Research Director

About WPP Media

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. With exceptional talent, trusted data and intelligence, and world-class partnerships – all united by our pioneering agentic marketing platform, WPP Open – we help clients navigate change, capture opportunity, and deliver transformational growth. 

WPP Media is WPP's AI-driven media operating unit, bringing together media, data, and partnerships to deliver creative personalisation at scale. Connected through WPP Open and powered by Open Intelligence, clients see exactly where, how, and why their media investment is working.

For more information, visit wppmedia.com.

At WPP Media, we are the global media collective of WPP, fully built for the AI era. We unite the best platform, the most talented people, and the strongest partners to create innovative solutions. Our goal? To offer brands unparalleled growth every day. This foundation is rooted in our shared core values:

We’re Extraordinary: We push boundaries, challenge conventional thinking, and break the status quo in our pursuit of innovation and growth.

We’re Open: We build trust and understanding by collaborating seamlessly—with our teams, clients, and partners.

We’re Optimistic: A 'growth mindset' is in our DNA. We embrace change as the ultimate way to bring out the best in ourselves.

At WPP Media, we are looking for an experienced Research Director with over eight years of experience in market research and consulting, commercially leading complex accounts, research projects and teams. This role involves strategically overseeing research execution, proactively developing and implementing AI-driven methodologies to maintain market leadership, and fostering innovation within the research portfolio. You will also act as a thought leader, an ambassador for the organization, and a mentor for junior staff.

Operating within the Client Strategy organization's Culture & Insights team, you contribute to Vision 2030 for the Dutch market by integrating best-in-class platforms, people, and partners for innovative solutions and brand growth. The Research team, is a capability team which blends scientific excellence with detail oriented, open-minded analytical pragmatists into trusted advisors fusing the best of WPP Media for our clients.

Your key responsibilities:

• Strategic Commercial Development of Research Programs: You will lead the commercial development of research projects, with a primary focus on securing and managing more complex and/or larger accounts. This involves identifying new business opportunities, crafting bespoke research proposals, negotiating contracts, and ensuring the successful onboarding and ongoing satisfaction of key clients, thereby driving our Research revenue growth.

• Project and Portfolio Leadership & Quality Assurance: You will oversee the end-to-end design and execution of a diverse portfolio of research projects. This includes establishing and upholding stringent scientific rigor and methodological quality standards, ensuring all research outputs are robust, reliable, and actionable. The role guarantees strict alignment with both specific client objectives and the broader strategic goals of WPP Media, delivering impactful insights that drive client success.

• Stakeholder Management & Commercial Growth: You will proactively build, nurture, and manage strong, collaborative relationships with key internal stakeholders across various departments, including Client Leadership, Strategy, and Growth teams. The objective is to identify emerging commercial opportunities, translate client needs into viable research projects, and actively contribute to the development and execution of strategic growth plans for the organization.

• AI-Driven Research Innovation: You will take a leading role in the exploration, development, and practical implementation of cutting-edge AI-driven research methodologies. This involves close collaboration with internal expert teams (e.g., OMA, Choreograph) and external vendors to leverage advanced analytics and machine learning. The ultimate goal is to significantly maximize the quality, depth, and predictive power of insights, ensuring WPP Media remains a frontrunner and innovator in the market.

• Methodology & Product Portfolio Development: You will play a pivotal role in the continuous development and implementation of new, innovative research methodologies and tools. This responsibility extends to enhancing the existing WPP Media Research product portfolio, ensuring it remains competitive, scalable, and capable of addressing evolving market demands. The aim is to foster continuous innovation and efficiency across all research offerings.

• Strategic Communication & Client Advisory: You will possess the expertise and confidence to strategically challenge clients' assumptions and briefs, guiding them towards optimal research solutions. This role involves developing compelling narratives and crafting impactful presentations that effectively communicate complex research proposals, findings, and strategic recommendations to diverse internal and external audiences, including senior executive leadership.

• Coaching & Talent Development: You will actively mentor, coach, and guide junior research staff, including Research Managers and Research Specialists. This encompasses providing constructive feedback, fostering skill development, sharing best practices, and supporting their professional growth within the organization, thereby building a strong, capable, and motivated research team.

As a true ambassador of WPP Media's values, your strongest skills to make a difference are:

• Creating a client focus: You proactively understand client and stakeholder needs and their wider context through active listening and clarification, take adaptive action in response, and responsibly escalate issues, including resource limitations, to leadership to protect their wellbeing.

• Nurturing talent: You actively seek and utilize development opportunities, proactively share knowledge and expertise, provide constructive feedback to peers, and act as a mentor.

• Making it happen: You effectively execute team plans and strategies to a high standard, prioritize work by focusing on the most important tasks, and promptly identify and proactively seek solutions for existing or potential blockers.

• Fostering Innovation: You demonstrate strong critical thinking, seeking external benchmarks for best practices, and openly embracing change and new ideas, actively participating in initiatives to disrupt established ways of working and thinking to foster innovation.

• Displaying a growth mindset: You recognize personal strengths and development needs, set improvement goals, view challenges as learning opportunities with resilience, demonstrate curiosity about the business and industry, and maintain awareness of best practices to remain highly skilled.

What do we offer?

• Flexibility: The option to work from home, flexible working hours, and even work from abroad (EU).

• Growth Opportunities: Plenty of room for development in an innovative and dynamic team, with a focus on AI transformation.

• Access to M Academy: For extensive training and workshops in both hard and soft skills, including specific AI training.

• Mental Wellbeing: Access to the Headspace app.

• A competitive salary

• Holiday Pay: 8% holiday pay and 26 vacation days per year (plus the option to buy 9 extra!).

• Hybrid Working Allowance: €30 net per month for full-time employment.

• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): You'll receive a monthly phone allowance of €57.50 net.

• Lunch Facilities: Affordable lunch in our canteen and a barista for fresh coffee in our state-of-the-art 'Amsteldok' office with a stunning view over Amsterdam.

• Health Insurance: Benefit from our collective health insurance plan.

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