Executive Director, Market Insights

College Board – Learning & Assessments (L&A), Research Team 

Location: This is a fully remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office) 

Type: This is a Full-time position 

Travel: 3-5 times per year 

About the Team 

The Market Insights Research Team at the College Board plays a vital role in understanding the voices of key stakeholders across the education ecosystem. We design and execute quantitative and qualitative research to inform and strengthen College Board programs, including SAT, AP, BigFuture, and emerging products. Our work centers on the lived experiences, perspectives, and needs of students, parents, educators (K–12 and higher ed), administrators, and employers. We use this insight to inform strategic and tactical decisions across the organization, from product development to policy design, and to assess the impact of our work on access and success in education. 

About the Opportunity 

As Executive Director, Market Insights, you will lead the vision, strategy, and execution of survey and qualitative research at College Board. You will oversee a team with expertise in engaging diverse stakeholder groups across the education and workforce landscape. In this role, you will champion the use of rigorous, actionable research to shape the College Board’s products, services, and business decisions, while also advancing thought leadership in the field through publications and presentations. 

You will be responsible for ensuring the team delivers best-in-class, fit-for-purpose research that is both timely and impactful. Your portfolio will contain client-driven research as well as independent research determined along with your Research colleagues. You’ll drive the strategic use of insights to inform product innovation, organizational strategy, brand awareness and strength, and mission advancement. As a senior leader within the Research division, you will also foster cross-functional collaboration, build research capabilities, and mentor the next generation of applied education researchers. 

Key Responsibilities 

Research Leadership & Strategy (40%) 

• Set and drive the College Board’s stakeholder and market research strategy in alignment with enterprise-wide priorities and changes in the education landscape. 
• Design and oversee a research portfolio that includes large-scale surveys, tracking surveys, blind surveys, qualitative studies, and mixed-methods research to support product, brand and marketing, policy, organizational decision-making, and contribute to broader education research in the field. 
• Lead strategic collaboration with the leadership of College Board assessments, programs, and initiatives to ensure that research insights inform innovation, particularly as relevant to a dynamic and evolving education ecosystem in areas like generative AI and technology.  
• Ensure research design meet the highest standards of methodological rigor, ethical responsibility, and data privacy and security considerations. 
• Author or co-author research publications, presentations, and briefs that advance both internal knowledge and public understanding of key issues in education. 

Team & Talent Development (30%) 

• Lead, manage, mentor, and develop a highly productive team of 7-10 survey and qualitative researchers. 
• Foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, continuous learning, and methodological excellence.  
• Grow and sustain an inclusive, mission-driven team that collaborates with other teams in Research and the Learning & Assessment division. 
• Ensure timely delivery of research findings that are relevant, accessible, and actionable. 

Strategic Collaboration & Organizational Influence (30%) 

• Partner with senior leaders across College Board to identify emerging insight needs and proactively recommend research approaches. 
• Represent Market Insights and the Research division in enterprise-level planning and strategy sessions. 
• Lead the optimization of external research vendor engagement and investment. 
• Act as a trusted advisor on issues related to survey methodology, respondent experience, sampling, and data interpretation. 

About you, you have: 

• A Ph.D. or master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., social science, education, market research, statistics, behavioral science). 
• 10+ years of experience designing, conducting, and leading survey and qualitative research, including experience producing peer-reviewed publications or industry white papers/reports. 
• A deep understanding of stakeholder and custo