Associate Director

Introduction to i to i research

Since Chief Executive Claire Spencer founded i to i research six years ago, the company’s specialism has evolved considerably from the initial focus on evaluating public relations to the present focus on evaluating all disciplines and channels deployed in increasingly integrated communications campaigns. That said, the past and present of i to i is united by an evaluation model that draws heavily upon quantitative research methodology. Evaluating communication in terms of its impact and influence on a given target audience ultimately requires primary research amongst this target audience. Even if our evaluations tend to draw upon a range of information sources, at its very core i to i research is about research based evaluations of communications. At present, there are two sides to the business, both of which relate to this:

1. A commercial side focusing on evaluation of brand communications for clients such as British Gas, P&G, Danone, Merck, Philips, Rolex etc
2. A less commercial, more broadly focused side, which carries out work for government clients and their subcontractors.

Following a comprehensive overhaul of our evaluation methodology, company capabilities presentation, collaterals – new website is in the pipeline – etc, the commercial side is about to embark on a new business drive, which will leverage the aforementioned specialism. In this context, it should be mentioned that i to i together with Publicis, with whom we occasionally work, have been commissioned by the IPA to write the next report in the dataMINE series, which will be a comprehensive interrogation of the practice of holistic communication and its effectiveness. Once complete, this work and the publicity it will generate will significantly boost the new business effort. The less commercial side of the business is expected to benefit in the short to medium term from a number of conferences at which Claire Spencer is scheduled to speak. On the back of the conference activity, a new business drive on this side of the business is currently under way.

Candidate profile

• An ambitious self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• A naturally confident presenter who would cherish more exposure to existing and prospective clients.
• A probing analyst, an excellent narrator and a competent user of PowerPoint.
• An entrepreneur motivated by being able to financially share in the company’s growth and future success.
• Someone who has an interest in brand communications and current affairs.
• Someone who would like to work by the river in SW14 (easy access to Waterloo, main arterial roads).

Summary

Reporting to and working directly with the CEO, the Associate Director’s responsibilities fall into the following categories:

• Primary responsibility for day-to-day project management of key accounts, including oversight of client relationship.
• Involvement in development of new business as well as growth of existing accounts.
• Line management of Senior Research Executives and/or Research Executives.
• Shared/partial responsibility for other company administration.

Project responsibilities

• Coordinate research projects from start to finish:
• Plan and set up research for marketing communications campaign evaluations, including obtaining quotes from market research providers, developing questionnaire, and scheduling and setting budget.
• Supervise data collection by field agencies and coordinate with provider on data processing needs and specifications.
• Manage project budget and timeline, including invoicing, monthly forecasting of fee income, oversight of vendor payment, tracking expenses, ensuring profitability and time management.
• Analyse media coverage and coordinate media audit.
• Analyse data using cross-tabs and statistical packages to derive diagnostic insights.
• Develop deeper, applicable insights into client’s communications.
• Prepare and present reports summarising findings, insights and recommendations.
• Where applicable, manage aggregation of research findings and “holistic learnings” for application to client’s business.

New business responsibilities

• Background research on prospects and development of strategy for approach.
• Development of credentials, customising for presentations where appropriate.
• Liaising with and nurturing relationships with prospects.
• Developing proposals and designing research to meet prospects’ needs.
• Occasional attendance of conferences/exhibitions.

Account management responsibilities

• Work with client(s) to plan communications research, providing direction in research design, programmes/channels to be evaluated, and budget maximisation.
• Liaise with client(s) regularly regarding progress and application of research.  Nurture client relationship through meetings, presentations and other interactions with a view to identifying news ways of developing/growing the account.

Line management responsibilities

As appropriate, an Associate Director may be responsible for line management of one or more junior team members (typically Senior Research Executives or Research Executives).  As part of ensuring a smooth career progression, the AD would take responsibility for day-to-day as well as annual training needs, managing workloads and conducting performance reviews/delivery professional feedback.

Requirements

• Minimum five years experience in traditional (largely quantitative) marketing research.
• At least two years experience managing projects. 
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage relationships with clients.
• Familiarity with marketing channels and functions, especially communications.
• Superior proficiency in Excel and familiarity with statistical packages such as SPSS.