VP of Creative Analytics

Creative Analytics · Chicago, Illinois

Background

The Sound is a Global Exploration, Strategy and Innovation consulting agency dedicated to engaging brands with people. Understanding people is at the heart of everything we do. We deploy leading edge market research techniques and marketing models in order to solve client brand, marketing, communications and product challenges.

Made up of strategic researchers, brand experts, idea generators and cultural anthropologists, we're best known for providing our clients with the insight, inspiration and strategy needed to answer the brand challenges most important to their business.

Our offices are located in Chicago, London, and Vancouver and this role will ideally be hybrid located in our Chicago Office.

The Role

Our VP / Head of Creative Analytics (CA) is a visionary leader with the combined ability to lead consultative quantitative projects and have a proven track record of winning and building business. It requires extensive market research (preferably both quantitative and qualitative), brand strategy, and innovation experience to drive our business growth, team expansion and development within our Creative Analytics team.

The VP is critical to the success of the CA team and has a revenue target, people leadership and project responsibilities across the research process lifecycle. We are in search of someone who thinks creatively at every stage – vision/proposal, crafting the approach, capturing, structuring team development, analyzing and using data to tell human stories that impact the client’s business.

We’re looking for a candidate with an entrepreneur spirit to solve issues, create value, maximize growth and improve business performance. They will be a recognized expert, knowledgeable in multiple client sectors, with strong business development capabilities and extensive industry/market connections.

Someone who is insanely curious about people; highly experienced in solving brand strategy, innovation and marketing challenges. They must be a truth-seeking detective – where data (numbers, text, images and more) are the clues that spark inspiration and creativity, from which we uncover stories and solve problems. Constantly learning and developing is a big part of who we are at The Sound and we need a proven mentor driven with a growth mindset to help our organization develop junior consultants in various specialist skills.

Whether we’re designing innovative surveys reaching thousands of people or designing provocative approaches to gather qualitative data from an individual, it all originates with people -- their behaviors, beliefs, motivations and voices. Above all, this is a role for someone who wants to roll-up their sleeves and jump-in to be a driving force in making things happen.

About you…

Visionary and Courageous...take the lead

• articulate a clear, compelling vision for the department’s future that inspires
• has the capacity to lead, think entrepreneurially, thrive through disruption, and have the courage to think of innovative ways to support their team achieve organizational goals

Challengers & Contrarians...we’ve saved you a seat

• approach all data – numeric, text, voice, visual – as analytic opportunities
• like to challenge the status quo of market research and consumer insights

Intrepid and Ingenious…seeks force of nature

• think creatively at every stage -- crafting the approach, capturing data, analyzing data and telling human stories that impact the client’s business
• can connect the dots between disparate data sources and adjacent categories

Smart, curious, cheeky and humble…seeks like-minded to change the world

• contribute smart as f*ck thinking and support to colleagues on other projects, proposals and business development
• are self-motivated and can advance multiple projects despite ambiguity or minimal guidance

Key criteria to be considered for this role…

• Demonstrated ability of gaining the attention and trust of senior-level clients through building and winning business
• Skilled in building relationships with clients, understanding their unique business needs and creating solutions that will help them win in the marketplace
• Ability to craft analytic plans based on client objectives, carry out those analyses and confidently present elevated, story-driven narratives to senior stakeholders
• Practiced and fully comfortable with standard brand and communications management thinking, models, and strategic tools: Brand structures and models, positioning vs. purpose, creative strategy vs. execution, etc.
• An accomplished presenter/storyteller who consistently demonstrates a strongunderstanding of the strategic issues.
• Deep experience developing creative custom quantitative surveys
• Able to build and lead a team based on a belief in the importance of people management and development
• Experience with direct people management, including fostering timely two-way feedback, mentoring staff for their development and evaluating performance
• Growth mindset with a dual focus on internal excellence and client relationship/business development
• Experienced in and understand working within a global (or multi-office) system.
• Highly curious about the world and the people in it, strongly collaborative and deeplycourageous in the face of change
• Strong commitment to diversity and interested in initiatives such as targeted recruitment, internal mentoring and diversity networks to support people from marginalized groups.

MUST haves:

• 15 years’ experience in a primary research capacity within a research supplier or consultancy
• At least 6 years in a senior leadership role on the agency side managing a team
• Expertise across a range of custom quantitative methodologies (i.e., segmentation, branding studies, positioning work, A&Us, tracking research, etc.)
• Hands-on experience in the research lifecycle: proposals, designing questionnaires, programming, running banners and tabs, building reports and deliverables
• Ability to lead, mentor, and motivate a team, while also remaining hands-on with research, client engagement, and proactive business development
• Demonstrated experience uncovering insights and developing actionable strategies for clients
• Advanced degree in research, psychology, statistics, math, or a related field
• Strong “R” methodology skillset
• Advanced STEM degree

Working at The Sound

The VP role comes with a competitive salary of $190,000 - $220,000 (dependent on experience).

This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation range listed above. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location. This role might also be eligible for a commission or performance-based bonus opportunities.

For all your awesome skills, we reward our team members with…

• A Total Rewards Package, which includes a competitive base salary (above) PLUS…
• A healthy work/life integration – office closures during the following:
  • 10 holidays; Winter Break; Summer Fridays; 4-day Company retreat
• Leave benefits tailored to your needs:
  • 4 weeks’ vacation leave; 2 weeks’ sick leave; 4-weeks’ sabbatical leave every 5 years; Generous gender-neutral parental leave
• Health Benefits at $1 for all plans (i.e. even the UHC $250 deductible PPO)
• 100% Company premium paid - Dental, Vision, STD, LTD, Life, Travel Insurance
• Flexible Spending, Health Spending, Dependent care and Transit programs
• Retirement match program
• Cell phone allowance
• Caregiver Program; Adoption Assistance program
• Tuition Reimbursement/Continuing Education program; Internal training and development 
• Hybrid-work position - With a flexible work schedule, you can hit the gym, catch your kid's big game, take your fur baby for a walk, or meet with friends for an extended lunch – we treat you like a grown-up!

Disclosure

Non-Discrimination Disclosure: We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or any other status or class protected by applicable law. We apply this policy to recruiting, hiring, training, testing, compensation, promotion, transfer, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

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