Director of Research

Description

At The IRONMAN Group, our purpose is clear: to inspire people to unlock their greatest potential through sport, pushing beyond limits to become the fullest expression of human achievement. Through our BE ICONIC vision, we are building the most loved brands, producing the world’s most inspiring events, and fostering deeply engaged communities that change lives. By 2028, we aim to empower over a million athletes to cross a finish line each year and inspire a billion people worldwide through the power of the human spirit. As part of our team, you’ll join a high-performance, caring culture where innovation thrives, communities are uplifted, and every achievement, big or small, is celebrated. You’ll help shape experiences that fill hearts, consume minds, and enrich souls. This is more than a job. It’s a chance to be part of a global movement, to lead from the front, and to leave a legacy. Together, we create moments that last a lifetime. The IRONMAN Group is the world's largest operator of mass participation sports, delivering over 200+ events a year across 55+ countries thanks to a passionate global team. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

The Marketing department of The IRONMAN Group is tasked with building sustaining brands that, through customer relationship management, generate and convert demand for The IRONMAN Group’s portfolio of endurance events, affiliated brands and products. This creates meaningful experiences and value for customers, as well as profitable growth strategies.

Positioned within the Global Marketing Team, the Director of Research is a key strategic leader responsible for growing and strengthening customer relationships by championing learning and insights, identifying gaps and opportunities at the industry, brand, event and customer level, devising tactics to close gaps and exploit opportunities, and informing key strategic direction for The IRONMAN Group’s portfolios of brands.

Positioned within the Global Marketing Team, the Director of Research is a key strategic leader responsible for growing and strengthening customer relationships by championing learning and insights, identifying gaps and opportunities at the industry, brand, event and customer level, devising tactics to close gaps and exploit opportunities, and informing key strategic direction for The IRONMAN Group’s portfolios of brands.

In essence, the Director of Research will be self-driven and business-curious, to understand the workings of our athletes and potential athletes, operations at The IRONMAN Group, and the endurance sports industries. They will build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, using research techniques to delve into business challenges and opportunities, and drive change through the organization.

Requirements

 Emphasis will be placed on:

• Deriving insights that assist in audience cohort development
• Utilizing research to inform long term strategic direction 
• Problem solving to anticipate and address any cohort regressions
• Athlete-listening and seeking ways to improve athlete experience
• Brand sentiment monitoring
• Business Development support
• Regular feedback loops
• Metrics monitoring and driving accountability
• Internal partnerships that collaboratively address business needs and opportunities
• Keeping pulse on industry and relevant external insights

Reporting to the Vice President of Global Marketing, the Director prioritizes business requests with self-guided exploration to best serve the organization. In addition, they will demonstrate both strategic thought leadership and people leadership, collaboration, initiative, and empowerment. The Director of Research will directly manage other team members, as applicable, in the research department in pursuit of the above goals and will collaborate across the organization to inform proper research disciplines and techniques. 

In line with The IRONMAN Group’s Vision “to inspire and support people across the world to live an active lifestyle, foster a sense of belonging through sports, and strive towards their own finish line” the Director of Research should be committed to finding ways to deliver the transformative benefits of an active lifestyle to customers, everywhere.

Overview

• Champion the consumer perspective to marketing decision making by executing market analysis and research activities to provide insights and recommendations including surveys, focus groups and feedback loops
• Lead analysis of customer segments, competitor analysis, business trends, and market opportunities
• Present analysis and recommendations via presentations a