Sports Research Manager

Versant•New York, NY

1d•$110,000 - $130,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This position reports to the Vice President of Sports & Entertainment Research and will play a key role in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data from various platforms (e.g., TV, streaming, social media, podcasts) to provide actionable insights that drive business decisions and enhance content strategies across our Sports businesses. The ideal candidate for this role is someone who loves tackling tough questions, pays close attention to emerging industry trends, and embraces new challenges. Our team is responsible for building connections between Versant and its diverse audiences across all platforms, using our expertise in how generational and life-stage segments engage with sports media. We focus on research, insights, data analysis, and performance metrics that help internal clients better understand target audiences, engagement patterns, consumer behavior, and cultural trends.

Requirements

5+ years of Media research experience at a broadcast or cable network, streaming service, agency, or vendor
4-year bachelor’s degree or higher
Experience utilizing and understanding Digital Platform data & tools (i.e., Adobe Analytics, Comscore, Looker, Sprout Social)
Expertise working with Nielsen Tools (i.e., tracking, Reach & Frequency, Duplication, Segmentation)
Proficiency in analytics tools and programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python, R) for data analysis and reporting
Strong quantitative skills, including both analytical abilities as well as math proficiency
Ability to identify, distill, and articulate clear and actionable brand stories, insights and recommendations from a variety of data points and sources
Passion for the sports & entertainment media business and deep knowledge of the competitive media landscape
Must be well versed in Microsoft Office applications with significant experience working with Excel and PowerPoint

Nice To Haves

Experience working with large data sets and visualization tools a plus (i.e., Tableau, Domo)
Ability to handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Attention to detail, accuracy, and strong problem-solving abilities are crucial
Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written
Proficiency in SQL for data analysis and reporting and expertise in data visualization tools such as Tableau to create interactive dashboards and reports.
Willingness to learn new and emerging measurement sources (i.e., iSpot, TVision, VideoAmp)

Responsibilities

Lead efforts in analysis of cross-platform interactions between linear TV, streaming, and social media to assess their impact on potential outcomes for Versant’s cable network brands
Assist in all aspects of quantitative analysis across Versant’s Sports portfolio, including USA Sports, CNBC Sport & Fandango
Leverage various data sources (i.e., Nielsen, Comscore, Adobe) and collaborate with various teams to generate cross-platform insights for content across linear and streaming
Produce impactful cross platform reports around key sports properties in Versants growing Sports Portfolio
Deliver strategic insights and actionable recommendations through written memos, PowerPoint presentations, dashboards, and automated reporting solutions for recurring and ad hoc requests across the portfolio.
Track and measure content performance (viewership, reach, engagement, conversions, etc.) across different platforms, generating key metrics and reports to evaluate content effectiveness.
Present findings and recommendations to senior leadership and key stakeholders, ensuring data-driven decisions are made to optimize content and brand strategy.
Provide support in forecasting Sports programming viewership during key estimate cycles across linear and streaming platforms
Use tools like Tableau to automate reports and communicate KPIs to stakeholders.
Stay up to date on media and research industry news, trends and best practices