Responsibilities

• Lead customer research and segmentation, determining when to field primary research versus leverage secondary data to answer questions quickly and cost-effectively.
• Champion an AI-first approach, using AI and modern tools to accelerate insight generation and lower costs.
• Build deep understanding of prospects and existing customers — needs, behaviors, and decision drivers — across the customer lifecycle.
• Partner with the Sr. Director, Marketing Insights & Planning to fold findings into a cohesive story spanning consumer, competitive, market, and dealer insights.
• Inform marketing's requirements for the Customer Data Platform (CDP), and feed research into cross-functional insights reviews and business cases for growth and retention initiatives.
• Present findings and recommendations to executive audiences, including the C-suite, translating data into actional strategic guidance
• Manage research vendors, panels, and budgets, ensuring rigor, quality and efficiency.
• Build and develop a high-performing consumer insights team.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Market Research, Statistics, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in consumer/market research, insights, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience designing and fielding both primary (qualitative and quantitative) and secondary research, plus building customer segmentation.
• Experience using AI tools and/or modern research technology to accelerate insight generation.
• Demonstrated experience presenting to and influencing senior executive audiences, including the C-suite.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple research projects simultaneously.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Preferred

• Master's degree in market research, marketing, or a related field.
• Experience in financial services, fintech, or auto finance / subprime lending.
• Experience managing research panels, vendors, or a research operations function.
• Experience partnering with data/analytics teams on data platforms (e.g., CDP).

Benefits

• Excellent benefits package that includes 401(K) match, adoption assistance, parental leave, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive medical/ dental/vision and many nonstandard benefits that make us a Great Place to Work