Director of Strategy & Innovation

Visit Indy; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Visit Indy seeks a Strategy, Research & Innovation leader (Manager or Director) to advance organizational effectiveness by integrating research, data, emerging technologies, and strategic foresight into planning and decision‑making.

This senior role translates insights into practical actions, stewarding core research assets, coordinating distributed resources, and building dashboards to drive destination competitiveness and informed stakeholder decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in data science, economics, public policy, statistics, information systems, marketing and communications, tourism, hospitality, urban planning, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of three to five years translating research, data, or emerging trends into strategy, action, organizational improvement, or destination impact.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate, steward, and continuously improve Visit Indy’s distributed research and destination intelligence program across marketing, sales, and other functions.
• Maintain an inventory of research sources, identify knowledge gaps, and determine the most useful questions to answer.
• Synthesize signals from multiple research sources and translate findings into clear stories and actionable implications.
• Lead external research consultants, data providers, and intelligence platforms to ensure credibility and accessibility.
• Lead complex studies and competitive analyses informing strategy, feasibility, long-term planning, and Destination Vision Plan.
• Partner with teams to translate insights into decisions and measurable improvements across Visit Indy.
• Develop and maintain dashboards, KPIs, and performance systems for timely, actionable information.
• Influence and collaborate across teams as a connector and trusted thought partner.

Skills

Research design

Data visualization

AI literacy

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in related field

Job description

Visit Indy seeks a Strategy, Research & Innovation leader (Manager or Director) to advance organizational effectiveness by integrating research, data, emerging technologies, and strategic foresight into planning and decision‑making.

This senior role translates insights into practical actions, stewarding core research assets, coordinating distributed resources, and building dashboards to drive destination competitiveness and informed stakeholder decisions.