General Manager, Research Services

Dynata; United States; Remote; USD 190,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Dynata is seeking a General Manager / Business Leader to own the sole accountability for a strategic business unit. You will balance near-term performance with growth investments, strengthen product-market fit, and lead a buyer-centric, cross-functional team across Product, Technology, Data Science, Marketing, Sales, and Operations.

You will define strategy, identify new growth opportunities, and align pricing and go-to-market models with customer value and business economics.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive business leadership experience.
• Proven cross-functional leadership across product, technology, sales and operations.
• Strong strategic judgment and financial accountability.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own P&L and drive revenue growth and margin improvement.
• Set strategy and investments for sustainable growth.
• Translate market needs into product and technology priorities.
• Lead go-to-market planning with pricing, packaging, and incentives.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration and enterprise partnerships.
• Develop and coach a high-performing team.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Financial acumen

Executive presence

Market expertise

Strategic thinking

Influencing without authority

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

The General Manager (GM) / Business Leader has single-point accountability for the performance and evolution of an assigned Strategic Business Unit (SBU), including business strategy, revenue, contribution margin, growth priorities, product strategy, investment priorities, and overall execution. Success requires balancing near-term performance with the investments and changes necessary to grow the business over time.

Central to the role is establishing and continually strengthening product-market fit. The ideal candidate stays close to customers and the market, deeply understands buyer needs, anticipates where the market is going, and responds with speed and agility. Proven domain, market, customer, and partner expertise enables the leader to translate emerging needs and opportunities into differentiated solutions customers value and will buy.

To deliver these outcomes, the Business Leader builds and leads a buyer-centric, cross-functional organization that brings together the capabilities required to turn market insight and strategy into results. Based on business maturity, these capabilities may be direct, dedicated, ring-fenced, matrixed, or provided through shared enterprise functions across Product, Technology, Data Science, Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Professional Services.

Responsibilities:

P&L Ownership & Business Performance

Accountable for revenue, contribution margin, investment priorities, and overall business performance while building the economics required for sustainable growth.

• Accelerate profitable revenue growth
• Improve contribution margin
• Establish business-level KPIs
• Prioritize resources against highest-return opportunities

Strategy & Growth Leadership

Set the strategic direction for the assigned business, identifying where to compete, how to win, and where to invest to create sustainable growth and long-term business value.

• Define and execute the business strategy aligned with enterprise and portfolio priorities.
• Identify and develop new growth opportunities across buyers, markets, solutions, partnerships, and business models.
• Prioritize strategic investments and resources against the highest-value opportunities.
• Anticipate market shifts and competitive dynamics, adapting the strategy as conditions evolve.

Product & Technology Leadership

Translate market and customer needs into clear product and technology priorities that strengthen product-market fit and deliver differentiated customer value.

• Own product vision, strategy, and roadmap priorities for the business.
• Align Product and Technology around customer needs, functionality, priorities, and commercial readiness.
• Balance customer value, commercial opportunity, technical feasibility, and investment requirements.
• Hold teams accountable for business outcomes, not simply product or technology delivery milestones.

Sales & Go-to-Market Leadership

Build and evolve a commercial model aligned to the business's target buyers, solutions, economics, and growth priorities.

• Establish the market and buyer expertise required to effectively sell the business's solutions.
• Define the appropriate channels, buying motions, and customer coverage model.
• Align pricing, packaging, and commercial incentives with customer value and business economics.
• Build repeatable demand generation and revenue growth capabilities.

Customer & Market Leadership

Maintain direct proximity to buyers, partners, and the broader customer ecosystem to understand emerging needs and anticipate where the market is moving.

• Build senior customer relationships
• Institutionalize Voice of Customer
• Track competitive and market shifts
• Convert market insight into solutions

Cross-Functional Enterprise Partnership

Balance business autonomy with enterprise leverage, drawing on shared platforms, strategic assets, and enterprise capabilities where they create greater value. Success in the role depends as much on the quality of cross-functional relationships and the ability to influence without authority as it does on formal accountability.

• Leverage shared Human Intelligence assets, platforms, and Centers of Excellence across the business.
• Secure dedicated or ring-fenced capabilities where continuity, expertise, and speed are critical.
• Operate effectively across a matrixed organization, building the cross-functional trust, relationships, and influence required to drive alignment and execution without relying on direct authority.
• Leverage shared Human Intelligence assets, platforms, and Centers of Excellence across the business.
• Create clarity around shared goals and decision rights, reducing friction and enabling faster, more coordinated execution across functions.
• Model collaborative leadership behaviors that set the tone for the broader team and reinforce a culture of enterprise-first thinking.
• Build differentiated business capabilities while avoiding unnecessary duplication of enterprise resources.

People Leadership & Culture

Build a high-performing, accountable, and customer-centered team with the talent and leadership required to grow and evolve the business.

• Set clear expectations and accountability for individual and team performance.
• Build, develop, and retain strong talent, including future leaders and succession capability.
• Create a collaborative, owner-oriented culture that values customer focus, sound judgment, speed, and results.
• Key Accountabilities
• Success is measured by the GM's ability to deliver sustainable business performance while strengthening the long-term value and competitive position of the business.
• Revenue, contribution margin, customer profitability, and growth performance.
• Product-market fit, customer retention, satisfaction, and expansion.
• Successful execution of strategic, product, technology, and operating priorities.
• Organizational effectiveness, talent performance, and operating discipline.
• Matrixed influence effectiveness: quality of cross-functional relationships, speed of enterprise alignment, and ability to deliver through shared capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• The ideal candidate combines proven business ownership with deep market expertise, financial acumen, and cross-functional leadership experience.
• 12+ years of progressive business leadership experience, including meaningful business, revenue, and financial accountability.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams spanning Product, Technology, Sales, and Operations.
• Proven track record working in a matrixed environment where collaboration and influencing skills are a pre-requisite for success
• Demonstrated ability to lead and deliver results in a matrixed organization, with proven skills in cross-functional influence, stakeholder alignment, and building trust across enterprise functions without relying on direct authority
• Deep domain, customer, market, and partner expertise relevant to the assigned business.
• Strong strategic judgment, financial acumen, executive presence, and communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

At Dynata, we deliver the highest quality first-party data to help businesses around the world gain precise insights, activate the right audiences, and confidently measure impact. With industry-leading respondent accuracy, reliability, and a commitment to continuous improvement, Dynata is the trusted foundation for smarter decision-making.

At Dynata, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible environment where every employee and customer feels valued, respected, and supported. We strive to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Dynata welcomes and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and is dedicated to fostering a work culture that supports everyone. Accommodations are available upon request for all aspects of the selection process.

Dynata is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected status under applicable laws.

Ownership Principle - Act Like an Owner

The GM acts like an owner, taking personal responsibility for the business, its customers, and its people, and making decisions that increase both immediate and long-term business value.

The base salary range for this position in is $190K-$250K/yr; however, base pay offered may vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A discretionary incentive program may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical and other benefits, dependent on full-time employment status.

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