Research Manager – Media Analytics

Company Description

About Spark Foundry:

Spark Foundry is a global media agency that exists to bring HEAT – Higher Engagement, Affinity, and Transactions – to brands. By combining flawless media fundamentals with aggressive innovation, Spark inspires consumers to pay more attention, to care more about our clients’ brands, and to buy more products and services from them.

Balancing the nimble spirit of a startup with the powerhouse soul of Publicis Media, Spark Foundry delivers the best of both worlds to a client roster that spans some of the world’s best and most beloved brands and companies. We combine boutique-caliber insights and service with the buying clout and first-look access of a global leader, bringing the heat to challenger brands that want to act like giants, and to giant brands that want to act like challengers.

With a bottom-up culture that celebrates diversity and aims for all voices to be heard, Spark has become a magnet for the industry’s best talent, with one of the best retention rates in the industry. And by applying a whole-person approach to professional and personal development, Spark develops a workforce that is well prepared for today’s challenges, and also poised to create meaningful careers in the years to come. 

Because we know that heat arises the intersection of complementary forces, our professionals come from myriad disciplines and backgrounds: data, analytics, and insights, content and creative production, communications and strategy, finance and marketing, and sociology, psychology, and other liberal arts disciplines.

Job Description

Overview: 

The Manager, Media Research is a key driver of insight and strategic thinking within the Analytics department. The Research Manager will be a hybrid of traditional custom research (ad effectiveness / brand health) and syndicated research (audience & digital research). This position requires strategic and tactical thinking with an eye for numbers, intellectual curiosity, and proficiency at problem solving, an understanding of custom research methodologies, syndicated research tools, linear & online media, and technology. 
  
This position requires both strategic and tactical skill sets with an eye for numbers, intellectual curiosity, proficiency at problem solving, and a critical understanding of offline & online media. The candidate must have a proven track record in data-rich analyses, and be a team player. A “roll up the sleeves” approach is mandatory and a “get it done” attitude is a must. Specific responsibilities include coordination between the research, analytics & media teams ensuring high quality analytical projects are effectively delivered. 
  
Successful candidates will be multi-dimensional ‘rising-stars’ who are able to employ complex problem solving skills, and are able to communicate these succinctly to a broad client and media stakeholder audience. 

Custom Research Responsibilities: 

• Primary lead for all cross-channel ad effectiveness for the account. This includes working with Planning and Activation teams for schedules and mapping, managing external vendors for sample collection and data aggregation, in-house analysis and creation of final reports, and presenting to clients.  

• Support and manage all added value research for Content programs, working with Content partners to determine  

• Work closely with Strategy and Planning to continuously leverage insights for integration into upcoming campaigns to ensure client advertising investment is optimized to drive results. 

• Collaborate with client research, insights and analytics team; have deep knowledge of client’s business goals and challenges. 

• Strategic thought-leadership; Evaluate new and current data partners and identify new approaches to ensure our research is cutting edge. 

• Communicate opportunities, learnings and recommendations with authority and credibility.

Syndicated Research Responsibilities: 

• Drive day-to-day competitive intelligence and ad hoc syndicated research efforts 

• Leverage social listening and syndicated tools to define category, consumer, brand and competitive landscapes 

• Proactively educate internal and external clients on syndicated research resources, tools and approaches 

Desired Attributes: 

• Manage custom ad effectiveness and brand health tracking for the account 

• Provide competitive intelligence and strategic research guidance 

• Have a proven track record in data-rich analyses, be a team player and responsive in a client service environment. 

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of experience performing analytics in market