Strategic Research Lead

Overview: 

Fuel Cycle is currently seeking a Strategic Research Lead to join our team and strengthen our partnerships with existing market research clients.  

Your primary responsibility as Strategic Research Lead will be to act as the primary point of contact to our customers for research, handling complex conversations/communications around research project design and analysis, acting as a trusted advisor for strategic research decision making for the customers in your book of business to ensure successful renewals, and operational excellence.  

Fuel Cycle is regularly recognized as a great and innovative place to work. Our recent awards include 2024 Built In Best Places to Work, as well as Comparably Best CEO, Best Company for Women, and Best Company for Diversity. Fuel Cycle is proudly a 2024 Quirk’s Top Company for Consumer Research and Online Panel Communities – MROC, and was named Top 50 Most Innovative by GRIT in 2023. Learn more about our Culture & Values here. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Market Research, Project Management & Insight Delivery  

• Act as a strategic research advisor/consultant and research subject matter expert to your clients, sharing recommendations on best practices and offering thoughtful considerations and suggestions.   

• Transform business questions into strategic research plans, that produce insights for your clients which empower them to make data driven business decisions.  

• Analyze data and craft insightful narratives that address market objectives and business goals in a clear, concise, and visually engaging format.  

Client Relationship Management and Advisory

• Own the account relationship and serve as the primary market research point of contact for your assigned clients, facilitating complex conversations and communications related to project design, analysis, and unexpected challenges.   

• Foster and develop strong research relationships with your clients, cultivating them into advocates for Fuel Cycle.  

• Gain a deep understanding of the customer journey and proactively address points of concern or feedback, including usage, satisfaction, and engagement.  

• Ensure client satisfaction by delivering high-quality market insights and managing client expectations.  

• Identify opportunities to expand client relationships through upsell and cross-sell initiatives.  

Project Scope & Pricing   

• Develop market research project proposals, allocate research hours within budget constraints, and oversee project outcomes by assigning tasks to internal staff, contractors, or personal involvement. Translate business inquiries into comprehensive market research plans, utilizing our internal platform to design and program research instruments.  

• Renewal & Expansion Support  

Quality Assurance, Client Satisfaction and Deliverable Management

• Execute tasks with meticulous attention to detail to produce market research deliverables of exceptional quality and accuracy. Ensure data accuracy and its alignment with market objectives at every stage of the project to maintain both internal consistency and face validity, through management and oversight of internal teams.  

• Lead and ensure data accuracy and quality of market research deliverables with relevance to objectives to ensure the data is both internally consistent and demonstrates face validity.  

• Maintain high standards of data integrity and reporting accuracy.  

• Assume responsibility for project quality, gross margin, and contract compliance.  

Travel Requirement: Up to 25% travel expected for client meetings, team collaboration, and industry events.

Your Success Metrics: 

• Client satisfaction ratings. CSAT / NPS  

• Client Assigned Project Margins  

• Utilization of Billable hours  

Who you’ll work with? 

• Clients, Account Directors, Research Excellence, Audience Experience 

Core Skills, Competencies & Attributes: 

• Market Research Expertise: Extensive knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.  

• Client Relationship Management: Strong interpersonal skills to foster client relationships and address their needs.  

• Project Management: Experience in managing research projects from proposal to delivery, including budgeting