Senior Manager - Qualitative Research Strategist

At a glance

Who: A strategic qualitative researcher with 5-7 years of strategic research experience across a range of project objectives (i.e., exploratory, illumination, brand strategy, innovation)

What: Lead small and mid-sized qual research projects from start to finish

When: Hiring immediately to support business expansion

Where: Based in Chicago or the Chicagoland area (Hybrid/In-office)

Office Environment: Collaborative, entrepreneurial, and people focused

Salary: $85,000–$100,000 (est. base depending on role)

If you're ready to join a team that values people, creativity, and the power of understanding clients’ audiences to impact their business outcomes, we want to hear from you!

What we’re looking for

We’re seeking a strategic and collaborative qualitative research consultant to join our Chicago team as a Senior Manager, Qualitative Research Strategist. This role has exposure to a wide range of projects that leverage qualitative research including exploratory, illumination, brand strategy and innovation.  You’ll partner with clients from major brands across industries incl. CPG, Tech, Retail, Alcohol, Sports and more.

So, if you’re passionate about deeply understanding people in service of helping brands thrive and grow, you’re in the right place!

What you’ll be doing

Taking ownership of small to mid-sized qualitative projects from start to finish with a strong focus on qual best practice, insights laddering, narrative writing, timing and budget.

Thinking strategically and creatively at every stage -- including designing impactful screeners and guides, delivering high-level moderation across a range of methodologies, and crafting human-centered stories that deliver against client objectives and outcomes.

Managing and setting expectations and goals for internal project teams while holding them accountable for success, including collaboration with Directors/VPs as well as Managers and the Project Management team.

Building strong client relationships, both on projects and from a business development perspective.

What you’ll need

At least 5-7 years of "boots on the ground" qualitative research practitioner experience at a research consultancy and/or as a strategist in an agency working with corporate clients.

Independently manage projects, oversee daily client interactions, and assume full accountability for project success without requiring extensive senior support.

Strong proficiency in managing and implementing a variety of qualitative research methods, such as online and in-person discussions, digital diaries, in-home ethnographies and shop-alongs. 

Experience conducting qualitative research across a range of objectives such as segment illumination, category understanding, brand strategy and positioning development, creative development.

Sharp strategic skills and a keen understanding of how insights from research can be used to impact clients’ business outcomes.

Excellent writing skills are an absolute must as compelling and impactful storytelling is essential to the work we do.  It’s not enough to be able to “speak” a compelling story, you must know how to express your brilliant thinking in writing, too.

Ideally, experience identifying the 4Cs (Consumer, Company, Category, Culture) in service of developing dig sites to drive innovation workshops.

Experience with desk research and data re-mining.

Exposure to AI for information gathering as well as qualitative research methods that leverage AI (e.g. AI moderation).

Relevant formal education that’s provided the foundational knowledge and structured systems necessary for the critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential to this role.

Who this role is for

Smart as f*ck people who:

Have a passion for developing innovative solutions to solve complex business challenges.

Think ‘we’, not ‘me’. 

Thrive in fast-paced, strategic collaboration with clients and colleagues.

Self-motivated and can drive project success despite ambiguity.

Have we piqued your curiosity?

Sound like the role for you? We’d love to hear from you! Even if you’re not 100% sure about potential fit, we still encourage you to apply. We’re looking for the right person, not the perfect series of checkboxes.

Working at The Sound

We offer a market-competitive salary anticipated around $85,000 - $100,000 base (dependent on experience and role). Actual salaries will vary depending on a qualified role, candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location.

For all your awesome skills, we reward our team members with…

A Total Rewards Package which includes a competitive base salary (above) PLUS…

A healthy work/life integration – office closures during the following:

13 holidays; Winter Break; Summer Fridays; 4-day Company retreat

Leave benefits tailored to your needs:

4 weeks’ vacation leave; 2 weeks’ sick leave; sabbatical leave every 5 years

Health Benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD, Life, EAP

Flexible Spending, Health Spending, Dependent care and Transit programs

Retirement match program; Cell phone reimbursement program; Travel Insurance

Gender-neutral parental leave, Adoption Assistance program and Caregiver Program

Tuition Reimbursement/Continuing Education program, Internal development opportunities, Sponsorship of the Marketing Mini-MBA

Constant acknowledgment of your performance with shout-outs, bonus incentives, and recognition along the way!

Hybrid-work position - With a flexible work schedule, you can hit the gym, catch your kid's big game, take your fur baby for a walk, or meet with friends for an extended lunch – we treat you like a grown-up!

Who we are

The Sound is a Global Exploration, Strategy, and Innovation consulting agency dedicated to engaging brands with people. Understanding people is at the heart of everything we do.

We collaborate with the world's most recognized and beloved brands, both large and small, to overcome their most significant obstacles. We’re fortunate to tackle incredible and varied assignments—the kind that challenge your abilities, expand your thinking, and cultivate your creativity. 

To solve client challenges related to brand, marketing, communications, and product development, we utilize cutting-edge market research methodologies and marketing models. When our efforts align, the results are tangible business outcomes. Our clients truly value us as partners in their success and are just as pleasant, engaging, and enjoyable to collaborate with as we are.

The team you’ll be working with is an awesome collection of brilliant minds and wonderful spirits. (The hyperbole here is warranted!).  No two people on our team are the same; we delight in the diversity of personalities, perspectives, experience, and expertise across the team.  It’s why magic happens here at The Sound.

Behind the scenes

EEO:  The Sound values DEI and is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a workforce that reflects the spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and abilities of the world we live in. We recognize that our differences make us strong, and we actively seek out diverse candidates through partnerships with organizations, institutions and communities that represent various backgrounds. We champion belonging and inclusion for all identities, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, ability status, gender, and country of origin, striving to create a culture where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.

AI Use: We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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