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Head of Conversations
Horizon Media
New York, NY, United States
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Purpose: A key starting point in Horizon’s Consumer Enhanced Engagement Process (CEE) is a deep understanding of our consumer. A key activity in the last phase of CEE is diagnostic—understanding how successful the resulting activity was among our core consumers and how we can improve the next time. To understand and diagnose the whys and hows of people requires sharp, sophisticated and strategic research that takes into account the many ways in which people express themselves.
The Head of Conversations must be able to connect the dots between syndicated, secondary, primary and social research by creating, implementing and scaling the appropriate consumer research required to meet the needs of clients, the WHY Group and the rest of the agency. In conjunction with the Chief of WHY, this person will create and then implement the vision and the roadmap for consumer research at Horizon. The Head of Conversations will be considered the consumer research specialist for Horizon Media—New York and Los Angeles-- acting directly as well as in a consultative role across existing and new business.
Reports to: Chief of WHY
Direct Reports: Community Manager, VP Social Intelligence
Responsibilities:
The key priorities are to work within the WHY Group to raise the level (creativity and excellence) and amount of original research, create and set normative standards, and to enhance the existing revenue stream. This role requires high level conceptual creative thinking as well as the ability and desire to personally dig for and in data.
New Business/Strategic Thought Leadership
Play a key supporting role in new business, ensuring that the best research is conducted to lay the groundwork for the ‘story’, and give the team the ability to make it compelling by virtue of the insights generated by the research. Work collaboratively with other members of The WHY Group, The WHERE Group, and the Horizon brand and activation teams to ensure an aligned view on recommended direction—whether on new business or existing client assignments.
Oversee Finger on The Pulse/Primary Research
Finger on the Pulse is Horizon’s proprietary online consumer panel of 3,000 people. It is the agency’s go-to source for primary research, both qualitative and quantitative, from brand health tracking to concept testing to ethnographies. Work with the community manager to ensure that the panel is running smoothly and renegotiate contracts as required. Uncover fresh thinking by ensuring primary research is both creative and ingenious, while at the same time creating normative data and some level of standardization. Working with WHY consumer strategists, work to grow this revenue stream.
Manage and Develop Syndicated Data Sources
The WHY Group is responsible for our Simmons relationship, as well as other sources such as WARC and Statista. Act as key contact for all of these relationships, and work to ensure good data quality and delivery. Develop new partnerships within and across syndicated relationships where possible. Develop and lead training programs for Simmons and others where required. (Re)negotiate contracts as required.
Oversee Distillery Practice
The Distillery is Horizon’s social intelligence practice. Work with VP Social Intelligence to expand scope and scale of this practice, conduct and publish original research and continue to grow revenue streams. Identify potential partners with which to work collaboratively both to explore the whitespace and to resolve client challenges.
Identify and Manage Collaborative Studies
In considering original research, identify where and how to connect the dots between syndicated, secondary, primary and social intelligence to provide a holistic approach—whether that’s exploratory or diagnostic types of work. Collaborate with WHERE to conduct and publish papers based on original agency research. Work with hX (programmatic unit) to make the link between programmatic and our own consumer segmentation work; act as connection point between WHY and the analytics team.
Oversee Proprietary Research
This could be on behalf of Horizon or for our clients, both quantitative and qualitative, to inform targeting, insight development, activations briefs and connection strategies. Oversee project from start to finish, including identifying the right research partners (if not Horizon), and synthesize and distill results into smart, strategic recommendations. Organize and run qualitative research when required—whether in-person or on-line. More than commissioning work is the ability to identify the type of work required and proving The WHY Group’s credentials to lead it. Write POV papers on specific methodologies, as required.
Tool Development
Work with the Chief of WHY to continue to evolve and enhance The WHY Group’s consumer research offerings, which will include new consumer insight tools (e.g, neuro or behaviorial economics-based) with revenue-generating potential as well as re-imagining existing approaches. Work closely with The WHERE Group and activation teams to identify opportunities for shared tools and approaches.
Team Development
Create a learning environment for direct reports to ensure professional development whether through external or internal training programs, hands-on learning, etc.
Requirements:
Demonstrated Skills
Min 15 yrs experience in a strategic research position; some agency experience preferred
Experience in a fast-growth environment; comfortable with some level of ambiguity and able to pose questions to tease out underlying issues at hand
Proven track record of leveraging data to drive strategy, business impact and performance
Experience with complex research approaches including segmentation, brand equity tools, choice models
Strong quantitative/syndicated research expertise with a working knowledge of basic statistical tools and sampling frames/methodologies
Proficient with qualitative research techniques (e.g., focus groups, IDIs, ethnography) and solid experience moderating groups
Superb presentation skills/Shaping arguments to sell POV
Track record of research ‘tool’ creation
Demonstrated leadership through influence
Proactive and can think on feet
Can dig through data and see the forest for the trees
Phenomenal listening and communications skills (written and verbal)
Desired Traits:
Passionate and excited about understanding what makes people, brands and communications tick
Intellectually curious and inquisitive
Tenacious
Service-orientation
Committed to truth and objectivity
High-level of personal accountability
Commercial orientation
Strong work ethic
Engaging executive presence