Director, Qualitative Market Research Insights & Strategy

About Us

CMB is a full-service custom market research and strategy firm based in Boston. As a Top 30 Insights & Analytics company, we’re known for our relentless business-decision focus and cutting-edge creativity. Our passion is helping the world’s leading brands engage, innovate, and grow. We leverage the best of advanced analytics, consumer psychology, and market strategy to tackle game-changing initiatives and business challenges for our clients.

What about our culture? Simply put, our people are our power. We have a diverse, inclusive and collaborative team of bright perspectives and curious minds. At CMB you’ll have plenty of opportunities to achieve your full potential. From learning new skills, expanding your expertise, and continuing to advance your professional development, you will feel supported and valued.

Our benefits say a lot about how much we value our employees: we offer a fully paid sabbatical, a $500 wellness stipend, paid time off to volunteer, generous medical plans, a 401k match, and more. Every employee also gets to enjoy an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

ESOP? Yes, we are 100% employee owned! An ESOP is a qualified retirement plan, like a 401k, but you don’t have to make any contributions to participate in the rewards. When we each work hard to provide exceptional service and deliverables to our clients, the positive performance of the company increases the value of our stock and enables the accumulation of wealth for all our employee-owners.

About The Position

Our growing Qualitative team is looking for a Director of Qualitative Insights and Strategy who is intellectually curious, passionate about research and data, and is a master at shaping insights into compelling narratives. Our qualitative insights team prides itself in creatively uncovering insights that others miss, fostering relationships that make us more than just a research provider—we're a trusted ally. If you're ready to lead, inspire, and make an impact at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and deep client connections, we invite you to join us as the Director of Qualitative Research.

This position may be hybrid if based in Boston, or remote within the USA.

About You

In this position, you will lean into your ability to forge lasting relationships with clients, co-workers and vendors. Proactive communication, perceptive listening and creative approaches to research help demonstrate your ability to understand client needs, translating them into actionable research plans that deliver strategic impact. A track record of moving swiftly and with purpose aligns perfectly with our pace of innovation and client-centered approach.

Working collaboratively with internal teams to create sound studies, you’ll shape the methodologies, technologies and tools we use to serve our clients. As a leader, others will look to you for support, mentorship and your expertise in custom qualitative market research. You’ll find yourself amidst a community of researchers and clients interested in consumer psychology, behavioral economics and the evolving world of insights.

About Your Background

You’ve worked hard to get to where you are in your career, and now you’re looking for a position to lead, inspire, and make an impact. Here’s what you’ll be doing and the qualifications we are looking for:

Responsibilities

• Participate in peer reviews in a timely manner
• Effectively communicates with other project team members and external resources
• Anticipate and identify project problems and identify solutions both independently and collaboratively
• Analyzes results and develops engaging, insightful, creative, and customized deliverables and presents to the client
• Onboard and mentor new CMB talent, when necessary
• Partner with VP Qualitative Insights & Strategy, Practice Leaders, Sr. Directors of Insights & Innovation and Directors of Insights & Strategy Operations to oversee and execute qualitative projects and partners
• Partner with the VP, Qualitative Insights and Strategy to grow, nurture and develop key client accounts through relationship building and thought leadership/oversight on research project execution
• Partner with VP, Qualitative Insights and Strategy to meet established goals (e.g., sales, client satisfaction, client/product/project profitability, team efficiency, talent mentorship)
• Own the proposal development process (e.g., schedule, pricing, methodology)
• Oversee team development of screeners and recruiting management
• Own discussion guide writing, moderating interviews, analysis and reporting
• Acts as a subject matter expert and/or ‘go to’ person for qualitative expertise, stay abreast of industry trends, seek out and bring new techniques and be able to apply them to projects
• Demonstrate confidence and act as a trusted advisor when consulting with clients to align on business and research objectives
• Contribute to CMB University annually
• Work with the VP, Qualitative Insights and Strategy, and Business Development, to meet sales goals for both new and existing clients, as assigned

Qualifications

• Excellent at establishing, managing and growing relationships with clients, vendors and coworkers
• Detail-oriented and able to work on multiple projects at a time
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to synthesize findings from disparate sources
• Minimum of 4 years’ experience independently managing moderating duties
• Skilled in Microsoft Office software environment
• Advanced in-person, telephone, and online moderating skills with individuals and groups
• Sense of humor and self-aware
• Minimum of 7 years work experience in qualitative market research
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Market-Research, Anthropology, Behavioral Psychology or related field
• Curious and creative thinker
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment to meet deadlines with limited supervision
• RIVA or Burke trained

* No agency assistance required *

* No visa sponsorship available *

CMB strongly encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. We recognize that people from structurally marginalized groups often only apply to jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications, despite the reality that applicants rarely ever meet 100% of the qualifications. If this position aligns with your experience and interests, please apply!

CMB is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or to other non-work-related factors. As part of our commitment to inclusivity, CMB will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Tammy Falvey: 617-986-7490, or

The annual base salary range for this position is $105,000-$130,000 plus bonus, benefits, and an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The base salary is dependent on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) experience, skills, and location.