Market Research Director

Voya Financial • Windsor, CT

1d • $170,000 - $185,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Market Research Director provides enterprise‑level leadership in the design, development, and execution of quantitative and qualitative research within the financial services industry. This client-facing role oversees primary and secondary research initiatives—including survey development, questionnaires, and discussion guides—leveraging advanced methodologies and AI‑powered tools to generate insights from a broad spectrum of B2B and B2C audiences, ranging from senior client executives and intermediaries to end consumers and investors. The Director synthesizes complex data into clear, compelling insights and delivers them through influential storytelling to senior leadership, client executives, and industry audiences. As a client‑facing leader, the role represents Voya’s insights externally at events and internally across Marketing, Product, Sales, CX, Strategy, and other partner groups. Research outputs directly inform marketing strategy, thought leadership, product development, customer experience optimization, operational improvements, demand generation, and broader enterprise strategy—ultimately supporting customer retention and driving future business growth.

Requirements

• 10+ years of hands‑on experience conducting primary and secondary research, including quantitative survey design, qualitative moderation, and advanced analytics.
• 5+ years of leadership experience overseeing research teams / research suppliers (vendor management) and enterprise‑level insights programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Market Research, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, Behavioral Science, Life Sciences, Psychology or a related field; Minimum 3.0 GPA in relevant technical coursework required.
• Deep expertise in advanced research methodologies, analytical techniques, and insight generation.
• Strong survey writing and analytical skills with the proven ability to translate complex data into clear stories with actionable insights that support business growth.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate analytical and statistical concepts concisely to non‑technical audiences.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills; comfortable presenting findings to senior leadership and speaking at large industry events.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience with people management.
• Experience with statistical software and analytical tools such as SPSS, SAS, Excel, data‑visualization/presentation platforms (PPT, dashboards, etc.),and survey platforms (Qualtrics, etc.).
• Experience leveraging AI‑powered research and decision intelligence and agile insight-generation tools.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement enterprise‑wide research strategies aligned with business goals.
• Oversee market, consumer, and competitive intelligence programs, including primary, secondary, and AI‑powered research (from insight generation to analyses and reporting), research supplier / vendor management and operational efficiency of projects.
• Lead agile research initiatives and integrate AI tools to accelerate and scale insight generation.
• Design and manage end‑to‑end quantitative and qualitative research studies, from study inception through final deliverables, to collect insights that inform Voya’s businesses and strategic direction.
• Identify and apply appropriate research methodologies and partners to support data‑informed decision‑making across the enterprise.
• Manage the full lifecycle of qualitative and quantitative research with rigorous methodology.
• Analyze data to identify themes, trends, insights, and implications, translating complex datasets into clear, concise, and actionable findings.
• Develop charts, visualizations, and impactful reports that communicate insights effectively to senior stakeholders.
• Present findings to senior leadership using clear, compelling storytelling.
• Consult with internal stakeholders and business partners to deliver insights related to consumer needs, market dynamics, and messaging that supports the sales story.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Marketing, Product, Sales, CX, Strategy, and Data Science.
• Synthesize large volumes of data into concise deliverables tailored to client and business needs.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to disseminate consumer insights and ensure alignment across the organization.
• Cultivate relationships across all business areas to deepen understanding of strategic priorities and information needs.
• Manage, engage and mentor junior research analysts, and insights specialists.
• Act as a thought leader on emerging methodologies and best practices in market and consumer research.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision and life insurance plans
• 401(k) Savings plan – with generous company matching contributions (up to 6%)
• Voya Retirement Plan – employer paid cash balance retirement plan (4%)
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
• Paid time off – including 20 days paid time off, nine paid company holidays and a flexible Diversity Celebration Day.
• Paid volunteer time — 40 hours per calendar year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior