Strategy, Research & Innovation; Manager or Director

* This position may be filled at a Manager or Director level, depending on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. The official title will be either Strategy, Research & Innovation Manager or Director of Strategy, Research & Innovation. At Visit Indy, it's our job to promote the city of Indianapolis. And that job has never been easier, more energizing or more rewarding than it is right now.

As an unprecedented level of cooperation between business and government boosts Indianapolis to a completely new level, we're reveling in the opportunity to show our city off.

The Strategy, Research & Innovation (Manage or Director) advances Visit Indy’s organizational effectiveness and destination competitiveness by integrating research, data, emerging technologies, and strategic foresight into planning, decision-making, and implementation.

This position translates research and information into practical insights and supports teams in applying them to improve products, services, operations, strategies, and outcomes. The Strategy, Research & Innovation (Manage or Director) stewards Visit Indy’s core research assets and coordinates its distributed research resources, ensuring information is credible, accessible, and broadly applied across the organization. The position identifies knowledge gaps and strengthens data literacy and informed decision‑making across Visit Indy.

The Strategy, Research & Innovation (Manage or Director) extends Visit Indy’s research and intelligence capacity to hospitality, civic, philanthropic, and community partners. Through strategic studies, applied innovation, responsible AI use, and cross‑functional collaboration, the position supports Visit Indy and its partners in responding to change and strengthening destination competitiveness. The position is a senior individual contributor who leads through expertise, communication, facilitation, and influence rather than direct authority.

All team members reflect the organization's "3 Ps" culture - productive, positive, and progressive.

To be successful in this role, an individual must be able to perform the functions listed below. We will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Coordinate, steward, and continuously improve Visit Indy’s distributed research and destination intelligence program, including hotel and short‑term rental performance, economic impact, visitor behavior, resident sentiment, competitive benchmarking, and performance measures across marketing, sales, and other functions.
• Maintain a clear, accessible inventory of Visit Indy’s existing research, data sources, and knowledge gaps. Help teams identify what we know, what we do not know, and the most useful ways to answer important questions.
• Synthesize signals from multiple research sources and interpret trends across tourism, technology, urban development, consumer behavior, and the broader destination environment, translating findings into clear stories and actionable implications.
• Manage external research consultants, data providers, and intelligence platforms, ensuring research is current, credible, documented, accessible, and useful across teams.
• Lead complex special studies and competitive analyses that inform organizational strategy, destination strategy, feasibility work, long‑term planning, and the Destination Vision Plan.

• Partner directly with teams to translate research and insights into decisions and measurable improvements across Visit Indy, including destination development feasibility, implementation, and investment strategy.
• Coach and support colleagues…