people leadership skills, including setting expectations, creating accountability, developing talent, managing performance, resolving conflict, and maintaining team morale.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to build credibility with enterprise clients, internal leadership, Sales, Product, and research teams.
  • A collaborative, proactive mindset with a bias toward action, continuous improvement, and measurable business impact.
  • Experience working in an early-stage startup or similarly lean environment is a plus.

  Benefits:

  • Base salary: $170,000–$190,000 USD annually.
  • Equity options.
  • Medical, dental, and vision healthcare coverage.
  • Additional insurance coverage.
  • 401(k) with company match.
  • Flexible time-off policy.
  • Remote working environment with access to hybrid collaboration opportunities.
  • Company-provided laptop.
  • One-time onboarding technology stipend.
  • Opportunity to work with AI-powered research technology and help shape the future of consumer research.
  • Collaborative environment focused on growth, ownership, continuous improvement, and meaningful client impact.