At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and execute research projects, translating data into actionable insights.
- Company: Join a global company focused on innovation and employee well-being.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, unlimited annual leave, and a supportive team culture.
- Other info: Opportunity to work with cutting-edge data tools and present findings to senior stakeholders.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment that values creativity and strategic growth.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in research with strong quantitative skills; agency and client-side experience preferred.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 56000 Β£ per year.
Research Director
Client Side | Strategic Insights & Research
Hybrid β Central London
Unlimited Annual Leave
A globally recognised business is looking for a Research Director to join its growing in-house strategy and insights function. This is a high impact role focused on helping shape the organisation's research capability, insight frameworks, and strategic decision making through strong, commercially focused execution.
Working within a collaborative and forward thinking team, you'll lead and deliver complex research programmes that support business performance, audience understanding, and portfolio wide strategic planning across a large network of brands and events.
The Opportunity
You'll take ownership of key insight programmes from end to end, from research design and stakeholder management through to delivery, synthesis, storytelling, and implementation.
A major focus of the role will be managing and evolving large scale tracking and event insight programmes across a portfolio of 40+ events, ensuring outputs remain commercially valuable, operationally effective, and strategically aligned across the wider business.
The role combines:
- Strategic research leadership
- Hands on project delivery and execution
- Stakeholder management
- Agency management
- Team leadership
You'll manage and mentor a direct report while partnering closely with stakeholders across multiple teams and markets.
Success in this role will require someone who is highly organised, detail oriented, commercially minded, and able to make smart decisions around prioritisation, resource allocation, and when to focus on macro-level trends versus individual event performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead quantitative and mixed methodology research projects from briefing through to delivery and implementation
- Oversee large-scale tracking programmes, post event research initiatives, and portfolio wide benchmarking projects
- Manage multiple concurrent project streams while maintaining high standards of execution and attention to detail
- Translate complex datasets into clear, commercially actionable recommendations
- Consolidate multiple data sources into cohesive insight frameworks that support strategic planning
- Partner with external research agencies to ensure high quality delivery, consistency, and efficiency across programmes
- Drive continuous improvement of survey design and reporting frameworks to ensure comparability and alignment across global teams
- Support the evolution of audience measurement, social listening, and performance tracking capabilities
- Develop reporting approaches that help identify portfolio wide trends, opportunities, and strategic priorities
- Partner closely with stakeholders across the business, presenting findings clearly and confidently
- Manage and mentor a direct report, providing guidance, structure, and development support
- Act as a proactive research and insights partner to the wider business, identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation
What We're Looking For
- Strong experience within research and insights, ideally in media, entertainment, consumer, agency, or related sectors
- Excellent quantitative research foundations, particularly across tracking studies, ad hoc research, and large scale insight programmes
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast paced environment
- Strong executional capability with excellent organisation, prioritisation, and attention to detail
- Comfortable being hands on across project delivery while maintaining a strategic commercial perspective
- Experience managing external research agencies and multiple stakeholder groups
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to navigate complexity and competing priorities
- Experience synthesising multiple data sources into clear strategic narratives
- Experience managing or mentoring junior team members
- Exposure to methodologies and tools such as MaxDiff, conjoint, qualitative research, social listening, Tableau, or meta analysis would be advantageous, but are not essential
- Familiarity with social listening platforms such as Brandwatch, Sprinklr, or Talkwalker is beneficial
- Curious, proactive, adaptable, and solutions oriented mindset
Please note: deep expertise in methodologies such as MaxDiff and conjoint is not essential. The priority is finding someone with strong research fundamentals, excellent delivery capability, and the ability to manage complex, multi-stream insight programmes effectively.
Why Join?
- Opportunity to shape and evolve strategic insight programmes within a globally recognised business
- High impact role with meaningful influence on business decision making and research strategy
- Collaborative, supportive, and people-focused culture
- Hybrid working β 3 days per week in a fantastic Central London office
- Strong progression potential within a growing function
- Unlimited annual leave and competitive benefits package
If you enjoy turning complex data into meaningful business strategy and want to work in an environment where insights genuinely drive decision making, we'd love to hear from you, please apply now or send your CV to
Research Director - Client Side in London employer: Echo Talent
Join a global leader in the heart of London as a Research Director, where you'll thrive in a hybrid working environment that promotes innovation and personal growth. With unlimited annual leave and a collaborative culture, this role offers you the chance to lead impactful research projects while being part of a supportive team dedicated to employee well-being and professional development.
StudySmarter Expert Adviceπ€«
We think this is how you could land Research Director - Client Side in London
β¨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the research and insights field. Attend industry events, webinars, or local meetups to connect with others who may have insights into the role or the company. Building relationships can often lead to referrals or insider information that can give you an edge.
β¨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in data-driven decision-making and consumer engagement. Follow relevant blogs, podcasts, and thought leaders on platforms like LinkedIn to stay updated. This knowledge will not only help you in interviews but also demonstrate your passion for the field.
β¨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific methodologies youβve used in past projects, especially those mentioned in the job description like MaxDiff and Conjoint analysis. Be ready to share examples of how these methodologies led to actionable insights and influenced business decisions.
β¨Tip Number 4
Practice your presentation skills, as you'll need to convey complex data insights clearly and persuasively. Consider creating a mock presentation based on a past project to showcase your ability to translate data into actionable strategies, which is crucial for this role.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Director - Client Side in London
Some tips for your application π«‘
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights your experience in both quantitative and qualitative research. Emphasise your familiarity with methodologies like MaxDiff and Conjoint, as well as your proficiency in data visualisation tools.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, showcase your strategic thinking and analytical skills. Mention specific projects where you've successfully translated complex data into actionable insights, and how this aligns with the company's goals.
Highlight Relevant Experience:Clearly outline your 8+ years of research experience, focusing on both agency and client-side roles. Include examples of how you've managed vendor relationships and led research projects that drove commercial success.
Prepare for Interviews:Be ready to discuss your approach to integrating data and insights across an organisation. Prepare examples of how you've influenced decision-making at senior levels and how you adapt to fast-paced environments.
How to prepare for a job interview at Echo Talent
β¨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
As a Research Director, your analytical prowess is key. Be prepared to discuss specific examples of how you've used data to drive insights and decision-making in previous roles. Highlight any methodologies you are familiar with, such as MaxDiff or Conjoint.
β¨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
Since you'll be presenting findings to senior stakeholders, practice articulating complex data in a clear and persuasive manner. Use storytelling techniques to make your insights relatable and actionable, ensuring they align with business objectives.
β¨Demonstrate Adaptability
The role requires agility in a fast-paced environment. Share experiences where you've successfully navigated shifting priorities or adapted your research approach based on new information or feedback from stakeholders.
β¨Familiarise Yourself with Tools
Brush up on your knowledge of data visualisation platforms like Tableau and social media listening tools such as Brandwatch. Be ready to discuss how you've used these tools to extract insights and inform strategic decisions in your past roles.