Research Director, YouGov Sport

yougov; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

YouGov Sport Australia is seeking a dynamic Research Director to oversee the consumer research team within our sports division in Australia. Reporting to the Head of Sport, APAC, you will lead delivery, retention and growth of all consumer research business with full responsibility for the client base across major leagues and clubs.

You will manage the team, leverage hybrid research methods, and collaborate with the media lead to provide integrated reporting for clients.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a client-facing research team in sport/research.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills.
• Ability to grow business and manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Research Design and implementation: develop comprehensive research strategies and designs, utilising a broad range of research methodologies, that address clients' objectives and required outcomes.
• Project management: ensure projects are completed on time and on budget, accurate and meet client requirements, with advanced planning and delegation.
• Team and people management: lead and mentor a team of researchers, manage performance, and drive growth.
• Data analysis and reporting: analyse results, undertake advanced analyses, and present clear reports to clients.
• Account Management: build close client relationships, identify opportunities to grow revenue.
• Data Quality: drive quality of outputs and processes, balancing due diligence with efficiency.
• New business development: prepare quotations and proposals with costings and timelines.

Job description

Research Director, YouGov Sport

Melbourne OR Sydney, Australia

YouGov Sport Australia provides expertise on sports data, insights, and media evaluation. Since launching in 2018, we have quickly cemented ourselves as the preferred research provider for Australia's premier sports organisations.

What separates us? By combining agile research and customer-centricity, we are able to adopt an insight-led approach to everything we do, and by being able to translate complex data into meaningful and actionable insights, we are able to reach engage a much wider audience and provide more value to our clients.

Job Description

YouGov is looking for a dynamic, experienced and commercially minded Research Director to oversee the consumer research team within our sports division.

Reporting into the Head of Sport, APAC, you will be expected to lead the delivery, retention and growth of all YGS Consumer Research business, with full responsibility over the client base (including, but not limited to, leagues and clubs across the AFL, NRL, A-Leagues, Netball Australia, Rugby Australia, Cricket Australia and more). Furthermore you will be responsible for the day to day management of our YGS Consumer Research team whilst working with the Head of Sport, APAC and broader sports business to continue to grow and expand the business into new areas (including further expansion of brand clientele), organisations and regions.

In doing this, you will be leveraging a hybrid research approach involving the use of both existing syndicated data and bespoke research solutions, pull together actionable and meaningful insights and reporting for our clients. You will also work closely with YouGov Sport's Media lead to provide integrated and seamless client reporting across both consumer research and media (for all relevant clients and projects).

You will have high levels of exposure to clients in-person via presenting, relationship building and developing their competency in utilising our tools, or even hot-desking onsite when required. In doing this you will be exposed to a variety of sports professionals and will have the opportunity to develop life-long professional and social networks within the industry.

Responsibilities

• Research Design and implementation: Use your extensive research knowledge and experience to develop comprehensive research strategies and designs, utilising a broad range of research methodologies, that address clients' objectives and required outcomes.
• Project management: You will have overall responsibility to ensure the projects your team works on are completed on time and on budget, are accurate and meet the client's requirements. This will involve advanced project planning, budgeting, delegation of responsibilities and co-ordination. You will be expected to be a 'hands-on' manager where you direct and guide as well as work along-side your team to deliver research projects.
• Team and people management: Manage a team of researchers (currently 5 but with the desire to expand), coaching and mentoring them through key aspects of sport research projects and their broader career and personal development. You will be responsible for performance management and helping our team develop and strengthen their research skills. In doing this we are looking for someone who can lead by example, with the willingness to 'get their hands dirty' as required, but who can delegate tasks and manage workflows accordingly within their team, to allow you to be focused on mentoring team members, key account management, problem solving (internally and externally) and driving growth.
• Data analysis and reporting: As required, you will analyse research results to identify key insights and trends. Undertake and/or direct advanced analysis techniques including segmentation, max-diff and multivariate regression. Prepare clear, accurate and compelling reports. Prepare and deliver convincing presentations to brief clients on the results and implications arising from research projects.
• Account Management: You will work to develop close relationships with your client base to understand their needs, key personnel, advocate the best research practices for sports research projects, and provide relevant and useful insights from research. You will identify new opportunities to grow the revenue from existing and new clients.
• Data Quality: You will be required to work with internal stakeholders and teams to continue to improve processes, in an ever-changing research environment where AI can bring due diligence efficiencies but equally can create challenges. You will be ultimately responsible for the quality of every output that leaves the sports consumer business and are comfortable with this level of responsibility, due to your extremely strong attention to detail and personal focus on quality and process.
• New business development: You will be required to prepare detailed quotations and proposals including project costings and timelines in response