Director, Market Planning and Competitive Intelligence

Zebra Technologies; Lincolnshire (IL); Hybrid; USD 157,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Annual incentive

Well-being day

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Zebra Technologies is seeking a Director of Market Planning and Competitive Intelligence to synthesize quantitative and qualitative insights for senior leadership. This role collaborates with sales, marketing, and engineering to inform strategic decisions and identify competitive dynamics.

A senior leader is needed to embed prioritization analysis across planning processes. The ideal candidate will lead research initiatives, manage analysts, and build robust market forecasts while engaging with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or other relevant fields required. Advanced degree preferred
• 15 years of experience in market intelligence, strategy consulting, financial planning, quantitative data analysis, or similar fields required
• Experience in B2B technology, communications industries, market research, investment banking, or econometrics preferred
• Excellent leadership, organization, interpersonal, collaboration and project management skills

Responsibilities

• Supports sales and marketing teams on intelligence/industry research requests and analytics, competitive intelligence, market and customer segmentation and product development input requirements
• Develops market evolution hypotheses and anticipates competitive dynamics, including identification of emerging threats
• Delivers actionable recommendations and forges strong relationships with business leaders to align content with strategy
• Engages industry analysts to scope research, build RFPs and inform decision making
• Creates, maintains, and analyzes market data using trending, visualization, and statistical methods

Job description

Overview

At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer's and partner's needs and solve their challenges.

Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.

You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about—locally and globally.

Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

What We're Looking For

The Director, Market Planning and Competitive Intelligence is a key position within Zebra Technologies responsible for bringing together quantitative and qualitative techniques to provide insight to enable informed business decisions. The role engages with senior leadership, sales, marketing, and engineering to inform strategic decision-making – including insights into markets, industry analysts, customers, and competitive dynamics. The Director, Market Planning and Competitive Intelligence is a subject‑matter expert and trusted competitive advisor to executive staff, key corporate stakeholders, and sales teams. We are looking for an experienced leader to embed actionable prioritization analysis into strategy and planning to positively influence strategic decisions with key business stakeholders.

• Supports sales and marketing teams on intelligence/industry research requests and analytics, competitive intelligence, market and customer segmentation and product development input requirements
• Develops market evolution hypotheses and anticipate competitive dynamics, including the identification of emerging competitive threats and nascent strategic adjacencies
• Delivers actionable recommendations and forges strong relationships with business leaders to understand strategy and pain points, and ensure content is strategically aligned and impactful
• Engages industry analysts to ascertain relevant research, scope custom projects, and build RFPs
• Self-starter with a bias for action and results orientation
• Creates, maintains, and analyzes market data using a variety of methods and techniques, such as trending, data visualization, and statistical methods to provide customer insight
• Oversees program‑specific‑internal research initiatives and scope requests; collaborate with suppliers, monitors archives and communicate findings
• Leverages industry knowledge, competitive benchmarking and internal company intelligence to build and maintain robust industry demand forecast models
• Works closely with sales, marketing, and engineering to create sales intelligence and competitive programs
• Manages and mentor teams and junior staff

Able to work hybrid (3 days in office/2 remote) from Lincolnshire, IL or Holtsville, NY up to 25% travel, domestic and international.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or other relevant fields required. Advanced degree preferred
• 15 years of experience in market intelligence, strategy consulting, financial planning, quantitative data analysis, or similar fields required. Prior work experience in B2B technology, communications industries, market research, investment banking, or econometrics preferred.

Preferred Skills & Competences

• Excellent leadership, organization, interpersonal, collaboration and project management skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with executives and teams across the company
• Ability to articulate with strong presentation skills and contribute to executive‑level discourse; capable of articulating recommendations clearly, handling objectives, and switching between big picture thinking and detailed requirements
• Able to operate within a team environment and take large amounts of data and form trends and conclusions. Critical thinking and solution driven
• Self‑starter with bias for action and results orientation. Able to prioritize, focus, and execute through obstacles. Innovative thinker with analytical problem‑solving skills.
• Strong MS Office skills, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
• Knowledge of PC‑based spreadsheets and database warehousing applications; experience with SFDC, statistical data modeling and tools (SPSS, SAS) to design and/or perform quantitative analysis and derive meaningful business insights preferred
• Experience using statistical modeling techniques (Monte Carlo simulators, Bootstrapping, Discrete Choice Models) statistical visualization and modeling packages (R, Python) and data analytics (Power BI, Tableau) preferred

Equal Opportunity Employer

Zebra is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability and protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance in applying for a position, please contact us at [e-mail].

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Pay Range

$156,960.00 - $235,440.00 Annual

Incentive Compensation

In addition to base pay, Zebra offers this role the opportunity to earn a performance‑based annual cash incentive, at a target equal to 20% of base pay, in accordance with the terms of the applicable incentive plan.

Zebra Total Rewards

Zebra Total Rewards includes more than just pay and is structured to meet the needs of our changing global business and evolving talent. We are committed to providing our employees with a benefits program that is comprehensive and competitive – including healthcare, wellness, inclusion networks, and continued learning and development offerings. We offer community service days, in addition to the traditional insurances, compensation, parental leave, employee assistance program and paid time off offerings depending on the country where you work.

Salary offered will vary depending on your location, job‑related skills, knowledge, and experience.

Additionally, all Zebra roles are eligible for cash incentive programs. For example, sales roles have additional opportunity to earn substantial variable compensation tied to quota achievement. In most other roles, the Zebra annual cash incentive program links Company and individual performance together. Some roles may also be eligible for long‑term incentive equity awards.

Benefits

We understand the importance of work‑life balance and wellbeing, which is why we offer flexibility for our teams including: hybrid work, adaptable hours, Summer Flex Fridays, Focus Fridays, and an annual companywide well-being day to promote revitalization and success.

AI Technology Statement

Zebra Technologies leverages AI technology to evaluate job applications using objective, job‑relevant criteria. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes fairness in the hiring process. However, every decision regarding interviews and hiring is made by our dedicated team, because we believe people make the best decisions about people. For more on how we use technology in hiring and how we process applicant data, see our Zebra Privacy Policy.