Associate Director - Research

M&C Saatchi World Services was founded in 2011 as a new global division of M&C Saatchi. Using the experience and creative capabilities of M&C Saatchi, World Services is dedicated to tackling complex behavioural and social issues. World Services provides a fully integrated, end-to-end service, combining multi-disciplinary communications teams with subject matter experts to solve complex problems across the world.

We are currently looking for an Associate Director - Research working on the Europe geography as part of a specialist research team providing formative research support and evaluation of the company’s communications campaigns. The Associate Director – Research will be responsible for leading, with final sign-off from the (Senior) Research Director, the design and implementation of evaluation strategies for multiple communications campaigns simultaneously.

The evaluation strategies required for this role will make use of either (or often both) qualitative and quantitative research. The Associate Director – Research will also analyse datasets to produce (write) client-facing research reports (both formative and evaluative), which may vary in depth and scope, according to client requirements. The Associate Director – Research will be confident as a manager, overseeing Research Managers and (Senior) Analysts in designing assessment frameworks, managing primary data collection, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, and writing research reports to ensure both the effectiveness of the messaging and the underpinning strategy/Theory of Change itself are assessed.

The position requires relationship management with research partners who perform the primary research on behalf of the organisation. The position will also require representing the research team internally, working with relevant accounts, strategy and production teams. The position will additionally entail other research tasks, including but not limited to: open‑source research; desk reviews; and lessons learned/best practice write ups.

This position reports to the Insights Director and is line managed by the Senior Research Director – Regional Lead.

Responsibilities include:

• This position is a key staff member in a geographic team. The RD is expected to be (or become) an authority on their region, with the ability to sense‑check analysis produced by other Europe Insights team members.
• Using the company HR portal, the Associate Director – Research will administer the development, appraisals, objectives, performance reviews of one or more Research Managers, (Senior) Analysts, or Interns.
• This position will be expected to work with others not within the formal line management structure – many employees, both in the research team and outside it, will contribute to the work of this role. The Associate Director – Research is expected to autonomously manage the contributions of other reporting parties, coordinating with the individuals’ line managers where necessary.
• For assigned projects, the Associate Director – Research will coordinate all inputs from accounts teams, research analysts and digital/social insight managers, as well as from third party vendors, to produce coherent and dispassionate reports.
• This role will see the use of many different supply partners providing research and insight. A core responsibility is to manage the prompt and efficient delivery of these inputs, and to find solutions to late delivery or unagreed changes of scope.
• Assist the (Senior) Research Director in designing formative and evaluative research instruments; liaise with research companies that deliver the instruments; report the findings of the primary research in a clear, articulate and timely manner; and assist with optimising the project’s strategy and delivery.
• Contribute to delivering internal training programmes to the other members of the Insights team, both in the Europe geography and across World Services more generally. Helping to identify skills gaps and to propose and deliver programmes of instruction for the team.
• Responsible for enhancing the Senior Research Director – Regional Lead’s ability to…