Senior Director Market Research

The work we do has an impact on millions of lives, and you can be a part of it.We help protect our customers against life’s uncertainties. Regardless of where you work within the company, you’ll be helping provide protection and peace of mind when our customers need it most.
Protective’s Sr. Director of Marketing Research will lead Protective’s efforts to strategically advance our research capabilities.  He or she will guide the direction of the division to implement industry best practices that provide Protective with a competitive advantage in its product development and go-to-market strategies.  This position will align research programs across divisions and develop a disciplined and comprehensive approach to providing insights that can make an impact across our product portfolio, sales strategies, and value propositions.  We are looking for a multi-dimensional thinker with comprehensive research experience who operates not only based on that past experience but remains abreast of new research approaches and developments.
This individual will proactively consult with senior leaders across the company to build research programs that support, direct, and measure direct business initiatives. The research director must be adept at research and analysis, possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and have a bias toward driving actionable insights.  This position will work closely with a variety of senior executives and divisional leaders to define the strategic direction for research initiatives and ensure that all research efforts align with the business objectives. 

Responsibilities:

• Consult with senior leaders and develop research programs that help establish priorities, influence business plans, and measure outcomes across a variety of programs.
• Establish and direct a robust program of ongoing measurement for business objectives such as brand health, NPS, and product development.
• Lead, develop, and motivate a high-performing team of researchers and product analysts to achieve business objectives and promote knowledge transfer.
• Leverage industry knowledge and comprehensive research acumen to translate business needs into research programs that drive profitability and performance for the organization.
• Lead integration of research capabilities into enterprise functions to provide actionable insights into business strategies beyond traditional marketing and sales.
• Align programs and work to assist other divisions with research functions, such as analytics, customer intelligence, risk management, and acquisitions to ensure a comprehensive approach to solving business problems and providing insights for better deployment of resources.
• Manage and prioritize marketing research budget, timelines, and resources, as well as appropriately steward internal client budgets to maximize research opportunity, ensure efficiency, and impact.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory bodies, including data privacy and security regulations.
• Expand research capabilities and champion research as an avenue for driving preference and awareness.
• Foster knowledge exchange between researchers and business leaders by presenting and translating data into easily understandable insights to promote innovation and best practices.
• Engage a broad range of internal and external stakeholders to gather insights and feedback on research findings and recommendations.
• Develop, negotiate, and maintain relationships with external research partners and vendors.
• Other duties as assigned

The successful candidate will possess:

• Expertise in designing and executing primary research (quantitative and qualitative)
• 15+ years of hands-on experience as a research professional, including experience managing research teams
• Experience assessing methodological options and recommending research approaches that answer key business questions in a quick and cost-effective manner
• The ability to multitask and deliver multiple simultaneous projects on time with high quality
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to work collaboratively across teams, inspire team members and manage senior leadership stakeholders to quickly and accurately complete deliverables
• A consultative mindset that drives all projects to impactful business decisions and action taking
• Bachelors in research or related field, masters preferred

Preference will be given to candidates with relevant financial experience

Qualifications:

• 10+ years in research and analytics, with experience in a leadership role.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in a related field, such as statistics, economics, or business administration; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven track record of developing and executing research strategies that drive busin