Senior Manager, Research & Insights

Aviva • Toronto, ON

2d • CA$130,000 - CA$170,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

This is an opportunity to lead the Research and Insights function for one of Canada’s leading insurers. Reporting to the Vice President, Customer, you will oversee all customer research and insights activities, helping shape how we understand our customers and broker partners. As part of the Customer leadership team—alongside Customer Analytics, Customer Strategy, and Customer Experience—you will play a key role in ensuring insights are embedded in business decisions across the organization. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on research expertise, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to translate insights into clear, actionable recommendations that drive meaningful business impact. Come join our team!

Requirements

• 8–10 years of B2C research and insights experience, with deep knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and when to apply them.
• Proven experience with NPS measurement and reporting.
• Expertise in survey development, evaluation, and optimization.
• Curiosity and knowledge of emerging research approaches, including AI-enabled methodologies.
• Strong ability to synthesize data from surveys and third‑party sources into clear, compelling insights and present with confidence to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to define business objectives, challenge assumptions, and recommend appropriate research solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Advanced skills in PowerPoint and Excel.
• Comfort working with new technologies, dashboards, platforms, and research tools.
• Strong senior stakeholder management and presentation skills.
• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities.

Nice To Haves

• People leadership experience highly desirable.
• Experience in the Canadian P&C insurance industry.
• Experience with B2B research.
• Bilingualism (English/French).
• Familiarity with Qualtrics survey software.
• Experience with brand tracking programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead all B2C and B2B research efforts across the organization, including complex, cross-functional NPS and customer research initiatives with enterprise-level impact across multiple locations and business functions.
• Provide expert guidance on research methodologies and approaches—qualitative, quantitative, emerging techniques, and the evolving use of AI in research.
• Oversee and advise on major research initiatives, including using text analytics to complement survey findings and identify key drivers of customer recommendation and customer journey opportunities.
• Act as a liaison between external research partners and internal collaborators to shape lines of questioning and ensure robust qualitative and quantitative testing.
• Manage the full research lifecycle: questionnaire design, methodological planning, data analysis, synthesis, and reporting.
• Deliver ongoing internal tracking studies, ensuring tools and questionnaires evolve to reflect business needs and measure performance against targets.
• Engage deeply with each area of the business to understand research needs, uncover opportunities, and recommend the right approaches with curiosity and enthusiasm.
• Prioritize research initiatives within finite budgets and resources.
• Accountable for research budget management, including prioritization of projects.
• Manage and evaluate research vendors to ensure quality and value.
• Transform research into actionable insights that influence decisions at every level.
• Champion the role of customer and broker insights in shaping key business strategies.
• Leverage creative and strategic thinking to create new research solutions for complex, unprecedented business questions.
• Integrate and synthesize findings from multiple data sources to identify strategic opportunities and make recommendations.
• Deliver clear, concise, and compelling insights—primarily through PowerPoint presentations—tailored to a variety of partner audiences.
• Guide the team in elevating the quality of insights, enhancing clarity, and building strong narratives that resonate with business leaders.
• Operate effectively within a matrix organization and build strong cross-functional relationships.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, regularly shaping key decisions through data‑driven customer and NPS insights.
• Deliver regular reporting and presentations to senior partners.
• Engage and align multiple partners with varying priorities, including teams in claims, product, digital, broker management, and global partners.
• Adapt to diverse personalities and situations with professionalism and emotional intelligence.
• Work closely with senior leaders (VP+) to understand their business challenges and provide meaningful, valuable insights.
• Serve as the primary Canadian insights liaison to Aviva UK for performance reporting.
• Demonstrate excellent listening skills to uncover business needs and translate them into research opportunities.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team of 4–5 research and insights professionals.
• Coach and mentor team members to build capability, engagement, and career growth.
• Provide hands-on guidance on research design, insights development, presentations, and partner engagement.
• Ensure high-quality outputs and timely delivery across all team activities.
• Lead all aspects of resource planning and budget management.

Benefits

• Compelling rewards package including base compensation, eligibility for annual bonus, retirement savings, share plan, health benefits, personal wellness, and volunteer opportunities.
• Outstanding career development opportunities.
• We’ll support your professional development education.
• Competitive vacation package with the option to purchase 5 extra days off per year.
• Employee-driven programs focused on gender, LGBTQ+, origins, diversity, and inclusion.
• Corporate wellness programs to support our employees’ physical and mental health.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed