Associate Director-Observer team

Ipsos in the UK; Harrow; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

pension contribution

income protection and life assurance

health & wellbeing benefits

professional development opportunities

Job summary

Ipsos Observer is seeking an Associate Director to lead high-profile market research programs and client relationships in the UK and internationally.

You will oversee project teams, ensure profitability, and collaborate with Directors to deliver actionable insights and strategic recommendations across sectors.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in quantitative market research or related environments.
• Proven success managing complex projects and strong client relationships.
• Experience leading and developing project teams.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies and delivering insights.
• Experience contributing to commercial growth and account development.
• Proficiency with AI to enhance research and business activities.
• Solid skills in questionnaire design, study design, and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution and delivery of complex research programs with high quality fieldwork and robust data.
• Own key client relationships and drive revenue growth and new business opportunities.
• Direct sizeable project teams and manage profitability with global collaboration.

Skills

Quantitative market research

Client relationship management

Team leadership

Research methodologies

Commercial growth

AI in research

Questionnaire design

Project management

Sampling

Analytical techniques

Budget & profitability

SPSS

R

Power BI

Tools

SPSS

R

Power BI

Job description

Are you an experienced market research leader looking for the opportunity to shape high-profile client programs, drive commercial growth, and lead talented teams? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where your insights and leadership create real impact? If so, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

Ipsos Observer is a specialist team delivering bespoke research solutions that help organisations understand customer behaviour, public opinion, and market trends. Working across a broad range of sectors including government, academia, charities and commercial organisations, the team delivers both continuous and ad hoc research projects in the UK and internationally.

As an Associate Director, you will play a pivotal leadership role within a growing and ambitious team. You'll lead the successful execution and delivery of complex research programs, ensuring clients receive high-quality fieldwork, robust data, actionable insights and strategic recommendations. You'll take ownership of key client relationships, helping to grow existing accounts while identifying opportunities for new business development and revenue generation.

Working alongside Directors and senior colleagues, you'll lead sizeable project teams, manage project profitability, and collaborate with global Ipsos colleagues to deliver impactful research solutions. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded research professional who enjoys combining client leadership, business growth and people management in a dynamic environment.

About You

• Significant experience within quantitative market research, consumer insights or related research environments.
• Proven success managing complex research projects and developing strong client relationships.
• Experience leading, developing and motivating individuals and project teams.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies and a passion for delivering high-quality insights.
• Experience contributing to commercial growth, revenue generation and account development.
• Proficiency in AI use and adoption to enhance day-to-day research and business activities.
• Strong research skills including questionnaire and study design, project management, sampling and analytical techniques.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to understand client challenges and identify opportunities.
• Strong numerical and analytical capabilities with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience managing project finances, budgets and profitability.
• Knowledge of research and analytics tools such as SPSS, R, Power BI or equivalent platforms.

Behaviours:

• Curiosity and lifelong learning
• Leadership and social influence
• Collaboration and relationship building
• Analytical and critical thinking
• Creative problem solving
• Customer and service orientation
• Resilience, flexibility and adaptability
• Empathy and active listening
• Talent development and coaching

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you as an individual.

• 25 days annual leave
• pension contribution
• income protection and life assurance
• range health & wellbeing
• financial benefits
• professional development opportunities

We have a hybrid approach to work and ask people to be in the office or with clients for 3 days per week. We appreciate you may have commitments outside of work and will consider flexible working applications - please highlight what you are looking for when you make your application.

We are committed to equality, treating people fairly, promoting a positive and inclusive working environment and ensuring we have diversity of people and views. We recognise that this is important for our business success - a more diverse workforce will enable us to better reflect and understand the world we research and ultimately deliver better research and insight to our clients. We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident scheme, certified as a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. We provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

Your application will be reviewed by someone from our Talent Team who will be in touch either way to let you know the outcome.