Director (Primary Research) - Maternity Cover, True Global Intelligence in Slough

About the Company

We have been named PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year and Best Places to Work; a “Standout Agency” on Advertising Age’s A-List; NAFE’s “Top 50 Companies for Executive Women” for six years running; and among our firm’s award-winning work we’ve taken home 5 Lions in the past two years at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable working environment for everyone. As the only PR Agency awarded EY’s National Equality Standard (twice!), all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age. Do let us know if you need any adjustments made during the interview process.

About the Role - This is a 12 month maternity cover commencing ASAP. You will lead in developing and executing comprehensive primary research strategies that inform, enhance, and measure our clients' communication campaigns. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our clients' communication efforts are grounded in robust human insight, evidence-based, and aligned with their overall business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of primary research strategies and plans, spanning quantitative and qualitative methodologies, providing oversight and guidance to the team in executing these projects to a high standard.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the agency to bring quality primary research to client engagements, delivering outstanding insights that drive high-quality outcomes for clients.
• Engage directly with clients to provide strategic counsel throughout all stages of the research process (from scoping and design through to delivery) ensuring research meets their business needs and addresses specific challenges.
• Take a consultative approach to designing and executing primary research, applying the most appropriate methodologies and tools to meet client objectives, including surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups.
• Participate in new business pitches and proposals, contributing primary research expertise to audience diagnosis, insight generation, and methodology recommendations that inform and validate strategic and creative options.
• Support the pricing and scoping of research projects to deliver value to clients while meeting internal financial goals and keeping projects on budget.
• Bring new ideas into practice, particularly around AI-enhanced primary research approaches, and help develop them for the commercial benefit of both clients and the wider team.
• Establish trust, credibility, and confidence as a senior research lead, both with clients and as a collaborative partner across the agency.
• As a senior member of the firm, you will also be expected to make broader contributions to the agency, supporting cross-office initiatives in respect of innovation, business development, and culture, particularly as they relate to the advancement of primary research capabilities.

Qualifications

• Experience in market research in support of marketing, communications, and/or insights functions, delivered through both quantitative and qualitative primary research methodologies.
• Proven, hands-on experience across the full primary research lifecycle, from scoping approaches and developing research materials, through to overseeing data collection, ensuring data quality, conducting analysis, and delivering insight-led reporting.
• Strong experience designing and writing surveys across a range of research use cases, including thought leadership, audience insights and segmentation, journey mapping, brand and reputation tracking, and campaign measurement.
• Strong experience developing qualitative research materials and personally conducting in-depth interviews across varied audiences (from general consumers to C-suite executives), as well as moderating focus groups in both in-person and online settings.
• Demonstrated ability to compile compelling, insight-rich narratives from multi-source desk research and AI-powered deep research.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, MS PowerPoint and/or Google Sheets and Google Slides, with solid working knowledge of AI tools to drive workflow efficiencies across research and analytics workstreams.
• Excellent project management skills, including setting priorities, managing timelines and budgets, meeting deadlines, and overseeing the work of junior team members.
• Strong analytical and deductive reasoning skills, with a proven ability to translate complex findings into clear, actionable insights tailored to audiences with varying levels of seniority and analytical expertise.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft polished business reports and present findings confidently and compellingly to diverse audiences.
• Coachable, highly motivated self-starter who is comfortable asking incisive questions to quickly get to the heart of an issue, acts decisively, and consistently maintains sight of the bigger picture, even under tight deadlines.

Required Skills

• Familiarity with AI platforms and their application within the primary research process — including supporting the development of research materials, analysis, and reporting across both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
• Working knowledge of analytics and measurement approaches across social, earned media, and digital channels, with some hands-on experience applying these in a research or insights context.
• Exposure to a range of analytics and audience intelligence tools, such as Talkwalker, Brandwatch, Sprinklr, GlobalWebIndex, Audiense, StatSocial, Statista, Cision, MuckRack, or similar platforms.
• Experience working within, or in close partnership with, a communications, PR, or integrated marketing agency environment, with an understanding of how research and insights feed into broader communications strategy.
• Some experience contributing to new business activity, including supporting proposals, credentials, or scoping conversations with prospective clients.

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