Director, Research and Strategy

Metalab ships products loved by billions of people. These products shape the way we work, live, and play. We're willing to bet you use multiple products we've had a hand in. We need your help crafting the next.

As a Director, Research Strategy, you’ll be a leader in helping evolve Metalab’s product strategy craft and capabilities. You’ll operate as a key contributor, leading and executing our most complex or specialized tracks of work, while developing the skill sets of those around you through mentorship and on-project coaching. You’ll work to establish a shared product vision and evidenced-based strategy for our client. You’ll balance multle priorities - finding yourself conducting research, defining a product vision and strategy on one project while also having responsibility for business and practice development. On any given day, you’re able to step up and lead or step back and evaluate how to best support your team.

As a member of the cross-disciplinary account leadership team, you will utilize your expertise to provide thought leadership and hands-on support to enable the creation of differentiated and valuable products. Your role will be critical to helping the team navigate complex environments, gaining buy-in on product direction from stakeholders of all levels and backgrounds, and shaping new opportunities for Metalab.

What you’ll do:

• Based on your understanding of a client’s business, market trends, and user research you will lead the shaping of product visions and strategies in partnership with project leads through the formulation and clear articulation of:
• Areas of opportunity and recommend areas of focus
• Product outcomes, objectives, and key metrics
• Value proposition for design concepts
• Product market fit
• Product differentiated capabilities
• Long-term horizon roadmaps
• Go-to-market and monetization approaches
• Build and maintain productive relationships with client stakeholders of all levels and internal project teams, setting direction for the team and keeping everyone laser-focused on solving the right problem at the right time through an outcome-driven approach to product definition, prioritization, and delivery
• Develop clear points of view on relevant topics that inform strategy development, clients’ thinking, and thought leadership
• Roll up your sleeves, get in the work, and provide guidance to several project teams simultaneously
• Serve on the leadership team for accounts and contribute to pitching and scoping of new engagements
• Travel to client sites on an as-needed basis

Requirements:

• Experience working in an agency-setting leading discovery and definition projects as a part of a cross-functional team
• Experience with growth, monetization, and go-to-market strategy creation
• Ability to grow key accounts
• Demonstrated experience partnering with and persuading client leadership of all levels utilizing all modes of communication (narrative, visual, workshopping, etc.)
• Expertise in generating insights and POVs based on market trends, quantitative and qualitative business data, and user research
• Ability to quickly understand, simplify, internalize, and communicate complex or technical concepts
• Experience leading and working with cross-functional teams in design, engineering, research, and brand
• Comfortable implementing new processes and assessing where to provide the most value on a project-by-project basis
• Experience in account management and growth, new business development, pitching, and scope creation
• Experience managing and mentoring team members who do not directly report to you
• Experience coaching cross-functional ICs within a research and/or strategy team