Research & Insights Director

Overview

As Research & Insights Director, you will lead global social intelligence programmes and translate large data sets into strategic, commercially actionable insight. You’ll collaborate across Strategy, Creative, Influencer, Paid Media and Client Services to shape client work and steer AI-enabled analytics. You drive measurement frameworks, audience profiling, and campaign effectiveness to inform smart decisions. This role offers leadership of a talented R&I team within a fast-growing, award-winning agency that values data-driven storytelling and cross-functional partnership. You’ll shape how social data informs brand strategy and creative opportunities.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days holiday
• pension scheme
• life assurance
• WAS Passport
• Work From Anywhere

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end social intelligence and effectiveness programmes across markets, turning outputs into strategic learning
• Develop measurement frameworks, KPIs, and benchmarks linked to brand and business objectives
• Design and run social listening across platforms and languages using Brandwatch, Talkwalker, Meltwater, Pulsar, and GWI
• Create audience profiling, segmentation, and cultural landscape analyses using social and survey data
• Translate complex social data (organic, paid, earned) into clear, actionable recommendations for senior clients
• Partner with Strategy and Creative to build test-and-learn programmes and unlock new opportunities
• Oversee proposals, scoping, and new business responses to grow client relationships with new insight products
• Lead, coach, and develop researchers across levels while advancing AI and automation usage in R&I

Key requirements

• Experience leading multi-market social intelligence and measurement programmes
• Ability to connect social activity to brand and business objectives through frameworks and benchmarks
• Proven skill in turning data into compelling storytelling and strategic recommendations
• Expertise with social listening platforms (Brandwatch, Talkwalker, Meltwater, Pulsar, GWI)
• Strong collaboration with Strategy, Creative, and Client Services
• Leadership and coaching of researchers with emphasis on quality and strategic thinking
• Experience proposing and delivering new insight products and AI-enabled insights

• Collaborative leadership
• Strategic storytelling
• Proactive and curious
• Social listening and measurement platforms
• Audience profiling and segmentation
• Benchmarking and behavioural research

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