Associate Research Director- Sensory and Consumer Science

Job Description

Your responsibilities:

Reporting to a Research Director, an Associate Research Director oversees various accounts and multiple projects and brings technical expertise to the research team, while developing a team of Research Managers. 

Account:

• Responsible for 3-4 FMCG product testing Accounts: client retention, client delight and Account growth
• Ensure revenue targets for assigned accounts are achieved
• Develop proactive plans to address risks and capitalize on opportunities within accounts
• Oversee timely, accurate, and high‑quality project delivery for Account team

Projects:

• Lead the development and delivery of complex proposals and tenders
• Bring technical expertise and ensure the use of best‑practice methodologies
• Deliver complex regional and global projects: play active role in project management, reporting and holistic delivery of projects
• Provide strategic, story-led recommendations based on client feedback, market trends, and project performance
• Ensure project execution aligns with client objectives and broader business priorities

Team

• Line manage 2-3 Research Managers
• Manage workload allocation and resource planning for the team
• Ensure Research Managers receive appropriate coaching and training
• Mentor team members in research skills, leadership, and career development
• Ensure outputs from team members meet the expected standards of quality and insight

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years in consumer research and/or sensory research 
• FMCG product testing experience: practical experience of core product testing methodologies: i.e. HUTs, CLTs, IDIs
• Significant experience in quantitative consumer research methodologies
• Minimum foundational understanding of qual research: when to recommend qual/bring in qual experts from within SAM
• Significant experience in a Research manager role
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English 
• Proficiency in MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc 
• Strong leadership abilities to manage teams and oversee large-scale research initiatives 
• Excellent organisational and problem-solving skills 
• Rigorous, responsive and proactive