The client is hiring a Qualitative Research Lead to lead and evolve its qualitative capability and take ownership of how qualitative insight is delivered across the business. This is a pivotal role that will shape the qualitative function’s direction, extend its methodologies, and ensure insight meaningfully supports creative and strategic outputs.
Key responsibilities include leading end-to-end qualitative research across multiple sectors and designing and delivering projects such as ethnography, community research, and depth interviews. The role will bring advanced approaches into the team, develop compelling insight-led narratives for senior stakeholders, and act as a senior qualitative lead across key accounts. The lead will also collaborate with account and strategy teams to shape client work and support pitches, proposals, and growth opportunities.
The ideal candidate will have 8+ years of qualitative research experience, with agency-side experience strongly preferred, and be operating at Associate Director or Director level. They should have proven experience leading and developing a qualitative team, strong client-facing and stakeholder management capabilities, and a track record of delivering high-quality, commercially impactful insight. Differentiators include experience beyond traditional qualitative methods (such as ethnography, semiotics, and cultural/behavioral insight) and experience shaping or growing a qualitative function. The environment is fast-paced and creative, with close partnership between insight, creative, and strategy teams and high exposure to major consumer brands.