Research Lead, Customer Insights

Salesforce•Atlanta, GA

1d•Remote

About The Position

Salesforce is seeking a Research Lead for its Customer Insights team, a key part of the marketing organization. This role is responsible for delivering objective, actionable insights to inform marketing strategy, positioning, and messaging. The Research Lead will own primary research projects from start to finish for stakeholders across marketing, directly influencing how Salesforce positions its products and communicates with the market. The role requires strong research instincts, curiosity about markets and buyers, and the ability to translate findings into clear recommendations that drive decisions. A significant upcoming project involves keynote message testing for Dreamforce in summer 2026.

Requirements

Solid grounding in both quantitative and qualitative primary research.
Ability to design credible studies, interpret results honestly, and recognize data limitations.
Understanding of when to bring in outside expertise.
Experience navigating ambiguous briefs, competing stakeholder priorities, and diverse audiences within a fast-moving organization.
Client-side experience is common, but demonstrated experience operating in such an environment is key.
Genuine curiosity about buyers, business, technology, and the world.
Ability to scope studies with a clear business purpose and communicate their value to non-research audiences.
Strong communication and presentation skills, able to present findings clearly to senior audiences and hold a room.
Comfort with ambiguity and ability to make progress when things are unclear.
Willingness to escalate issues rather than pushing through alone.
Curiosity about how AI can enhance research speed and sharpness.
Aptitude and desire to learn AI tools and workflows.

Nice To Haves

Background in enterprise software, B2B technology, or CRM.
Familiarity with Salesforce products or the broader ecosystem.
Prior experience with AI in research workflows.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute primary research projects end-to-end for marketing stakeholders.
Translate business questions into well-designed studies with a clear point of view.
Maintain full accountability for research quality from brief to final delivery.
Apply appropriate quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including survey design, message testing, audience segmentation, and qualitative interviews.
Work with both external suppliers and in-house execution.
Synthesize findings into clear, credible recommendations, focusing on the 'so what' for senior marketing stakeholders.
Develop deliverables that effectively communicate insights through strong data storytelling, visualization, and narrative framing.
Drive stakeholder alignment by collaboratively scoping studies and connecting research to business decisions.
Communicate the value of proposed studies and manage expectations throughout projects.
Surface findings proactively to stakeholders.
Leverage AI tools across the research lifecycle (study design, analysis, synthesis, delivery).
Manage project load, track progress, and ensure timely delivery without compromising quality.
Flag capacity issues early.
Manage day-to-day relationships with external research agencies and vendors, ensuring projects stay on track and partners meet high-quality standards.
Escalate issues with suppliers when necessary.