Director of Consumer Insights will serve as the leader of the Consumer Insights group and function as practice leader on research related issues and challenges. He/She will support various client teams by uncovering strategically relevant insights into the increasingly complex relationship between consumers, brands and communications.

In this role the Director is responsible for assessing clients’ business issues and developing appropriate research plans utilizing company’s proprietary tools, both quantitative and qualitative. She/he will leverage research findings into strategic insights, aiding in the planning of communications campaigns. Part of this person’s role will be focused on client-specific initiatives, part on new business, and part on thought leadership.

Duties and Responsibilities:

·         Proactively develop the processes, tools and methodologies to provide communications planning teams with insight into consumer needs, segmentation, trends/behavior, marketing reactions and competitive activity needed to support strategic decision making

·         Design, implement and analyze custom primary research.  Evaluate, negotiate, secondary information

·         Translate research into business requirements which provide key insight and counsel

·         Direct qualitative and quantitative consumer research activities to help identify consumer insights to guide the media process and the relationship with communication channels

·         Oversee the design and implementation of research studies to provide a thorough understanding of changing consumer and industry trends

·         Uncover consumer needs, trends and behaviors that impact media receptivity

• Collaborate between key strategic resources staff and services and agency Practice Leads and Account Directors
• Integrate other agency strategic resources and in particular the Data Insights and Analysis team and creative strategy teams
• Design and execution of creative research projects (qualitative and quantitative)
• Generate white papers and POVs for agency and public circulation 
• Represent the agency POV at key conferences
• Gatekeeper of all research tools and best practice protocols
• Manage Consumer Insights team and their resources

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

·         Adept at all types of survey research including segmentation, concept testing, awareness and usage surveys, and many others

·         Demonstrated understanding of consumer/societal trends and an ability to link those trends to total communications planning

·         Solid quantitative, qualitative and observational research design and analysis skills

·         Able to utilize a creative approach to interviewing/probing into lifestyles, values and attitudes of consumers

·         Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Excellent presentation skills; able to present to C-level clients when needed

• Creative and business-minded, able to envision innovative marketing solutions that map to key business objectives
•  Knowledgeable about media research tools & techniques e.g. syndicated research such as MRI and Simmons, online research techniques and tools

Qualifications, Experience:

·     Bachelor’s Degree required, MBA a plus

• 10+ years of experience in consumer insight field; can be a combination of advertising/media agency, a research company or client research department, or other relevant organization
• A  background in consumer marketing, research, account planning and/or strategic planning on the agency side of the business, or with a corporate or consulting firm
• At least 5 years experience analyzing and tracking digital behaviors and channels.
•  Deep understanding of the critical role that consumer insight can play in a media agency environment
• Experience generating and publishing thought pieces and white papers
• Expert in design and implementation of both qualitative and quantitative consumer/marketing research