Director, Market Research

I.   POSITION SUMMARY: The Director, Market Research, is responsible for providing a high level of evidence-based, strategic guidance for brand and senior management on assigned brands and therapeutic areas.  Through the direction of primary and secondary market research, competitive intelligence and business analyses, the Director ensures that marketing and business decision-making is supported by timely, accurate and cost-effective data and analysis.  The Director also maintains a vigilant watch over the health of his/her assigned brands, alerting brand management and corporate executives of emerging opportunities and threats, as discerned through insightful integration of the array of marketplace data and competitive intelligence at his/her disposal.  His/her expertise is respected and sought by all levels of management throughout the organization, and he/she is a participant in all discussions on assigned brand and therapeutic market strategy development.

 

II. PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Maintains a comprehensive and current understanding of relevant therapeutic markets, ensuring that this understanding is effectively utilized to deliver prognostic insights to brand management and senior executives throughout the organization. 
Leads market research department interactions with assigned brand teams, whether or not he/she is the main point-of-contact on a day to day basis.  In this way, the Director ensures not only that needed market research data and intelligence is available for decision-making, but that it is fully understood and utilized as well.
Leads the development and management of an annual market research plan and budget for assigned brands.
Leads the effective implementation of the market research plan, ensuring that each project is conducted according to proper procedures and meets marketing and business decision-making needs.
Manages assigned staff to optimize current performance and ensure development of needed skills and capabilities for the future. 

 

III. ADDITIONAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leads departmental initiatives aimed at improving market research procedures and methodologies as required.
Teams with other members of the market research department on special projects related to specific business issues or cross-product initiatives, providing leadership on these projects as needed.

 

IV. POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Bachelors degree required.  Advanced degree in a relevant area is desirable, but not necessary.

 

Experience:

The Director will have at least 10 years of pharmaceutical industry work experience, including at least 5 years experience in market research.  Experience in pharmaceutical product management or other marketing function is desirable, but not necessary.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The Director, Market Research, must be fluent in the use of a wide range of secondary data sources including, but not limited to: standard sales, prescription, medical, and promotional audits, as well as general business and pharmaceutical industry sources of intelligence.  He/she must also be well versed and experienced in the design and conduct of a broad array of primary market research approaches?both quantitative and qualitative?of all degrees of sophistication. 

 

In addition, the Director is expected to possess a thorough grasp of his/her assigned therapeutic areas (medical practice, products, competitors and market dynamics) as well as a broad  understanding of US healthcare and pharmaceutical industry issues and trends, which he/she routinely integrates into strategies for assigned brands.  A highly developed ability to frame and communicate issues in strategic terms, excellent consultative skills and good business sense is required.

 

V.  SCOPE OF POSITION:

Supervision Received:

The Director, Market Research, reports to a Senior Director of Market Research.  The Director independently sets direction for all efforts in designated business area, ensuring alignment with the vision and goals of the market research department and the larger organization. 

 

Supervision Exercised:

The Director, Market Research, may be responsible for a group of as many as 5 to 8.  This staff could include professionals with a range of titles from Assistant, Market Research, to Senior Manager, Market Research.  The Director may also be responsible for an administrative assistant. 

 

Scope of Responsibility:

The work of the Director, Market Research, is depended upon by marketing and business executives to guide both strategic and tactical decision-making for the brand.  Inasmuch as these decisions can have large financial implications for the company, the value of the analyses and insights generated by the Director can be considerable.

 

On behalf of the brand team, the Director takes responsibility for the brand market research budget.  Depending on the assigned brands, this budget may total more than $3-4 million.  Typically, the Director will be responsible for more than one brand.