Responsibilities

• Research Strategy & Client Leadership: Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, translating business and communications challenges into research strategies that support audience understanding, reputation, messaging, thought leadership and strategic decision-making.
• Primary Research & Methodology: Lead qualitative and quantitative research programs from design through delivery, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, online communities, segmentation, message and concept testing, reputation studies and thought leadership research.
• Insights & Strategic Storytelling: Translate complex research findings into clear narratives, executive-ready recommendations and actionable implications that inform communications and business strategy.
• Integrated Intelligence & Measurement: Advise clients and internal teams on the right combination of primary research, secondary research, syndicated data, audience intelligence, social listening, media measurement and digital analytics to address business questions.
• Client Growth & Business Development: Lead research discovery and scoping conversations, develop research approaches and budgets, identify opportunities to expand client engagements and contribute to new business efforts.
• Research Operations & Quality: Oversee research partners, fieldwork, budgets, timelines and quality-control processes while ensuring methodologies and deliverables are rigorous, accurate and aligned with client objectives.
• AI, Technology & Research Innovation: Identify opportunities to apply AI, automation, analytics platforms and emerging technologies to improve research workflows, quality control, reporting and insight development while maintaining methodological rigor.
• Team Leadership & Talent Development: Mentor and develop team members while strengthening capabilities across research design, analytical thinking, storytelling, presentation and client counsel.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner across strategy, creative, earned media, digital, corporate, consumer, healthcare and technology teams to integrate research and intelligence into broader client programs.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in primary research, market research, insights, communications research, analytics, strategy or related fields within an agency, consultancy, client-service or similar environment.
• Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative primary research, including research design, questionnaire and discussion guide development, sampling, fieldwork, analysis and reporting.
• Experience leading research programs spanning audience segmentation, message and concept testing, reputation, brand perception, thought leadership, stakeholder research or campaign effectiveness.
• Proven ability to translate complex research findings into clear strategic recommendations and compelling narratives.
• Experience advising senior clients and building trusted relationships with executive stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of communications, reputation and brand research and how insights inform business and communications strategy.
• Experience leading complex research engagements, including scopes, budgets, timelines, vendors and multiple workstreams.
• Experience contributing to business development, including research strategy, proposals, scopes of work and client growth opportunities.
• Familiarity with survey platforms, statistical analysis, data processing and reporting or visualization tools.
• Working knowledge of adjacent analytics capabilities, including social listening, audience intelligence, earned media measurement, digital analytics and integrated measurement.

Preferred

• Experience with advanced research approaches such as segmentation, multivariate analysis or longitudinal reputation tracking.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled research workflows, automation, APIs or integrated intelligence platforms.
• Experience evaluating research vendors, data providers or analytics technologies.

Benefits

• Healthy, happy employees make Zeno better, so we have programs that support physical, mental and financial wellness. Our culture and benefits are designed to promote flexibility, celebrate diversity and support work/life balance. We offer a variety of medical, dental and vision insurance with prescription plans, as well as short and long-term disability. Our Be Kind to Your Mind program focuses on mental health, providing a paid subscription to Headspace and access to mental health providers and other services through a best-in-class employee assistance program. Employees are encouraged to bring their authentic self to Zeno and participate in our employee resource groups which build communities for sharing and support. And while we love our work, we believe in the restorative power of time off with generous vacation, paid holidays and self-care time. Employees are supported in their pursuit of financial wellness with a 401(k) plan, pretax flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance, life insurance and free access to a certified financial coach. And our unique ZenoFit program provides a monthly allowance to fund activities in your personal life that bring you joy and keep you healthy. These and other benefits are available to non-temporary employees in the US.