Director of Custom Research

About Us

This is your opportunity to advance your career at Harris

X, a leading technology, market research, and consulting company that blends corporate and public opinion research to uncover what drives people, brands, and policy. We specialize in understanding the connected consumer, running some of the most comprehensive studies on technology, telecom, and media behavior globally, while also serving as one of the most accurate pollsters in recent U.S. elections.

Our research combines quantitative and qualitative methods, behavioral data, and social analytics to deliver actionable insights to clients ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to media organizations, advocacy groups, and policymakers. Based in Washington DC and with offices in New York, Toronto, London, Los Angeles, Australia, and Singapore, Harris

X is a member of Stagwell Global.

Our mission is simple:
To connect all the dots for our clients, in what we call “Connected Intelligence.”

As a Custom Research Director at Harris

X, you will lead end-to-end research engagements across both corporate and political/public release polling domains. You will design, manage, and analyze projects that shape strategy, drive communications, and influence decision-making for corporate clients, advocacy groups, media organizations, and public affairs campaigns.

The role requires a unique blend of business acumen, political awareness, and research rigor. You’ll manage multiple concurrent projects, translate complex data into clear narratives, and deliver impactful insights that can inform both boardrooms and newsrooms.

This is a full-time, in-person position based in New York City, reporting to the Managing Director of our New York Office.

• Lead client relationships across corporate, media, and political sectors, serving as the main point of contact and trusted advisor.
• Design and oversee custom research projects from proposal to delivery, including sampling design, instrument development, field management, analysis, and reporting.
• Drive public release polling projects, ensuring methodological integrity and alignment with journalistic and communications best practices.
• Design research questionnaires and moderator guides.
• Integrate multiple data sources (survey, behavioral, and secondary data) to tell compelling, data-driven stories.
• Interpret and present data through polished deliverables, such as reports, dashboards, and executive presentations, with actionable insights and recommendations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with analysts, data scientists, and communications leads to produce innovative studies that inform both internal strategy and public narratives.
• Mentor junior researchers and foster a culture of curiosity, rigor, and accountability.
• Contribute to thought leadership and public-facing research, helping build Harris
  
  X’s reputation as a leader in corporate and public opinion polling.

• You have 7–10 years of experience in custom market research, public opinion polling, or corporate reputation and policy research.
• You thrive at the intersection of business, media, and politics, and understand how research shapes both corporate strategy and public perception.
• You have experience with survey design, weighting, segmentation, and data interpretation, and a strong grasp of polling best practices.
• You’re skilled at storytelling with data, translating complex analysis into insights that influence decision-making.
• You have advanced proficiency in Q, SPSS, Excel, and PowerPoint (R, Python, or Tableau a plus).
• You have hands-on experience with survey platforms such as Decipher, Qualtrics, or Confirm
  
  IT.
• You are comfortable using and advancing AI-powered tools (e.g., for survey automation, data synthesis, content analysis, and visualization) to streamline workflows and enhance insight generation.
• You can manage multiple projects and clients simultaneously, under tight timelines.
• You are an articulate communicator, capable of handling press-sensitive and high-profile projects with discretion and professionalism.
• You have previous experience with top-tier consulting or research firms (e.g., Ipsos, Kantar, GfK, Nielsen, Gallup, or equivalent).
• You hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business, economics, political science, communications, or a related field.
• You have prior professional knowledge of Survey methodologies, best practices, and calculations.
• You have a history of applying best practices in data science, statistical weighting, and data delivery and visualization.