Research Director, YouGov Sport

Research Director, YouGov Sport

Melbourne OR Sydney, Australia

YouGov Sport Australia provides expertise on sports data, insights, and media evaluation. Since launching in 2018, we have quickly cemented ourselves as the preferred research provider for Australia’s premier sports organisations.

What separates us? By combining agile research and customer-centricity, we are able to adopt an insight-led approach to everything we do, and by being able to translate complex data into meaningful and actionable insights, we are able to reach engage a much wider audience and provide more value to our clients.

YouGov is looking for a dynamic, experienced and commercially minded Research Director to oversee the consumer research team within our sports division.

Reporting into the Head of Sport, APAC, you will be expected to lead the delivery, retention and growth of all YGS Consumer Research business, with full responsibility over the client base (including, but not limited to, leagues and clubs across the AFL, NRL, A-Leagues, Netball Australia, Rugby Australia, Cricket Australia and more). Furthermore you will be responsible for the day to day management of our YGS Consumer Research team whilst working with the Head of Sport, APAC and broader sports business to continue to grow and expand the business into new areas (including further expansion of brand clientele), organisations and regions.

In doing this, you will be leveraging a hybrid research approach involving the use of both existing syndicated data and bespoke research solutions, pull together actionable and meaningful insights and reporting for our clients. You will also work closely with YouGov Sport’s Media lead to provide integrated and seamless client reporting across both consumer research and media (for all relevant clients and projects).

You will have high levels of exposure to clients in-person via presenting, relationship building and developing their competency in utilising our tools, or even hot-desking onsite when required. In doing this you will be exposed to a variety of sports professionals and will have the opportunity to develop life-long professional and social networks within the industry.

Responsibilities

·       Research Design and implementation: Use your extensive research knowledge and experience to develop comprehensive research strategies and designs, utilising a broad range of research methodologies, that address clients’ objectives and required outcomes.

·       Project management: You will have overall responsibility to ensure the projects your team works on are completed on time and on budget, are accurate and meet the client’s requirements. This will involve advanced project planning, budgeting, delegation of responsibilities and co-ordination. You will be expected to be a ‘hands-on’ manager where you direct and guide as well as work along-side your team to deliver research projects.

·       Team and people management: Manage a team of researchers (currently 5 but with the desire to expand), coaching and mentoring them through key aspects of sport research projects and their broader career and personal development. You will be responsible for performance management and helping our team develop and strengthen their research skills. In doing this we are looking for someone who can lead by example, with the willingness to ‘get their hands dirty’ as required, but who can delegate tasks and manage workflows accordingly within their team, to allow you to be focused on mentoring team members, key account management, problem solving (internally and externally) and driving growth.

·       Data analysis and reporting: As required, you will analyse research results to identify key insights and trends. Undertake and/or direct advanced analysis techniques including segmentation, max-diff and multivariate regression. Prepare clear, accurate and compelling reports. Prepare and deliver convincing presentations to brief clients on the results and implications arising from research projects.

·       Account Management: You will work to develop close relationships with your client base to understand their needs, key personnel, advocate the best research practices for sports research projects, and provide relevant and useful insights from research. You will identify new opportunities to grow the revenue from existing and new clients.

·       Data Quality: You will be required to work with internal stakeholders and teams to continue to improve processes, in an ever-changing research environment where AI can bring due diligence efficiencies but equally can create challenges. You will be ultimately responsible for the quality of every output that leaves the sports consumer business and are comfortable with this level of responsibility, due to your extremely strong attention to detail and personal focus on quality and process.

·       New business development: You will be required to prepare detailed quotations and proposals including project costings and timelines in response to research briefs from your existing client base. You will also be required to collaborate with the New Business team to help pitch YouGov Sport’s consumer research offering and credentials, and support with scoping, costing and preparing proposals/presentations for new business discussions.

·       Maintain and develop expert knowledge of relevant methodologies and requirements for sport research.

·       Sport Growth: Work in parentship with Head of Sport, APAC and the sports team to drive the expansion of the YouGov Sport business into the broader APAC region. And in collaboration with the Sports team and broader YouGov business, continue to develop our sports data and research tools and be pro-active with new innovative ideas to further improve our processes and quality of work.

·       Marketing and PR: Work with both the marketing department and Sports team to drive marketing and PR activities to continue to build awareness for YouGov Sport in Australia and the broader APAC region, and position us at thought leaders and experts in Sport.

Required Skills

• Strong client relationship management skills

• Impeccable attention to detail

• Proactive problem-solving abilities

• Strong analytical mindset

• Strong desire to proactively seek out innovative ways to contribute to the client's growth

• Strong and professional communication skills

• Experience in people management

• A can-do, positive mindset no matter the day, type of work or challenge

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience conducting custom, primary market research projects. Sport experience strongly preferred

• Experience with proprietary tools/data

• Skilled in a wide variety of research techniques and client sectors (quantitative essential, qualitative a plus)

• Effective writing, time management, multitasking, communication, problem solving, and interpersonal skills

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field

• Proficiency in Excel, and PowerPoint

• Proficiency in Q Software

• Innovative mindset with demonstrated use of AI in the workplace

• Proven and extensive client growth / new business experience

• Passion for building and sustaining strong client relationships

• Effective oral and written communication skills

• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team

• Organizational skills and ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment

• Experience in managing a team

Why join YouGov?
Join our global team to help us achieve our social mission: to make millions of people’s opinions heard for the benefit of our local, national, and international communities.
Understanding diversity of opinion requires diversity of background. Although our global panel of millions of people worldwide powers our research, our biggest asset is our people. If our research is to be truly representative of what the world thinks, we need people from all walks of life to be part of the team to bring their perspective to the work we do. 
Life at YouGov
We are driven by a set of shared values. We are fast, fearless, and innovative. We work diligently to get it right. We are guided by accuracy, ethics, and proven methodologies. We respect and trust each other, bringing these values into everything that we do.
We strive to provide YouGovers with best-in-class benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. We want our employees to have a sense of belonging and uniqueness in a supportive workplace, so they can bring their full selves to work. 
 
Equal Opportunity Employer
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, HIV status, political affiliation, socioeconomic background, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or in line with our responsibilities as a fair and ethic employer. All employment decisions are made based on occupational qualifications, merit, and business need.

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