Senior Market Research Manager (Intelligence)

The Senior Manager, Market Intelligence plays a pivotal role by leading the planning, design, prioritization, and execution of strategic, brand, customer, and product-level market research initiatives to deliver critical insights into business decisions that support marketing strategies and customer satisfaction and loyalty. This position works consultatively with cross-functional business teams, to define key challenges and information gaps, and proactively identify options to meet those needs. In this role, you will be leading complex market research projects, including supervision of external companies hired to support each project, as well as serving as quarterback of the internal cross-functional teams. This role supports all U.S. commercial businesses, including Pharmaceuticals, IV Therapy, BioPharma, MedTech/Blood Collection/TCT, Nutrition, and Corporate Communications.

As a leader within the Market Intelligence team, you will be responsible for driving projects that provide critical insights into strategic decisions and investments that fuel growth of our portfolio in both existing and new segments and channels. The employee must be able to successfully design, coordinate and lead each project, in a matrix organizational environment. The ideal employee must be able to work independently, prioritize issues, deal with ambiguity while balancing the need for data-driven decisions, and manage competing deadlines. Preference will be given to candidates that have experience in both market research and healthcare (drugs and/or medical devices).

This is a hybrid position, and the selected candidate will be required to work onsite in the Lake Zurich, Illinois office 3 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the subject matter expert in primary and secondary market research methodologies, recommending and leading research approaches that support key business decisions, including stakeholder journey, concept testing, segmentation, positioning, messaging, pricing, and customer satisfaction studies.
• Lead the identification, prioritization, and planning of market research initiatives across the organization, ensuring alignment with business objectives and effective allocation of resources.
• Lead complex market research projects involving multiple stakeholders and workstreams, translating insights into actionable recommendations and delivering clear, impactful reporting to support strategic decision-making.
• Develop comprehensive plans, and budgets, while managing resources and trade-offs to deliver actionable insights that meet business needs on time and within budget.
• Maintain the searchable business-facing market research report archive; maintain full project files to satisfy audit, code of conduct, and regulatory requirements.
• Proactively create a culture of collaboration within each project team for both internal and external stakeholders. If needed, mentor team members that may be new to market research.
• Serve as a leader within the department as the subject matter expert on procurement and regulatory processes with cross-functional partners (Purchasing, Compliance, Legal) to ensure compliance with Fresenius Kabi processes, work instructions, and SOPs.
• Contribute to the annual Situational Analysis by providing customer and market insights that inform strategic planning and business decision-making, in partnership with the Market Intelligence team.
• Proactively seek out and evaluates new market research firms, data sources, tools, and analytics to help improve the department’s processes and techniques. Collaborate with Fresenius Kabi Procurement to optimize which firms are renewed for MSA’s annually.
• Effectively analyze and distill complex data and research to inform decisions and communicate effectively.
• Collaborate and regularly share findings of key projects to US Marketing Leadership teams and Business Units.
• Cover and report market intelligence insights in areas assigned by department leader.
• Support Fresenius Kabi continuous improvement initiatives to maximize performance and improve process, quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Create and maintain a comprehensive insights information-sharing framework and project archive.
• Completes all training requirements, including all department-specific, compliance training, etc.
• Participates in any and all reasonable work activities as assigned by management.
• All employees are responsible for ensuring the compliance to company documents, programs and activities related to the Health, Safety, Environment, Energy, and Quality Management Systems, as per your roles and responsibilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree [Graduate degree preferred (e.g., MBA, Finance, Strategy, Leadership, DBA) and PharmD preferred].
• 10 years related experience in the US healthcare industry (2 years of experience in US healthcare market research is preferred).
• Experience in the US Pharmaceuticals, Nutrition, hospital business, or MedTech business is preferred.
• Track record of success, including management of research or market intelligence projects and including management of multiple large-scale projects
• Experience in and/or ability to analyze and synthesize secondary data sources for market research.
• Superior interpersonal and leadership skills with the ability to manage cross-functional teams.
• Effective communication, negotiation and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail required.
• Aptitude to drive results in a matrix organization and influence others over whom you do not have direct authority.
• Strong achievement orientation with creative problem solving and innovative mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects with solid project management and time management skills.
• Capacity to make key -decisions with limited manager oversight.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Ability to manage all research and intelligence activities to ensure compliance within all federal, state, industry and Fresenius guidelines, codes of conduct, and regulations.
• Record of accomplishment of strategic impact in an insights role, product marketing role, or strategic planning role.
• Experience in insights analysis, synthesis, and communication using primary and secondary sources.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills across functions and businesses.
• Excellent communication and presentation capabilities.
• Creative problem-solving skills, aptitude to foresee, detect, and troubleshoot operational risks.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross functionally in a matrix environment, and coordinate and influence people and teams to optimally identify answers to complex questions, while maintaining collaboration across all team members.
• Effective communication (verbal and written) and solid presentation skills.
• Ability to maintain complete confidentiality and discretion in business relationships and exercise sound business judgment.
• Ability and willingness to travel (via public transportation: air/auto) approximately 10% based on business need; may require overnight travel.
• Ability to work flexible hours and weekends to meet business/customer needs.
• The Company’s primary business language is English. The successful candidate must be able to effectively speak, read, write, and understand English to perform the essential functions of the position, including independently understanding policies, procedures, training materials, and workplace communications written in English due to our heavily regulated work environment.

Additional Information

Salary Range: $135,000 - $150,000 per year

Position is eligible to participate in a bonus plan with a target of 14% of the base salary. Final pay determinations will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to experience level, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Our benefits and programs are comprehensive and thoughtfully crafted to ensure our colleagues live healthy lives and have support when it matters most.

We offer an excellent salary and benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage, as well as life insurance, disability, 401K with company contribution, and wellness program.

Please note that joining our team does not create a guaranteed or permanent employment arrangement. All employment is at‑will, meaning both the employee and Fresenius Kabi have the right to end the employment relationship at any time, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.

Fresenius Kabi is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, disabilities, or protected veteran status.