Research Director (Sports Group)
At SSRS, the work we do has an impact. We give people the chance to be heard by conducting quantitative and qualitative research on a variety of topics including current events, health care, customer satisfaction, politics, media usage, sports, and more.
Our team of critical thinkers has genuine enthusiasm for our work and a shared goal to connect people through research. We get excited about the inherent problem solving involved in survey-based research, and our process fosters transparency through collaboration.
Within SSRS is The Sports Group. The Sports Group is a small team within SSRS focused on research, analysis, and strategic consulting for our sports and entertainment clients. We created the first syndicated research on sports fans in 1994 (the ESPN Sports Poll) and work with the largest leagues, media companies, teams, and sponsors to help them understand and build their fan bases for the future.
The Sports Team’s work involves collecting research, analyzing trends, and sharing intelligence to help our partners grow their businesses. Team members need to be strong problem solvers and storytellers to communicate solutions to clients. They are also encouraged to develop new lines of intelligence on their own. Every day offers something new, so flexibility and creativity are critical parts of the job.
Our team is looking for a Research Director (RD), a position responsible for implementation of projects from study inception through delivery of final data to the client, providing critical day-to-day management of studies and analytical support. The RD plays a key role in our work and assists with the analysis and reporting of data from our sports studies, creation of deliverables, and responding to client inquiries. We’re looking for someone with 7-10+ years of relevant experience, or advanced education. A sense of humor, organizational skills, and a love of all things data would be great, too.
Ideal candidates are based in our Glen Mills, PA office but remote work is a possibility for the right candidate.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with AE/VP in growing client’s business
- Train and mentor Project Directors
- Take ownership of projects under their direction
- Understand and execute overall project goals and objectives
- Prepare RFQs and proposals for clients
- Manage client relationship/ongoing communications
- Participate in study design
- Run pre/post study meetings and internal project team meetings
- Design questionnaires
- Review final questionnaires/ programs to make sure client goals are being met
- Optimize sample allocation to meet project goals/response rate commitments
- Oversee project pre-test and finalize pre-test memos
- Review and create project datafile specifications (e.g., created variables, crosstabulation needs)
- Review internal/client project updates and determine course of action, if needed
- Check complex SPSS files and review complex tables
- Weight data/review weighting procedures
- Finalize methodology reports
- Provide high-end analytic reports
- Review final client deliverables
- Monitor costs against budget
- Assist in preparation of papers for presentations/white papers to be used for promotional purposes and marketing
- Other duties as the needs of the business dictate
Position Requirements:
- Master’s degree in marketing, social science, business or equivalent combination of education and work experience
- Ability to problem solve/critical thinking
- Professional attitude and strong interpersonal skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft products, particularly Excel
- Proficiency with SSPS
- Ability to lead and direct cross functional project teams
- Organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects while preserving attention to detail
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Our goal is to promote diversity, creativity, and flexibility across our teams while strengthening problem-solving abilities and collaboration.
Ready to be part of something bigger? Apply today to join the team that is redefining research to impact positive change.
