Program Director, Market Research

Location:
West Coast (San Francisco, Seattle)

Level:
Senior / Director

Salary:
150
-
160k base + benefits, bonus, etc.

Role Overview

The
Program Director, Market Research
is the operating and
strategic backbone of a high-impact, multi-workstream research and growth
initiative. This role exists to ensure that market research strategy translates
into disciplined execution, clear priorities, and measurable business impact.

This is a senior, highly visible role for someone who thrives at the
intersection of
market research, strategy, and operations
. You will work
closely with executive leaders, research teams, and cross-functional partners
to align research programs with client growth priorities, innovation efforts,
and long-term market opportunity development.

If you excel at bringing structure to complexity, driving momentum across
teams, and turning insight into action, this role is built for you.

What You’ll Do

1. Research Program Leadership & Operating Cadence

• 
  Own and run the operating rhythm
  for large, multi-stakeholder market research programs
• 
  Establish clear governance,
  meeting cadences, decision forums, and follow-through mechanisms
• 
  Build agendas, pre-reads, action
  logs, and decision frameworks
• 
  Ensure leaders and teams stay
  aligned, focused, and accountable

2. Integrated Roadmap & Execution Management

• 
  Own the integrated roadmap
  across:
• 
  Strategic market research
  initiatives
• 
  Client growth and account
  priorities
• 
  Innovation and new solution
  development
• 
  Research capability and talent
  evolution
• 
  Track milestones, dependencies,
  risks, and outcomes
• 
  Surface issues early and drive
  resolution across teams

3. Insight, Reporting & Executive Storytelling

• 
  Translate research activity and
  results into
  clear executive-level narratives
• 
  Build dashboards and updates that
  connect insights to business outcomes
• 
  Synthesize what’s working, what’s
  not, and what decisions are needed
• 
  Prepare executive-ready
  communications for senior leadership and stakeholders

4. Cross-Functional Coordination (“Air Traffic Control”)

• 
  Act as the connective tissue
  across:
• 
  Market research teams
• 
  Client leadership and growth
  functions
• 
  Marketing, innovation, and
  operations partners
• 
  Reduce duplication, friction, and
  misalignment
• 
  Ensure research priorities show
  up in account strategies, innovation roadmaps, and client engagements

5. Activation, Forums & Thought Leadership Enablement

• 
  Lead the operational execution of
  research-driven activations, including:
• 
  Client forums and executive
  briefings
• 
  Thought leadership events and
  innovation showcases
• 
  Internal leadership sessions
• 
  Ensure events and activations
  drive tangible outcomes:
• 
  Deeper client relationships
• 
  Opportunity creation
• 
  Strategic alignment

6. Strategic Partner to Senior Leadership

• 
  Serve as a trusted extension of
  senior research and business leaders
• 
  Anticipate needs, pressure-test
  thinking, and bring structure to vision
• 
  Enable leaders to stay focused on
  client impact, strategic narrative, and external influence

Requirements

What You Bring

• 
  8–12+ years of experience in
  market
  research, strategy, consulting, operations, or program leadership
• 
  Experience leading complex
  initiatives in
  matrixed, fast-moving organizations
• 
  Strong understanding of how
  market research drives:
• 
  Client decision-making
• 
  Growth strategy
• 
  Innovation and product
  development

You are exceptional at:

• 
  Orchestration, prioritization,
  and follow-through
• 
  Executive communication and
  storytelling
• 
  Navigating ambiguity with
  confidence and calm
• 
  Influencing without formal
  authority

You bring:

• 
  High ownership and accountability
• 
  A bias for action
• 
  Comfort working with senior
  leaders and client-facing teams
• 
  The ability to make complex
  programs feel clear, focused, and achievable

How Success Is Measured

• 
  Research programs run with
  clear
  cadence, discipline, and momentum
• 
  Leaders experience the work as
  focused,
  organized, and easy to engage with
• 
  Progress, risks, and results are
  consistently visible
• 
  Insights translate into
  measurable client and business impact
• 
  Research initiatives elevate
  strategic influence across the organization

Benefits

150-160k + benefits, bonus, etc.

• 
  Comprehensive
  medical, dental, and vision insurance
  options

• 
  401(k) retirement plan
  with employer match

• 
  Paid time off
  , including vacation, sick time, paid holidays, and a birthday day off

• 
  Paid parental leave

• 
  Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• 
  Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• 
  Well-being reimbursement
  for wellness-related expenses

• 
  Flexible and hybrid work arrangements
  (role dependent)

• 
  Tuition reimbursement and professional development
  opportunities

• 
  Ongoing
  learning, training, and career development
  programs

• 
  Inclusive workplace with
  diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

This role shapes how market research moves from insight to impact. You
won’t just manage programs—you’ll
enable better decisions, stronger
execution, and sustained growth
at the highest levels.