senior associate director

Job Overview:  As a senior member of the team you will take a lead role in achieving the growth plans of  this Dynamic Market Research agency The (Senior) Associate Director for qual is responsible for client service, project planning, resourcing, account management, business development, team development and disseminating knowledge throughout the research team and wider business.

Responsibilities and Duties overview:

• Responsible for the development and management of qualitative research and innovation provision across the business
• Staying up to date on the latest market research industry trends and maintain/grow expertise in current qualitative methodologies to share with senior management and wider team.
• Working with the senior management team to create and deliver the qualitative research strategy.
• To deliver the growth targets required by the research team and wider Q  business to hit annual financial targets.
• Responsible for growing the business and personal brand through thought leadership and networking.
• Ensure the business internal platform is fit for qualitative research needs via review and proactive feedback to strengthen the  proposition. 
• Overall responsibility for the completion and reporting of qualitative or mixed method studies conducted within  the agency
• Responsible for managing staff including appraisal, discipline, training and career development.

Managing Client Accounts

• Provide a senior presence at key client interface situations with ultimate responsibility for the quality of service provided and business developed on allocated accounts.
• Add value to the client experience in NPD and research by providing advice, consultancy and a high level of interpretation and direction, where appropriate.
• The promotion of all clients  proprietary methodologies to all potential customers within accounts.
• The delivery of an agreed value of business from existing and new clients in line with set sales and profitability targets.
• Build relationships beyond the research with key clients: becoming a trusted advisor and opening up broader / future opportunities.

Project Planning

• Ensure that all projects are sufficiently and appropriately resourced across the agency and that all relevant and required information is entered into The Hive (or our relevant project management and finance tool) in a timely manner across the entire research team.
• To assign teams for every project, taking into consideration:
  • existing client teams and continuity
  • skills required for the project (e.g. specialist techniques etc.)
  • current workloads
  • team dynamics/interpersonal skills.
• To monitor on a day to day basis resources for live projects, supplementing/modifying teams as required, and generally acting in the role of trouble shooter to ensure smooth progress of all projects.
• To take an overview of the management and delivery of all live projects, ensuring that relevant meetings take place - initiation, mid-project update, product handling, field, data processing and data analysis briefings, and debriefings.
• To scrutinise proposed timings for projects and discuss them with the key personnel internally and externally to ensure that client’s needs are met, ensuring  implementation of correct procedures throughout the research team.
• To foster continuous development by ongoing review of the research process, identify areas for change and implementing any necessary changes identified.
• To be responsible for the continuous improvement of our internal platform development in line with changing industry trends and client needs.
• To keep abreast of upcoming  proposals to foresee and plan workload levels.
• Responsibility for signing off and overseeing the costing of all proposals to ensure that financial growth strategies are met.
• To sign off on research design and debrief content on all qualitative projects within  the agency
• Help with the identification and implementation of organisational efficiency improvements including ways of reducing direct costs.

Line Management

•  To line manage all qualitative research team members, planning their career development, identifying training needs and conducting appraisals.
• To work with senior management to identify future resource needs within the research team and submit proposals with costs for consideration within the budget to the SLT (as applies).
• Ensure that the research team recognise the need for growth and for change and are given sufficient opportunities to develop and succeed within the business
• Coach and mentor the research team to help realise their developmental potential and identify additional training needs where necessary.
• Identify future skillset needs within the business and nurture expertise within the team.

Business Development

• The generation of new business through existing clients and from other personal contacts.
• The generation of new business leads through promoting awareness of  the business amongst potential clients and contacts.
• The identification of business risk and development opportunities within accounts and the implementation of appropriate solutions.
• The conversion of new business leads to new business via compelling proposals.

Key Metrics:

• Financial performance
• Internal process quality
• Employee attrition rate
• Client feedback and  satisfaction scores through client surveys

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Good knowledge of different business functions
• Strong leadership qualities
• Excellent communication skills
• Highly organised
• Strong work ethic and ambition
• Good interpersonal skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Computer literate
• Proactive nature
• Client-centric
• Strategic Thinker
• Experience with different qualitative software platforms
• Well versed in a variety of qualitative methodologies
• Some quant experience is preferred