Market Research Manager

Bridgestone Americas • Nashville, TN

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead, Market Research Analyst develops and executes market and portfolio strategies that guide the strategic growth and optimization of Bridgestone Retail Operations’ (BSRO’s) North American retail footprint. This role works on the development of market entry, portfolio optimization, and capital allocation strategies across 2,200+ locations, leveraging advanced analytics, financial modeling, and market intelligence to inform executive decision-making. The role partners with Real Estate, Finance, and Field Operations, to ensure new site opportunities support the overall real estate strategic plan. Additionally, this role will support analysis for capital decisions related to store relocations, remodels, and portfolio transformation initiatives. By providing these complex insights-driven solutions, the Manager of Real Estate Strategy & Market Planning will contribute to the company's growth and operational excellence, supporting Bridgestone West Retail's success and innovation. This is a hybrid role based in Nashville, TN. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Real Estate, Finance, Market Research, Statistics or related fields, is desired.
• 5+ years of experience in retail real estate, location strategy, market planning, business strategy, analytics, management consulting, finance, or a related field, with demonstrated experience applying quantitative analysis to complex business decisions.
• Detail-oriented individual who can produce quality work with limited need for revisions and is comfortable presenting and defending analysis and recommendations to a wide-ranging audience of both peers and leadership.
• Ability to translate business requirements and specifications into actionable strategies, insights and executable plans with minimal direction or oversight.
• Strong financial modeling and business-case development skills, including the ability to evaluate sales, profitability, cannibalization, capital investment, and expected returns associated with real estate decisions.
• Experience with retail site selection, market planning, portfolio optimization, or real estate strategy.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred experience utilizing GIS, spatial analytics, trade area analysis, or location intelligence platforms (e.g., Esri, Alteryx, Placer.ai, Buxton, Kalibrate, or similar tools).
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is preferred.
• Domestic travel as needed to visit markets, prospective sites, or existing stores (~10-20%)

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute components of the enterprise market growth strategy, defining where and how BSRO should expand through data-driven opportunity sizing and financial analysis. (in partnership with New Store Development team).
• Create and own market-level DMA strategies (for assigned territories) related to store growth planning using a mixture first-party / third-party data, combined with travel to these markets for boots on the ground research and strategic planning sessions in partnership with Real Estate Development and Field Operations teams.
• Conduct site analysis / sales projections for potential new, relocation and acquisition opportunities throughout the country utilizing the company’s sales forecasting / site selection tools, emerging individual market trends, consumer, demographic, psychographic, mobility, and competitive data
• Develop market and portfolio scenarios that evaluate alternative growth, relocation, closure, remodel and capital investment strategies, quantifying expected sales, profitability, cannibalization, customer access and return implications.
• Present new site information regarding to monthly executive Real Estate Committee as needed, including information related to store performance, cannibalization, surrounding area strategy, competition, or broader company objectives.
• Ongoing review of existing markets to ensure portfolio optimization in response to shifting industry and market trends, including the ongoing analysis of new store performance/profitability, real estate characteristics, and competitive landscape.
• Serve as subject matter expert on projects requiring spatial and/or financial analysis, including competitor analysis, store closing profitability and sales transfer analysis, potential acquisitions, remodel analysis and other projects as required.
• Create, run, and present multiple reports / dashboards as needed on company and competitor store location strategy, along with other reporting related to strategic and tactical decision-making and research.
• Create and manage quarterly new store over/under performance reporting and in-depth analysis, including establishment and leadership of accompanying review meetings with Operations.
• Suggest refinements for quantitative multi-variable ranked scoring model to support selection of store remodel and refresh prioritization, incorporating field operations insights and qualitative inputs
• Monitor portfolio performance and key real estate KPIs, identifying opportunities to improve market penetration, store productivity, customer access, and investment returns.
• Support cross-functional alignment with Real Estate Data Engineer to devise and guide the build of custom reporting to display complex data insights in easily digestible formats leveraging Power BI, Tableau, etc.
• Perform correlation analysis to identify and understand optimal conditions and site characteristics for store operations and translate findings into portfolio strategies for new and existing stores.

Benefits

• A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.
• The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship.
• Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
• A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment.
• Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being.
• An effective and inclusive team.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree