Senior Manager - Research & Insights, Studio+

EY; England; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

EY is seeking a senior leader in mixed-method customer insights to translate deep customer understanding into strategic direction. You will lead cross-functional teams spanning research, analytics, strategy and design, shaping EY Studio+ R&I propositions and executive advisory engagements.

You will own complex client engagements end-to-end, drive growth, and embed responsible AI into insight generation and client deliverables.

Qualifications

• Deep, mixed-method research expertise linked to customer experience design and business transformation.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and complex client engagements.
• Strong background in statistical modelling and advanced analytics.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional insight and customer experience design engagements aligned to client strategy.
• Oversee major research programmes integrating qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Provide senior leadership across workstreams, with measurable outcomes and EY quality standards.
• Embed AI across the research lifecycle to accelerate synthesis and deliverables.
• Build senior client relationships and shape growth through new proposals and pitches.
• Mentor and develop future leaders within multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Customer insights

Mixed-method research

Statistical modelling

AI in research

Cross-functional leadership

Consulting/agency background

Team mentoring

Tools

Q/Displayr

SPSS

Qualtrics

Job description

The opportunity

This is a senior leadership role for a genuine mixed-method researcher with a customer insights specialism who can translate deep customer understanding into strategic direction and action. You will be expected to lead cross-functional insight and customer experience design teams, bringing together researchers, analysts, strategists and designers to solve complex client challenges. You will bring a strong understanding of how research informs service design, product design and marketing strategy, and how insight connects to the breadth of EY's wider offering. You will own complex client engagements end-to-end, act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, and build and lead high-performing, multidisciplinary teams - all while shaping the growth of the EY Studio+ R&I proposition.

Key responsibilities

Lead cross-functional customer insight and customer experience design engagements

• Own and oversee the delivery of major research and insight programmes, ensuring alignment to client strategy, measurable outcomes and EY quality standards.
• Design and lead genuinely mixed-method programmes - integrating qualitative design research (ethnography, contextual inquiry, co-creation, diary studies) with quantitative research (U&A studies, concept testing, Voice of Customer and segmentation) - from scoping and survey design through to analysis and reporting - alongside statistical modelling and data analysis.
• Provide clear leadership across cross-functional insight and customer experience design workstreams, aligning research, analytics, strategy and design around a shared customer-led vision, integrated plan and measurable outcomes.

Bring depth in statistical modelling and analytics

• Provide senior expertise and oversight in statistical modelling and advanced analytics, translating complex data into robust, commercially focused recommendations and customer segmentations.
• Guide clients and teams on the appropriate methods, sampling and analytical techniques, ensuring rigour and defensibility of findings.

Champion AI in research

• Embed AI across the research lifecycle - using it to accelerate synthesis, augment analysis and enhance the speed and quality of insight.
• Develop AI-enabled research outputs and deliverables, positioning EY Studio+ at the leading edge of applied, responsible AI in insight generation.

Trusted advisor to senior internal and external stakeholders

• Build and maintain strong, senior client relationships, shaping agendas and influencing strategic customer, brand and growth decisions.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging research, insight and AI trends, positioning EY as a long-term strategic partner.

Lead, mentor and build future leaders

• Build, lead and develop high-performing cross-functional teams spanning customer insight, data and analytics, strategy and customer experience design; set direction, clarify accountabilities, enable effective collaboration, and line-manage and coach individuals through the work.
• Act as a role model and coach, maintaining EY Studio+'s values, high quality of care and strong culture, while managing hard factors such as issues and risks.

Shape EY Studio+ growth

• Take responsibility for leading business development, including opportunity shaping, overseeing and delivering proposals and client pitches, building a strong pipeline and bringing your existing client relationships to bear.
• Play a leading role in the go-to-market for our Solutions, including Customer Experience (CX), shaping how R&I insight is packaged and taken to clients.
• Contribute to market-facing thought leadership and the evolution of the EY Studio+ R&I propositions.

Ensure excellence in governance and risk

• Maintain rigorous standards across project governance, commercial management, risk and quality assurance in line with EY policies.

Required skills & experience

• Customer insights specialism - recognised depth in understanding customer needs, behaviours, motivations and experiences, alongside the ability to connect insight to customer experience design and business transformation.
• A genuine mixed-method research background - deep, hands-on expertise across both qualitative and quantitative methods, with the ability to design and integrate them within a single programme.
• Deep expertise in statistical modelling and advanced analytics, with a proven ability to turn data into commercial insight.
• Hands-on proficiency in research and analysis tools - including Q/Displayr, SPSS and Qualtrics.
• Experience using AI in research and as an output - applying AI tools to accelerate analysis, synthesis and the creation of research deliverables.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional teams - with a track record of setting direction and delivering through multidisciplinary teams spanning customer insight, analytics, strategy and customer experience design, while mentoring and growing high-performing practitioners.
• A consulting, professional services or agency background, with a track record of leading complex client engagements with exceptional executive communication, storytelling and stakeholder-management skills.

Ideally, you'll also have

• Sector experience in Consumer Products & Retail (CPR), Healthcare, or Technology, Media & Telecoms (TMT).
• Familiarity with behavioural science, systems thinking and social listening methods.

Desirable qualifications

• Degree in a relevant field ( social sciences, statistics, psychology, market research, data science).
• Industry-recognised research or analytics accreditation ( MRS), or relevant platform/AI certification.

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