Senior Manager / Director

Basis Global; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

Basis Global in New York is seeking an exceptional Qualitative Senior Manager or Director to lead bespoke qualitative projects for top brands. You will shape research approaches, guide fieldwork, and turn conversations into actionable narratives that move brands forward.

You’ll mentor teams, manage timelines and budgets, and support business development while strengthening client relationships. The role spans IDIs, focus groups, ethnography, online communities, and integrated qual-quant studies,

Qualifications

• Experience delivering qualitative research programs in an agency/consultancy.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Proactive and collaborative approach.
• Excellent moderation across multiple formats.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end qualitative projects, from problem definition to insights.
• Build strong client relationships and address business challenges through research.
• Design robust qualitative approaches across IDIs, focus groups, ethnography, online communities, and integrated qual-quant studies.
• Moderate and lead fieldwork, writing discussion guides, stimuli, and screeners.
• Analyze and synthesize qualitative data into compelling stories that drive action.
• Manage project delivery, timelines, budgets, recruitment, and vendor coordination.
• Lead and mentor project teams, supporting junior researchers.
• Support business development, including proposals and pitches.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to grow the US business.

Skills

Qualitative leadership

Client relationships

Moderation

Project management

Storytelling

Business development

Job description

We’re looking for an exceptional Qualitative Senior Manager or Director to join our growing, bright and ambitious team in New York.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced qualitative researcher who enjoys solving complex client challenges, moderating rich conversations with consumers, and turning what people say into stories that move brands forward.

You’ll work in a vibrant and collaborative environment, leading bespoke qualitative projects for a range of leading brands. Our work spans sectors and methodologies, from in-depth interviews and focus groups to ethnography, online communities, and integrated qual-quant studies, and we pride ourselves on delivering thoughtful, commercially impactful insight.

In this role, you’ll shape research approaches, manage and moderate fieldwork, guide project teams, and help clients turn insight into action. You’ll also support business development initiatives and help strengthen our client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end qualitative projects, from problem definition and research design through to delivery of clear insights and recommendations
• Build strong relationships with clients, supporting them in addressing key business challenges through research
• Design robust qualitative approaches across a range of methodologies (including IDIs, focus groups, ethnography, online communities, and integrated qual-quant studies)
• Moderate and lead fieldwork, running engaging, insightful sessions with consumers and stakeholders, and writing discussion guides, stimuli, and screeners that get to the heart of the brief
• Analyze and synthesize qualitative data into compelling stories, identifying patterns, themes, and tensions across transcripts, video, and observation, and delivering clear, engaging narratives that drive action for clients
• Manage project delivery and quality, owning timelines, budgets, recruitment, and vendor coordination, and ensuring work consistently meets Basis’ high standards
• Lead and mentor project teams, supporting junior researchers and helping develop their moderation, analysis, and consulting skills
• Support business development efforts, including contributing to proposals, pitches, and identifying opportunities within existing accounts
• Collaborate with senior leadership to support the continued growth and development of the US business

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Strong experience delivering qualitative research programs in an agency or consultancy environment
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• A proactive and collaborative approach and enthusiasm for contributing to team success
• Strong project management skills and attention to detail, with a track record of running multiple qualitative projects at once, from recruitment, discussion guides, and fieldwork logistics through to timelines, budgets, and quality control
• Highly skilled moderation across formats (IDIs, focus groups, ethnography, online/remote methods), with the ability to build rapport, probe skillfully, and draw out deeper motivations from a diverse range of participants
• Strong story analysis and synthesis skills, with the ability to interpret qualitative data, identify patterns and tensions, and distinguish between what’s interesting and what impacts the learning
• Experience contributing to research design, proposals, and pitches

What we offer

In return we offer the opportunity to work with an ambitious, fast-growing insight agency and a team that cares deeply about delivering exceptional work.

You’ll have the opportunity to lead exciting research projects, develop strong client relationships, and play a key role in the continued growth of our US business. We also provide mentoring, a clear path for career development, and a supportive, collaborative culture.

About us!

• We make our own rules - we’re an independent insight agency based in the UK, this means we don’t answer to faceless shareholders. We do things our way and make our own rules (promoting at timings we see fit, not in a certain window in the year)
• We love our people - our employees are our main asset, without them, we don’t have a business.
• We’re international - we’ve attracted a diverse, international client base, working in over 60 markets
• We’re growing - we’re an ambitious company and consistently grow - and growth brings a lot of benefits (both culturally and presenting more opportunities for our team)
• We offer rapid career progression - we’re big believers in setting goals and helping our employees across all levels achieve them at a pace to suit them
• We strive to make Basis a fun place to work, day in day out, including an annual retreat
• We’re flexible - our team has a hybrid work schedule, balancing 3 days a week in our New York office with remote working

Salary Range Information

• Senior Manager: $110-120,000 annually + benefits
• Director: $130-$150,000 annually+ benefits