Manager, Thought Leadership Research Strategist

About the Role 

This individual contributor role sits at the intersection of analysis and narrative within the thought leadership research team. You translate complex research data into compelling stories that drive executive decisions. You own the hypothesis-to-narrative process for research reports, from designing research survey instruments that test specific ideas to analyzing findings and shaping them into original, C-suite-ready research insights. 

Key Responsibilities 

Research design and methodology 

Validate ideas before they scale. Conduct desk research to stress-test hypotheses and identify blind spots before committing to full survey instrument design.  

• Manage survey design and methodology for assigned research projects, including sample sizing, weighting, screening, and regional representation 

• Design survey instruments in partnership with research firms to test hypotheses with rigor before fielding 

• Bring emerging methodologies into the program mix, such as AI-moderated qualitative research with consumers, to add depth to large-scale customer experience studies 

Data synthesis and narrative storyboarding 

Conduct data analysis directly. Run segment cuts, crosstabs, and breakdowns that surface patterns. Build narrative frameworks from analytics. This is where analysis becomes storytelling. 

• Analyze and interpret both quantitative and qualitative data from various sources 

• Work with complex data to shape original and impactful storylines  

• Translate data into actionable insights into actionable for executive audiences 

Research content development 

You turn research findings into reports and assets that executives read and act on, leveraging data to inform a point of view. 

• Write and storyboard thought leadership research reports from research findings, with a clear argument and editorial voice 

• Ground claims in data, ensuring the evidence informs the story 

• Collaborate with editorial team on derivative content for assigned programs 

Key Deliverables 

• Validated hypotheses with supporting desk research 

• Survey instruments and methodology specifications 

• Narrative frameworks  

• Segment and crosstab analysis 

• Derivative content recommendations 

• Research report and derivative assets

Department: Marketing, Communications, and Brand
Function: Marketing
Experience Level: Not Applicable