Market Intelligence Director

Wolverine Worldwide•Rockford, MI

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Market Intelligence leads and advances the organization’s market intelligence capability, transforming complex market, consumer, competitive, retailer, and business data into actionable insights that inform strategic decision-making. Serving as a strategic thought partner to senior leadership and cross-functional teams, this role provides an objective view of the external marketplace and helps the organization understand brand performance, market changes, and future growth opportunities. The Director synthesizes syndicated market data, consumer research, competitive intelligence, retailer performance, and industry trends to identify business implications and shape brand, commercial, and enterprise strategy. The role also leads the development and adoption of the organization’s proprietary AI-powered Market Intelligence Agent, oversees market intelligence tools and syndicated data, and develops scalable processes, tools, and dashboards. The position works across Strategy, Product, Sales, Marketing, Consumer Insights, and senior leadership; manages relationships with external data providers and industry experts; and helps build organizational capability to interpret marketplace data. It is a hybrid role with three days in the office, in an open-office environment. Some travel may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Market Research, Statistics, or Finance, or equivalent experience.
At least 8 years of relevant market intelligence/data analysis experience or corporate strategy experience, on the client or vendor side.
Demonstrated ability to use big data to influence decision-making, with a passion for business reporting and analytics.
Strong analytical skills and ability to translate research findings into actionable insights and recommendations.
Experience running correlation and statistical analyses, building multivariate regression analyses, and developing pricing models.
Ability to develop reports and presentations that provide a compelling perspective on key business challenges.
Ability to develop strong relationships with business partners and cross-functional team members.
Experience successfully managing and coaching direct reports.
Ability to influence and lead within the organization as a market intelligence expert.
Experience advising senior leaders on strategic issues.
Strong communication and presentation skills.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency in data visualization and statistical computing tools.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, including PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.

Responsibilities

Develop a comprehensive view of market performance across key categories, brands, channels, retailers, and consumer segments.
Monitor market size, growth, share, pricing, distribution, and other key performance indicators.
Identify emerging trends, growth opportunities, competitive threats, and shifts in consumer behavior.
Translate complex marketplace data into business implications and strategic recommendations.
Monitor competitor performance, earnings, strategic initiatives, product launches, partnerships, acquisitions, and distribution shifts.
Assess competitive strengths, vulnerabilities, whitespace opportunities, and potential market disruptions.
Develop executive-ready competitive profiles, market assessments, and strategic briefings.
Partner with senior leadership to address strategic questions using quantitative and qualitative market intelligence.
Apply a brand-specific lens to external trends and identify implications and recommended actions.
Inform long-range planning, strategy development, category prioritization, and growth initiatives.
Identify shifts in consumer preferences, behaviors, and demographics and their implications for the portfolio.
Connect marketplace data with primary consumer research to uncover the drivers behind market trends.
Monitor cultural, fashion, economic, retail, and other macro trends that may influence consumer demand.
Identify emerging consumer needs and whitespace opportunities that can inform innovation and brand strategy.
Evaluate performance and trends across wholesale, DTC, ecommerce, specialty, sporting goods, department stores, marketplaces, and other relevant channels.
Develop intelligence on key retailers, including growth, assortment strategies, category positioning, competitive presence, and evolving business models.
Partner with commercial teams to bring fact-based marketplace context into customer and channel strategy.
Translate complex analysis into concise, compelling business narratives for senior leadership.
Deliver regular market, category, competitor, retailer, and consumer intelligence updates.
Develop dashboards and recurring intelligence reporting focused on critical business metrics, trends, and developments.
Lead the continued development and adoption of the organization’s proprietary AI-powered Market Intelligence Agent.
Oversee effective use of syndicated data and market intelligence tools across the organization.
Develop scalable processes, tools, and dashboards that improve access to and application of market intelligence.
Serve as a strategic thought partner across Strategy, Product, Sales, Marketing, Consumer Insights, and senior leadership.
Proactively identify emerging business questions and opportunities rather than responding solely to requests.
Build organizational capability to interpret marketplace data and apply insights to business decisions.
Manage relationships with external data providers, industry experts, and other intelligence partners.
Perform duties consistent with the company’s AAP/EEO goals and policies, and other duties as required or assigned by the manager.