Research Director – Ad Effectiveness
Location: Newcastle (hybrid; typically 1 day per week in office).
Salary: £75,000–£85,000 + benefits (flexible working, standard pension/holiday).
The Company A UK-based research & insights consultancy (mid-sized) undergoing strong growth. They blend behavioural science, data analytics, and creative storytelling to help brands make better media and advertising decisions. The team operates across ad effectiveness, brand strategy, and audience insight, with an emphasis on evidence-based, innovative methods.
The Role This is a senior, hands-on leadership role owning the Ad Effectiveness & Media Research practice. You’ll balance methodology, client growth, and team leadership—designing, running, and elevating cross‑media measurement programmes that deliver clear, actionable outcomes.
Key Responsibilities: • Lead end-to-end ad effectiveness and media measurement projects across TV/AV, digital, social, and cross‑media.
• Define and evolve measurement frameworks (brand lift, attribution, MMM/MTA, attention/engagement metrics).
• Choose appropriate methods (quant, qual, mixed) and ensure outputs are narrative-led and commercially relevant.
• Partner with senior clients to translate results into strategy; lead debriefs, thought leadership, and POVs.
• Drive growth via proposal ownership, scoping, pricing, and pipeline development.
• Manage and mentor a team (c. 6–8 across SREs/Research Managers), raising standards in delivery and storytelling.
• Collaborate with Strategy/Marketing Effectiveness leads to develop new offers (e.g., cross‑media attribution, behavioural & emotional coding, AI-driven sentiment, biometrics).
Skills & Experience
Essential: • Proven expertise in Ad Effectiveness / Media Research (multi-channel campaigns; cross‑media desirable).
• Strong client leadership: leading pitches, complex debriefs, and C‑suite discussions.
• Advanced quantitative skills (survey design, experiment/brand lift design, stats basics) with comfort directing qual.
• Demonstrable commercial impact—growing accounts and shaping roadmaps.
• Team leadership (line management, coaching, QA of deliverables).
Desirable: • Experience with attention/biometric measures or AI‑led sentiment/creative diagnostics.
• Exposure to MMM/MTA or incrementality testing.
• Sector breadth across media, entertainment, consumer, or platforms.
Interview Process • Introductory (culture & fit).
• In‑person/virtual presentation: insight case study and discussion with senior stakeholders.
• Final stage: capability & leadership deep‑dive.
How to Apply Send your CV to Mohammed Buhariwala at Harnham or connect on LinkedIn to learn more.
Keywords Research Director, Ad Effectiveness, Media Measurement, Brand Lift, Cross‑Media, Incrementality, MMM, MTA, Attention, Biometrics, Survey Design, Insight Storytelling, Client Leadership, Team Management, Consultancy, London, Newcastle.