Senior Director, Strategic Insights

DAC Group • Chicago, IL

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director, Strategic Insights is responsible for transforming consumer, customer, market, and business intelligence into strategic opportunities that drive growth for DAC and its clients. This leader combines rigorous research and analytics with deep human understanding to uncover the motivations, behaviors, and cultural dynamics that shape decision-making. As a senior leader within the Strategy organization, this role serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, client teams, and prospective clients, translating complex information into compelling narratives, business strategies, and actionable recommendations. The role plays a leadership position in agency growth through new business development, executive client relationships, and thought leadership. The successful candidate will build and lead a geographically distributed Strategic Insights team while fostering strong partnerships across Strategy, Media, Creative, Client Services, Sales, Product, Technology, and Analytics to deliver integrated, insight-led solutions.

Requirements

• 15+ years in Strategic Insights, Consumer Insights, Market Research, Strategy, or related disciplines.
• 8+ years leading geographically distributed, high-performing cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated success influencing executive leadership and enterprise strategy.
• Experience supporting agency new business development and executive client relationships.
• Proven ability to translate customer understanding into measurable business growth.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Psychology, Statistics, Data Science, or related field.

Nice To Haves

• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Strong understanding of consumer behavior, behavioral science, and human-centered design.
• Experience applying analytics, AI, and visualization tools in support of strategic decision-making.
• Outstanding executive communication, storytelling, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence across functions without direct authority and build strong collaborative relationships.

Responsibilities

• Develop DAC's enterprise Strategic Insights roadmap supporting long-term growth.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on customer behavior, market dynamics, competitive positioning, and industry disruption.
• Translate business priorities into an integrated research, insights, and strategy agenda.
• Transform complex research into clear stories that inspire confident business decisions.
• Lead the design and execution of qualitative and quantitative research programs.
• Develop deep understanding of consumer motivations, unmet needs, and decision journeys.
• Guide the application of advanced analytics, behavioral science, AI, and research methodologies to generate meaningful strategic insights.
• Integrate multiple sources of research and data into compelling business narratives and recommendations.
• Partner with Business Development and Executive Leadership on strategic pitches, RFPs, and growth initiatives.
• Lead the insights components of new business opportunities.
• Serve as a senior strategic advisor to key client relationships, identifying opportunities for organic growth.
• Represent DAC through executive presentations, workshops, and industry thought leadership.
• Build trusted partnerships across Strategy, Media, Creative, Sales, Client Services, Product, Technology, and Analytics.
• Align cross-functional teams around shared customer understanding and business priorities.
• Facilitate integrated planning that turns insight into action.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a geographically distributed, multidisciplinary Strategic Insights team.
• Create an inclusive culture of collaboration, curiosity, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Coach senior talent while developing the next generation of strategic leaders.
• Establish consistent methodologies, governance, and best practices across teams.
• Champion emerging research methodologies, AI, automation, and human-centered design.
• Continuously improve the speed, quality, and business impact of insight delivery.
• Develop scalable frameworks for enterprise knowledge sharing and strategic decision support.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and comprehensive health benefits.
• Generous PTO, wellness initiatives and parental leave.
• Retirement saving plans.
• Opportunities for continued learning and professional development.
• A supportive, collaborative, and casual work environment.
• health, vision, dental, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, work-life programs, and employee assistance support.

What This Job Offers

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