The Role
Lead a mixed-methods insights practice, spend ~50% of time selling and growing client accounts, manage and develop a team, design and synthesize qual/quant research using AI/NLP, craft boardroom-ready strategic stories, and run client workshops to drive commercial impact.
Summary Generated by Built In
The Director is a commercially-driven leadership role operating at the intersection of data, human behavior, and growth. Your mission is to raise the quality of client outputs through strategic insight, while spending ~50% of your time selling new engagements to both existing and new clients.
You will be the definitive voice that moves beyond reporting to activating strategy for C-level executives. Backgrounds in strategic planning or consulting are particularly beneficial. Internally, you lead a team, advance our methodologies, and embed a culture of strategic excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Growth & Sales Fronting (top priority, ~50% of role)
- Drive revenue by spending approximately half your time proactively selling new engagements to existing and new clients, meeting defined growth targets.
- Identify and close upsell opportunities (e.g., adding quant to qual, or vice versa) and uncover white space within your portfolio.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior clients, managing scope and guiding them through ambiguity to create commercial momentum.
Practice Leadership & Business Impact (includes running a team)
- Run and manage the team directly, including inspiring, coaching, and developing insights professionals into future strategic consultants.
- Oversee team management responsibilities such as performance, career development, and resource allocation.
- Champion excellence, guide project delivery, and shape market-facing thought leadership.
Strategic Insight Activation & Storytelling
- Design optimal mixed-method methodologies (qual/quant) to test business hypotheses.
- Synthesize complex data (qual, quant, behavioral) using consultative AI tools to uncover deeper truths.
- Craft boardroom-ready narratives with actionable commercial recommendations and creative frameworks.
- Design and facilitate client workshops across Innovation, Brand, and Experience to unlock new value.
Technical & Analytical Expertise
- Master integrated mixed-method research programs (surveys, segmentation, digital qual, communities).
- Leverage advanced tools (AI/NLP, proprietary platforms) for efficiency and deeper meaning.
Understanding Human Behavior
- Apply behavioral science and cultural context to fuel creative, commercially-viable brand strategies.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- 10+ years in research consultancy with clear revenue responsibilities and a track record of account growth via upselling. Background spanning qual and quant is essential. Strategic planning or consulting experience is highly beneficial.
- Strategic Vision & Critical Thinking
- Consulting/Planning Background (beneficial) – experience in strategic planning or consulting
- Executive Storytelling & Data Synthesis
- Client Leadership & Commercial Drive (hunter-farmer mentality)
- People & Team Management – proven ability to run a team
- Methodological & Behavioral Science Expertise
About
We're Human8, the human-driven consultancy, that connects brands with people and culture to drive positive change.Human8 is the coming-together of 10 game-changing agencies from around the world: InSites Consulting, Direction First, Columinate, eÿeka, Join the Dots, ABN Impact, Answer Global, Space Doctors, Gongos, and Happy Thinking People.We unite a creative, smart and ambitious group of 500+ people across 22 locations under one vision: making brands more human by better understanding people and culture, empowering brands to take action, and enhancing the lives of the people they serve.
Skills Required
- 10+ years in research consultancy with clear revenue responsibilities
- Proven track record of account growth via upselling and new business generation
- Background spanning qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Proven ability to run and develop a team (performance, career development, resource allocation)
- Experience designing mixed-methodology programs (surveys, segmentation, digital qual, communities)
- Expertise in executive storytelling, data synthesis, and crafting boardroom-ready recommendations
- Experience leveraging advanced tools including AI/NLP and proprietary research platforms
- Ability to design and facilitate client workshops across Innovation, Brand, and Experience
- Strategic vision, critical thinking, and knowledge of behavioral science and cultural insight application
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The Company
What We Do
We're Human8, the human-driven consultancy, that connects brands with people and culture to drive positive change. Human8 is the coming-together of 10 game-changing agencies from around the world: InSites Consulting, Direction First, Columinate, eÿeka, Join the Dots, ABN Impact, Answer Global, Space Doctors, Gongos, and Happy Thinking People. We unite a creative, smart and ambitious group of +900 people across 23 locations under one vision: making brands more human by better understanding people and culture, empowering brands to take action, and enhancing the lives of the people they serve. For more information, please visit www.wearehuman8.com!
