Senior Research Associate - Inside Sales

InCommon; Pune District; On-site; INR 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

InCommon seeks a Senior Research Associate to own an outreach and research portfolio, driving strategic engagement with target firms. You will lead cross-functional collaboration with Research and senior stakeholders, shaping expansion efforts and automation opportunities.

The role emphasizes high-quality research, thoughtful outreach, and disciplined project management, with exposure to leadership and direct impact on business outcomes. Pune-based, on-site role.

Qualifications

• 2 to 4 years of relevant experience in research, expert networks, founder’s office or a related field.
• Excellent written communication. Ability to draft outreach scripts and stakeholder updates with minimal revisions
• Proven ability to lead and moderate calls, create agendas, capture action items, and communicate outcomes clearly
• Strong project management skills. Ability to plan multi-month initiatives, create structured project maps, and manage timelines
• High level of attention to detail
• Exceptional time management, organizational, and prioritization skills, with a strong work ethic and a high degree of ownership and accountability
• Working proficiency in Salesforce (reports, activity logging, pipeline management)
• Advanced proficiency in LinkedIn for professional research and prospecting
• Basic working knowledge of AI tools (ChatGPT / Claude prompts, etc.) for research and drafting workflows
• Mastery of advanced Google search techniques
• Comfortable with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for data storage, presentation, and visualization
• Strong understanding of private equity/M&A terminology

Responsibilities

• Own a portfolio of target firms and identify engagement pathways.
• Lead high-quality, time-sensitive research to evaluate prospective firms.
• Pilot and refine smarter research techniques and experiment with projects.
• Take ownership of key business development initiatives and refine programs with senior team input.
• Identify delays and blockers early; implement course corrections.
• Build and maintain project plans for long-horizon workstreams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Identify automation opportunities to reduce turnaround time and improve processes.
• Develop and execute lead-generation strategies across private equity firms and portfolio companies.
• Design, manage, and execute year-round outreach across a large, segmented pipeline.
• Monitor market activity and record transactions and fund developments.
• Draft and manage outbound communications across multiple sender identities.
• Maintain Salesforce pipeline data for visibility.

Skills

Lead calls

Written comm

Time management

Project management

Attention to detail

Ownership

Google search

LinkedIn research

AI tools knowledge

Private equity terms

Tools

Salesforce

LinkedIn

AI tools

Google Workspace

Job description

SENIOR RESEARCH ASSOCIATE – INSIDE SALES

LOCATION: Pune, India

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role is for high performers ready to take on greater ownership while continuing to deliver exceptional research and outreach. You will own a portfolio of firms, lead outreach strategy and execution, collaborate across Research and work closely with senior stakeholders. This is a high-impact role with meaningful exposure to leadership and the opportunity to influence business outcomes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Research & Ideation

• Own a portfolio of target firms, conducting strategic research to identify and execute the most effective pathways for engagement
• Lead high-quality, time-sensitive research to evaluate prospective firms in line with expansion strategy
• Pilot and refine smarter research techniques, bringing creativity and experimentation to projects

Project Management

• Take full ownership of key business development initiatives, propose new programs and refine existing ones in collaboration with senior team members
• Identify delays and blockers early; recommend and implement course corrections proactively
• Build and maintain project plans for long-horizon workstreams (e.g., sales trips, campaign rollouts)
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and manage stakeholder expectations at all levels
• Identify and implement opportunities for automation to reduce turnaround time and process improvement

Lead Generation, Pipeline & Outreach Management

• Develop and execute lead-generation strategies to identify prospective clients across private equity firms, portfolio companies, and the broader investment ecosystem.
• Design, manage, and execute year-round outreach strategies across a large, segmented pipeline of firms, including:
  • Developing tailored engagement strategies for each target, leveraging executive relationships and warm introductions where appropriate
  • Monitoring, tracking, and recording market activity, including private equity news, transactions, and fund developments
  • Drafting and managing all outbound communications, including initial outreach, follow-ups, and re-engagement campaigns across multiple sender identities
• Maintain and manage the Salesforce pipeline database, ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and visibility across all sales opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 2 to 4 years of relevant experience in research, expert networks, founder’s office or a related field
• Excellent written communication. Ability to draft outreach scripts and stakeholder updates with minimal revisions
• Proven ability to lead and moderate calls, create agendas, capture action items, and communicate outcomes clearly
• Strong project management skills. Ability to plan multi-month initiatives, create structured project maps, and manage timelines
• High level of attention to detail
• Exceptional time management, organizational, and prioritization skills, with a strong work ethic and a high degree of ownership and accountability
• Working proficiency in Salesforce (reports, activity logging, pipeline management)
• Advanced proficiency in LinkedIn for professional research and prospecting
• Basic working knowledge of AI tools (chatGPT / Claude prompts, etc.) for research and drafting workflows
• Mastery of advanced Google search techniques
• Comfortable with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for data storage, presentation, and visualization
• Strong understanding of private equity/M&A terminology

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast paced environment. You know how to step back, see the bigger picture, and keep everyone aligned. You value good systems, genuinely enjoy building relationships, and can talk to anyone across the company with ease.

You’ll be a great fit if you:

• You enjoy building: You like solving problems and scaling processes
• Are genuinely curious: You like learning about new markets, companies, and people, and you're always tryingto pick up new skills
• Are adaptable: You’re dependable, flexible, and happy to pitch in wherever the team needs an extra hand.
• Direct and collaborative: You keep your communication clear and concise, even when things are moving fast.
• Take ownership: You take pride in your work, follow through on your commitments, and don’t need to be micromanaged.
• Want to grow: You’re ready to transition from managing your own tasks to coordinating projects and helping the wider team succeed.