Director | Market Research | Research, Insights & Consulting

Savanta is one of the fastest growing agencies in market research with teams in the UK, Americas, APAC, and EMEA. With technology at the heart of our business, we inform and inspire clients to Make Better Decisions through powerful data, high impact consulting, and bespoke solutions.

Our market-leading products and specialist teams in sector, methodology, and audience, help clients ranging from global giants to locally loved brands, government bodies, and non-profits.

About the Role – Director | Research, Insights & Consulting

This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercially experienced researcher to join our Research, Insights & Consulting team. We work with senior decision makers at blue-chip organisations across multiple sectors to inform and inspire better decisions based on our insights.

This role will include working with a number of our important Financial Services clients, across banks, neobanks, fintechs, investment Managers, IFAs and insurers. Your research will help shape broader conversations around finances in society.

This would suit someone who enjoys real variety in their work - we work across every type of methodology (quantitative and qualitative primary research, ad-hoc and tracking research), from design through to delivery and activation.

The successful candidate should have experience working in the Financial Services sector, and will take pride in producing high-quality, well-designed outputs, and delivering actionable insights to clients.

As a Director, you’ll be the lynchpin of client accounts – project-managing, delegating and handling day-to-day account activity while ensuring clients are kept informed and that foreseeable project challenges are promptly resolved. You will take a prominent role in building client relationships and developing the research offering.

The role will involve career managing and supporting junior members of the team, leading by example to create an open and supportive team environment. And importantly, the team have fun together whilst doing it.

No two days are the same in this role! You will:

• Manage some of our largest accounts
• Lead initial discussions with clients and prospects
• Make recommendations on a variety of research techniques
• Attend new business calls, meetings and pitches alongside Client Development colleagues
• Take an active role in proposal writing
• Design research projects
• Create insightful reports and presentations, including recommendations
• Lead presentations and workshops with clients
• Mentor junior team members, ensuring effective use of resource

About You

As well as a strong expertise in the application of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, success in this role will require strong analytical skills. A working knowledge of Financial Services sub-sectors is desirable.

To fulfil the delivery of high-quality end-to-end primary research projects while being a trusted advisor to clients, the ideal candidate should also have solid expertise in a research capacity and demonstrate a track record of:

• End-to-end custom research management, from designing methodologies to analysing data and extracting pertinent trends for actionable insights and recommendations
• Developing innovative solutions to client briefs and writing proposals for quantitative and qualitative research projects
• Writing a variety of analytical reports from a range of research techniques / approaches
• Managing operations teams and suppliers
• Suggesting ideas and new ways in which we can work with clients or ability to challenge a clients’ way of thinking
• Applying a commercial mindset to motivate your team to exceed client expectations

You will thrive in working in a fast-paced environment, being able to work autonomously whilst also providing support and leadership for others in the team.

Please click here to view the full job description

And in return, Savanta offers:

• Salary range: £55,000 - £70,000
• Biannual bonus scheme
• Unlimited annual leave
• Hybrid working
• Flexible working practices
• Health & wellbeing package (Private medical insurance or a flexible, tailored suite of well-being benefits)
• Financial health (pension, life assurance, etc.)
• Team & Company Socials
• Committees for Health & Well Being, Charities & Volunteering and DE&I

Why Join Us

With teams in the UK, US, Canada, and India, over 650 staff globally, and ambitious growth plans, Savanta offers the benefits of scale, whilst our specialist teams make life at Savanta feel more like working at a smaller agency. Our client portfolio includes some of the world’s best-known brands, including Sainsbury's, Heathrow, Samsung, Toyota, NatWest Group, Sky, The British Red Cross, Citizens Advice, Gousto and Sport England.

Part of the vibrant Next 15 Communications Group, we have an entrepreneurial company culture that actively recognises and values its people and offers unrivalled scope for career development.

Savanta is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and continuously strives to be an employer of choice. Our people are our greatest asset - we value workplace diversity and inclusion, oppose all forms of unlawful discrimination, and welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates of all backgrounds.

All candidates will be considered equally, however, unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship.