Research Data Products Sales Director

Morningstar•New York, NY

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Morningstar, Inc., a leading global provider of independent investment research, is seeking an experienced sales professional to join Morningstar’s CRSP Research Data Products (RDP) business within the Indexes Group. Morningstar’s RDP suite is a market-leading source of research-quality historical market and returns data, trusted by more than 600 institutions across 35 countries. RDP clients include leading financial institutions, government agencies, and top-tier research universities that rely on these deep historical databases for academic research, investment analysis, and strategic decision-making. Morningstar Indexes is seeking a highly motivated Research Data Products (RDP) Sales Specialist to drive growth across sophisticated asset management clients. This role focuses on promoting and expanding adoption of the RDP suite among Asset Managers, Wealth Managers, Hedge Funds, Market Makers, Banks, and Broker-Dealers that use deep historical market data for advanced use cases, including back-testing, risk modeling, and market simulation. You will collaborate closely with colleagues across Index Data Sales, Product, and Client Service to identify expansion opportunities and deliver tailored RDP solutions. Because this role covers a broad range of client segments, it will require approximately 30% travel. The position will be based in Chicago, New York or London.

Requirements

Direct experience selling financial data, analytics, or market data to institutional clients (asset managers, hedge funds, banks, or trading firms).
Demonstrated success closing new business and expansion deals in a quota-carrying role.
Experience selling complex, data-driven solutions with non-standard pricing and licensing structures.
Strong consultative selling skills with the ability to understand client use cases and translate them into commercial opportunities.
Ability to engage credibly with sophisticated clients across research, investment, trading, and risk functions.
Familiarity with data licensing models, enterprise agreements, or usage-based pricing.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical concepts clearly and persuasively.
Highly organized, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple opportunities simultaneously.
Bachelor’s degree required.
5+ years’ experience in market data, index data, financial analytics, or adjacent data products.
Willingness to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

Own and grow a commercial book of business across asset managers, hedge funds, trading firms, banks, and wealth platforms.
Consistently meet and exceed revenue targets, with a focus on new sales, expansions, and repricing opportunities.
Identify, qualify, and develop short-term opportunities and long-term strategic partnerships.
Lead consultative sales conversations around data usage, licensing scope, and value intensity.
Collaborate closely with Product, Legal, and Customer Success teams to structure optimal commercial solutions.
Develop a strong understanding of client workflows, including data needs for research, portfolio construction, trading, risk, and analytics.
Deliver compelling product demonstrations and clearly articulate the value of Morningstar RDP datasets.
Maintain accurate pipeline management, forecasting, and activity tracking in CRM.
Build trusted relationships with senior decision-makers, including PMs, quants, risk teams, and heads of research.

Benefits

Financial Health
100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
Stock Ownership Potential
Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission
Physical Health
Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
Emotional Health
Trust-Based Time Off
6-week Paid Sabbatical Program
6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave
Adoption Assistance
Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses
Tuition Reimbursement
Social Health
Charitable Matching Gifts program
Dollars for Doers volunteer program
Paid volunteering days
15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups