Research Specialist

Cobden & Carter International; Makati; On-site; PHP 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Cobden & Carter International, based in Makati, Philippines, seeks a Specialist to own complex end-to-end project analysis. You will work with senior stakeholders to design scopes from scratch, leveraging deep data expertise and advanced Excel to craft insights in Excel and PowerPoint.

You will mentor teammates, manage project workflows, and ensure timely, high-quality deliveries under tight deadlines while applying critical thinking to research methods and data accuracy.

Qualifications

• BA or undergraduate degree required.
• 6–8 years of research and analytics experience.
• Advanced Excel proficiency and ability to analyze complex data.
• Experience researching across industries and international entities, or consulting with data analytics teams.
• Ability to work in multinational environments with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct end-to-end complex projects from senior stakeholders on clients, markets, industries, competitors, and practice areas, including market trends, benchmarking, and country/sector research.
• Apply critical thinking and rigorous evaluation to research methodologies, data accuracy, and relevance.
• Generate insights and tell stories behind the data that align with requester needs.
• Create data visuals and slides using Excel and PowerPoint with strong business English.
• Manage project workflows and pipelines, ensuring timely, high-quality delivery under tight deadlines.
• Ensure quality control throughout project delivery process.
• Engage with senior leaders (Partners, Executive Committee, Chiefs, Directors) to understand and scope complex research needs.
• Act as a subject matter expert on key research databases and liaise with data vendors.
• Incorporate Generative AI into daily work and train the team on AI advantages.
• Identify training needs and develop training modules for the team.
• Evaluate and pilot new services, including generative AI tools.
• Undertake additional strategic and operational projects as assigned by leadership.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Analytical mindset

Team collaboration

Education

BA or undergraduate degree

Job description

Job Summary:

The Specialist is the go-to person for complex end-to-end project analysis. They work with seniorstakeholders to design complex scopes from scratch using deep data expertise, execute research requeststhrough strong data evaluation and manipulation (particularly advanced Excel), analyze and present dataaligned with requester needs, and deliver key insights in multiple formats (especially Excel and PowerPoint)through written narratives, charts, and quantitative and qualitative analysis. They also support teammateswith complex requests in the pipeline and act as a mentor and leader across the team.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Lead and conduct end-to-end complex projects from senior stakeholders on clients, markets,industries, competitors, and practice areas, including market trends, transactional/statistical data,benchmarking, and country/sector research offering or industry rankings


• Apply critical thinking and rigorous evaluation to research methodologies, data accuracy, andrelevance


• Generate insights and tell stories behind the data that aligns with requester needs, especially in


• Excel or PPT formats (data visualization, slide design, etc.) using strong Business English


• Manage project workflows and pipelines, collaborating with team members to ensure timely, high-qualitydelivery of complex requests under tight deadlines, and independently resolve projectchallenges with informed decision-making.


• Ensure quality control throughout project delivery process


• Engage with C-suite requesters such as Partners, Executive Committee, Chiefs, Directors, etc. tounderstand and scope complex research needs


• Act as a subject matter expert on key research databases, collaborating with data vendors tosource relevant information to support project objectives


• Incorporate Generative AI into daily work as appropriate and train or advise team and othermembers of the firm on the advantages of Generative AI services


• Assist in identifying training needs and, where appropriate, develop and deliver training modulesfor the team on research tools, methodologies, and best practices.


• Participate in evaluating and developing the research collection and piloting new services, includinggenerative AI tools and other AI technologies


• Undertake additional special strategic and operational projects as assigned by the leadership team.

Qualifications:

• Candidate must possess at least a BA or other Undergraduate degree


• 6-8 years of relevant research and analytics experience.


• Strong analytical skills and advanced Excel proficiency, including the ability to review complexquantitative and qualitative information and generate insights from data


• Solid background, knowledge, and experience researching across a broad range of industries andinternational entities, or experience in consulting or data analytics working with complex data setsand generating insights


• Ability to demonstrate teamwork, collaboration, reliability, enthusiasm, attention to detail, and adrive to deliver consistently high-quality results


• Prior experience working in multinational environments, collaborating with diverse stakeholdersacross regions and function