Director, Primary Customer Research

Who are we?

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company®, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet. 

A place where tech thinkers and future builders turn bold ideas into breakthrough experiences, we welcome your unique perspective.

Help us challenge assumptions, uncover bias, and remove barriers—because progress starts with fresh ideas. You’ll find belonging, purpose, and a team that welcomes you—because when you feel valued, you’re empowered to do your best work.

Job Summary

We’re seeking a seasoned Director of Primary Customer Research to lead our customer insight initiatives and shape how we understand and act on customer needs. This leader will design and execute research programs that directly influence our product, marketing, and customer experience strategies. The ideal candidate combines deep research expertise with business acumen and storytelling skill.

 

This role resides within Equinix’s Enterprise Data & Analytics team, and reports to the Senior Director of Data Product, Go-To-Market.

 

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of primary research programs, including quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, ethnographies, and concept testing

• Translate complex customer insights into clear, actionable recommendations that guide strategic decisions across product, marketing, and CX teams

• Oversee the research roadmap and manage partnerships with external research vendors and agencies

• Champion customer-centricity across the organization by embedding research insights into planning and go-to-market processes

• Manage and mentor a team of researchers, ensuring best practices in methodology, analysis, and stakeholder communication

• Work cross-functionally with analytics, data science, and UX research to integrate multiple data sources for a holistic view of the customer

• Present executive-level insights that inform C-suite priorities, market positioning, and innovation strategy

 

Partner with Go-To-Market and engineering teams as a peer

• Work side-by-side with Go-To-Market, Engineering, AI and data science leadership to evaluate technical options, identify technical tradeoffs, estimate effort, and make architecture recommendations where applicable

• Critique and challenge inflated estimates and oversimplified proposals; know when a "simple" request is actually complex

• Guide engineering toward pragmatic solutions when requirements are ambiguous or shifting

 

Drive business impact through stakeholder partnership

• Build trust-based relationships with senior business stakeholders by understanding their strategy, pain points, and how data and AI solutions can help

• Run monthly/quarterly portfolio reviews to ensure delivery stays on track and aligned to business needs

• Set clear expectations, push back on low-value requests, and educate stakeholders on what's possible and what's not

• Frame ambiguous problems, generate hypotheses, and drive to recommendations when there's no clear precedent

 

Manage through transition and complexity

• Lead data product continuity during a major technology stack migration; ensure critical reporting capabilities remain intact as systems transition over multiple quarters

• Partner with engineering to design interim solutions that bridge old and new data models during migration

• Balance strategic roadmap work with operational needs; protect time for building while keeping the lights on for products in ‘maintenance’ mode

 

Bring outside-in perspective

• Stay current on analytics, AI/ML, and data product trends; bring relevant innovations (e.g., Product 360 approaches, AI-augmented BI, knowledge graphs) to inform roadmap decisions

• Serve as a trusted advisor to business partners on what's emerging and what's hype

 

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Behavioral Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred

• 10+ yea