Strategic Research Lead (Ongoing Recruitment)

Overview: 

Fuel Cycle is currently seeking a Strategic Research Lead to join our team and strengthen our partnerships with existing market research clients.  

Your primary responsibility as Strategic Research Lead will be to act as the primary point of contact to our customers for research, handling complex conversations/communications around research project design and analysis, acting as a trusted advisor for strategic research decision making for the customers in your book of business to ensure successful renewals, and operational excellence.  

Fuel Cycle is regularly recognized as a great and innovative place to work. Our recent awards include 2024 Built In Best Places to Work, as well as Comparably Best CEO, Best Company for Women, and Best Company for Diversity. Fuel Cycle is proudly a 2024 Quirk’s Top Company for Consumer Research and Online Panel Communities – MROC, and was named Top 50 Most Innovative by GRIT in 2023. Learn more about our Culture & Values here. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Market Research, Project Management & Insight Delivery  

• Act as a strategic research advisor/consultant and research subject matter expert to your clients, sharing recommendations on best practices and offering thoughtful considerations and suggestions.   

• Transform business questions into strategic research plans, that produce insights for your clients which empower them to make data driven business decisions.  

• Analyze data and craft insightful narratives that address market objectives and business goals in a clear, concise, and visually engaging format.  

Client Relationship Management and Advisory

• Own the account relationship and serve as the primary market research point of contact for your assigned clients, facilitating complex conversations and communications related to project design, analysis, and unexpected challenges.   

• Foster and develop strong research relationships with your clients, cultivating them into advocates for Fuel Cycle.  

• Gain a deep understanding of the customer journey and proactively address points of concern or feedback, including usage, satisfaction, and engagement.  

• Ensure client satisfaction by delivering high-quality market insights and managing client expectations.  

• Identify opportunities to expand client relationships through upsell and cross-sell initiatives.  

Project Scope & Pricing   

• Develop market research project proposals, allocate research hours within budget constraints, and oversee project outcomes by assigning tasks to internal staff, contractors, or personal involvement. Translate business inquiries into comprehensive market research plans, utilizing our internal platform to design and program research instruments.  

• Renewal & Expansion Support  

Quality Assurance, Client Satisfaction and Deliverable Management

• Execute tasks with meticulous attention to detail to produce market research deliverables of exceptional quality and accuracy. Ensure data accuracy and its alignment with market objectives at every stage of the project to maintain both internal consistency and face validity, through management and oversight of internal teams.  

• Lead and ensure data accuracy and quality of market research deliverables with relevance to objectives to ensure the data is both internally consistent and demonstrates face validity.  

• Maintain high standards of data integrity and reporting accuracy.  

• Assume responsibility for project quality, gross margin, and contract compliance.  

Your Success Metrics: 

• Client satisfaction ratings. CSAT / NPS  

• Client Assigned Project Margins  

• Utilization of Billable hours  

Who you’ll work with? 

• Clients, Account Directors, Research Excellence, Audience Experience 

Core Skills, Competencies & Attributes: 

• Market Research Expertise: Extensive knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.  

• Client Relationship Management: Strong interpersonal skills to foster client relationships and address their needs.  

• Project Management: Experience in managing research projects from proposal to delivery, including budgeting and task delegation.  

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate business questions into actionable research plans.  

• Data Analysis: Proficiency in analyzing data and crafting insightful narratives to address business objectives.  

• Technical Skills: Familiarity with market research software tools such as SPSS, SAS, Qualtrics, SurveyGizmo, SurveyMonkey, R, and Tableau.  

• Organizational Skills: Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.  

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for client interactions and report writing.  

• Problem-Solving: Ability to address challenges and provide innovative solutions during research projects.  

• Team Collaboration: Capability to work independently and collaborate effectively within a research team.  

What you’ll bring:

• Minimum 7 years of custom market research experience.  

• Minimum 5 years of client-facing research consultation experience.  

• Prior success managing portfolio of clients; $500k - $1.5M of research volume . 

• Proficiency in market research software and Microsoft Office Suite.  

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.  

• Proficiency in SPSS, SAS, Qualtrics, SurveyGizmo, SurveyMonkey, R, Tableau, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.  

• Self-motivated, flexible, and organized.  

• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.  

• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.  

Benefits: 

• Health/Dental/Vision Insurance  

• 401k match 

• Equity Purchase Option 

• Flexible Work Schedule  

• 15 Vacation Days + 7 Sick Days annually 

• 12 Company Holidays + 4 Floating Holidays/Recharge Days (giving you the flexibility to celebrate or observe non-standard holidays, or take time to rest and recharge)  

• Parental Leave  

• Monthly Internet/Phone Stipend 

• All Team Perks: many including: Rightway, Headspace & more  

• LA & NY HQ Perks: Free lunches, refreshments & snacks 

• Pet Friendly HQs   

This position pays between $90,000 – 110,000 base salary + bonus. Your final base salary will be determined based on location, work experience, skills, knowledge, education and/or certifications.   

If you are located within a 25-mile radius of our LA or NY HQs, you will be considered a hybrid associate and will be required to be in the office 3 days/week. 

About Fuel Cycle: 

Fuel Cycle accelerates decision intelligence for legendary brands. We achieve this by enabling organizations to capture, analyze, and act on insights required to launch new products, acquire customers, and gain market share. By leveraging the Research Engine, which powers leading insight communities, brands forge connections with their key audiences and harness actionable insights that drive confident business decisions. 

At Fuel Cycle, we embrace the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and are committed to fostering an inclusive company culture. We believe that everyone, regardless of their background or identity, should have equal access to opportunities for growth and advancement. Our selection processes and career pathways are designed to be fair, transparent, and free from bias. We value the unique perspectives and contributions of each team member, knowing that this diverse range of experiences strengthens our team. Fuel Cycle stands firmly against discrimination based on disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other protected status under the law. 

Fuel Cycle is an equal opportunity employer and fully comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities, as needed, to enable them to perform the essential functions of their job and participate in the application and interview process. If you require accommodations during any part of the application process, please contact us at hr@fuelcycle.com to discuss your needs. 

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