Senior Innovation Research Specialist

Brown Brothers Harriman; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Collaborative environment

Direct access to clients and experts

Growth opportunities

Inclusive culture

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is recruiting a Senior Innovation Research Specialist to join its fast-paced Innovation team in Boston. The role focuses on 0-1 product development, applying observational and ethnographic research to shape market feedback and value propositions.

You’ll support desirability testing and data-driven business cases. The successful candidate will guide vision, apply design thinking, and collaborate with product, engineering, and marketing to translate insights into

Qualifications

• Market research and analysis for 0-1 product development with TAM/SAM/SOM.
• Create and present business cases with ROI, P&L, FCF projections.
• Develop and execute research plans using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Collaborate with product management to prioritize features and develop a roadmap.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the collaborative definition of the vision for new products, services or businesses.
• Utilize experience design frameworks on-the-fly based on circumstances and opportunities.
• Exhibit strong analytical and problem-solving skills to enable data-driven decisions.
• Work with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, marketing) to design and develop innovative concepts.

Skills

Observational research

Qualitative research

Ethnography

Data-driven decisions

Cross-functional collaboration

Wireframing

Tools

Mural

Miro

Figma

Balsamiq

Job description

At BBH, Partnership is more than a form of ownership-its our approach to business and relationships. We know that supporting your professional and personal goals is the best way to help our clients and advance our business. We take that responsibility seriously. With a 200-year legacy and a shared passion for what’s next, this is the right place to build a fulfilling career.

Brown Brothers Harriman is currently recruiting a Senior Innovation Research Specialist to join our fast-paced Innovation team!

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative professional to join our multi-disciplinary team in the 0-1 phase of product development. The ideal candidate will be comfortable with ambiguity, have a strong background in research design methodologies and business case development. The Senior Innovation Research Specialist will use research tools and techniques to discover and synthesize market feedback and evaluate value propositions across concepts. They must be fluent in observational and qualitative research methods and bring ethnographic techniques that can be applied to both physical and virtual contexts. They will also support all research efforts around the iterative testing of desirability prototypes and the creation of compelling data-driven business cases.

The successful candidate will

• Participate in the collaborative definition of the vision for new products, services or businesses.
• Have a robust catalog of experience design frameworks that they will be able to use on-the-fly based on circumstances and opportunities.
• Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to help make data-driven decisions.
• Be at ease with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and marketing, to design and develop innovative product concepts and solutions.

How Might We...

• define and select the correct methods/frameworks that generate the most value during workshops?
• build a precise financial plan that will speak for itself and be used as a target state for a novel product?
• help articulate clear hypotheses and design qualitative research efforts to test and evaluate those hypotheses?
• translate a vast amount of research inputs into weighted evidence that will enable the team to make decisions?

Job Requirements

• Conduct market research and analysis to identify opportunities for new product development in the 0-1 space, featuring in-depth competitive analysis and TAM/SAM/SOM calculations.
• Develop and execute research plans, including qualitative and quantitative methods, to gather data and insights on target markets, customer needs, and competitive landscapes.
• Create and present compelling business cases for new ideas, featuring market analysis, and pro forma financial statements, including ROI, P&L, FCF projections.
• Collaborate with the product management team to prioritize product features and develop and maintain a product roadmap, including short-term and long-term goals, milestones, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Mastery of design thinking workshop facilitation, following the Design Sprint format, both on-site and online using digital tools like Mural and Miro.
• Stellar communication skills and fluency in pitching creative concepts confidently to a range of stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Deep understanding of with CX, including the ability to wireframe using tools like Figma or Balsamiq.
• Curious nature leading to continuously evaluating the frameworks and techniques being shared in the innovation, research, design and product ecosystems, ensuring our work remains cutting-edge and relevant.
• Understanding of and proficiency using various AI tools and prompting techniques to generate thoughtful, accurate, independent and sourceable research outputs

Desired Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience as a Consultant, Researcher, Product Manager, Product Designer, Strategist, or equivalent roles.
• Proven ability to work in environments characterized by rapid change, ambiguity, and high expectations. E.g., Consulting Agencies focused on Innovation and Strategy, Founders or Founding contributors in venture-backed companies, Innovation departments from market leaders in their industries.
• Track record of innovation work, and a portfolio showcasing both the work done and the processes followed.

What We Offer

• A collaborative environment that enables you to step outside your role to add value wherever you can.
• Direct access to clients, information and experts across all business areas around the world.
• Opportunities to grow your expertise, take on new challenges, and reinvent yourself- without leaving the firm-.
• A culture of inclusion that values each employee’s unique perspective.
• High-quality benefits program emphasizing good health, financial security, and peace of mind.
• Rewarding work with the flexibility to enjoy personal and family experiences at every career stage.
• Volunteer opportunities to give back to your community and help transform the lives of others.

Salary Range

Boston: Annual salary range of $100k-$150k + target bonus

NY/NJ: Annual salary range of $105k-$155k + target bonus

BBH and its affiliates' compensation program includes base salary, discretionary bonuses, and profit-sharing. The anticipated base salary range(s) shown above are only for the indicated location(s) and may differ in other locations due to cost of living and labor considerations. Base salaries may vary based on factors such as skill, experience and qualification for the role. BBH's total rewards package recognizes your contributions with more than just a paycheck- providing you with benefits that enhance your experience at BBH from long-term savings, healthcare, and income protection to professional development opportunities and time off, our programs support your overall well-being.

We value diverse experiences.

We value diverse experiences and transferrable skillsets. If your career hasn’t followed a traditional path, includes alternative experiences, or doesn’t meet every qualification or skill listed in the job description.

About BBH

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is a premier global financial services firm, known for premium service, specialist expertise, technology solutions and partnership approach to client management. Across Investor Services and Capital Partners, we work with an enviable roster of sophisticated clients who make BBH their first call when they are tackling their hardest challenges. Delivering for our clients and each other energizes us.

We believe that how we do our work is just as important as what we do. We are relentless problem solvers who know our best ideas come from collective debate and development-so we are never possessive about our ideas. Every day we come together as a diverse community of smart and caring people to deliver exceptional service and expert advice-creating success that lasts. No matter where you sit in the organization, everyone is empowered to contribute their ideas. BBHers can pick up the phone and call any colleague, and they are happy to help. Expanding your impact beyond your daily role is part of how we operate as trusted partners to one another.

We believe stability is a competitive advantage, but being stable means having the knowledge, skill, and discipline to evolve, often-pushing the boundaries of innovation. As a private partnership, every investment we make is in the relationships, technologies, products and development we believe are in the long-term interests of our clients and our people. Our long-tenured leaders are experts in their areas and are actively involved in the day-to-day business, taking the time to provide guidance and mentoring to build the next generation of BBHers. Because we know, our success begins with yours.

Go to BBH.com to learn more about our rewards and benefits, philanthropy, approach to sustainability or how we support you to thrive personally, physically and financially.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law.