Qualitative Research Director / Director

Job Description

We’re seeking a dynamic and experienced senior qualitive researcher to join our evolving team. The ideal candidate will be creative and commercially focussed, with experience of driving innovation in research methods, including the latest tools and techniques.

This position is perfect for an ambitious individual looking for a role in which they can take responsibility for shaping and developing a capability, carving out a niche as the agency’s qualitative thought leader, while helping to grow existing accounts and develop new revenue streams. Subject to experience, there will be potential to either immediately join or progress to the Senior Management Team and play an active role in helping to shape the agency’s direction.

The successful candidate will bring an innate desire to understand what makes people tick, with expertise on how to surface these drivers and convert the findings into business recommendations for clients. You will have experience in a range of methodologies, from design to delivery, across face-to-face and remote / digital techniques; this means you are as at home moderating a high-energy co-creation workshop for a brand positioning project as you are at overseeing a successful community for a UX contract, with a strong ‘toolkit’ of projective and creative probing techniques at your disposal.

A keen interest in new approaches to deliver game-changing qualitative insights is a must – especially those involving behavioural science and new technology / platforms (or both!) – and a desire to exemplify our call to action, as an agency which is to

Be Better

(helping people be better at what they do, while taking steps to make the world a better place).

What’s the job?
Joining the agency as a qualitative specialist, you will work across teams in a range of sectors including financial services, media, transportation, hospitality and more, covering subjects such as product/service innovation, customer experience and brand. The work will be dynamic, varied and challenging and you can expect to be ‘hands-on’ across proposals, project design, moderation, analysis and delivery.

You will act as a key source of inspiration, guidance and best practice for qualitative research, both internally and externally. Your creativity, passion and experience will stand you in good stead when it comes to nurturing juniors, advising clients, winning and delivering projects and enhancing our offering – all with the support of other colleagues in the agency, many of whom are multi-skilled researchers and undertake both quantitative and qualitative work.

What you’ll do
Design and deliver high quality qualitative projects, taking the lead and collaborating with others
Lead pitches/proposals for new work, blending an understanding of client needs with leading qualitative solutions to design, cost and price successful programmes
Advise clients about optimum approaches according to their needs
Coach and mentor colleagues, including juniors or those with less qualitative experience
Work closely with senior colleagues (both at BVA BDRC and within the wider BVA Family) to improve the effectiveness of our qualitative research, enhance the overall offering and introduce new solutions
Collaborate with our Head of Business Development and Key Account Leads across the agency to grow our qualitative work and deepen client relationships
Play a key role in qualitative thought leadership content to maximise agency visibility e.g. events, articles and LinkedIn content

What you’ll bring
Demonstrable expertise in different qualitative research methods and a perspective on how these are evolving, including online techniques and communities
A track record of designing effective qualitative programmes and research to meet client objectives
Experience working across a range of client sectors and objectives – experience in brand, user experience and/or customer experience are attractive
Attention to detail and the ability to multi-task, managing various projects across multiple clients simultaneously and to tight deadlines
Entrepreneurial spirit – a willingness to challenge the status quo, instigate and embrace change but balanced with a healthy respect for alternative perspectives
Passion and credibility – an innate ability to evangelise, to galvanise a team, encouraging others to embrace change and continuous improvement
Creativity – bringing real flair to the design, implementation and delivery of qualitative assignments
Commercial acumen – a track record of developing products and profit-generating capabilities, excellent knowledge of cost vs. price and margins, experience completing RFQs, successfully managing budgets
Ambition – be prepared to work hard to take the company forward
Excellent, fluent, written and spoken English (fluency in other languages is a bonus but not a requirement)
The ability to develop and sustain lasting relationships with internal and external stakeholders and the ability to grow and nurture client expectations
Leadership of a team / management and coaching of other direct reports
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills – the ability to adopt a journalistic and impactful story-telling approach

What you’ll enjoy
Competitive salary in line with experience
Discretionary year-end bonus
Hybrid working, mixing home with our London offices in King’s Cross and Angel
26 days’ annual leave, increasing with service
A variety of employee benefits
Supportive and collaborative culture
Comprehensive training programmes
Monthly social events and regular CSR activities