Strategy, Research & Innovation (Manager or Director)

Visit Indy•Indianapolis, IN

About The Position

Visit Indy is hiring for a senior individual-contributor role that may be filled at the Manager or Director level, depending on the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. The official title will be either Strategy, Research & Innovation Manager or Director of Strategy, Research & Innovation. The role advances Visit Indy’s organizational effectiveness and destination competitiveness by integrating research, data, emerging technologies, and strategic foresight into planning, decision-making, and implementation. It translates research and information into practical insights and supports teams in applying those insights to improve products, services, operations, strategies, and outcomes. The role stewards Visit Indy’s core research assets and coordinates distributed research resources, ensuring information is credible, accessible, and broadly applied. It identifies knowledge gaps, strengthens data literacy and informed decision-making, and extends Visit Indy’s research and intelligence capacity to hospitality, civic, philanthropic, and community partners. Through strategic studies, applied innovation, responsible AI use, and cross-functional collaboration, the position supports Visit Indy and its partners in responding to change and strengthening destination competitiveness. The role leads through expertise, communication, facilitation, and influence rather than direct authority. Team members are expected to reflect the organization’s “3 Ps” culture: productive, positive, and progressive.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required in data science, economics, public policy, statistics, information systems, marketing and communications, tourism, hospitality, urban planning, or a related field.
At least three to five years of related experience translating research, data, or emerging trends into strategy, action, organizational improvement, or destination impact.
Strong working knowledge of research design, quantitative and qualitative methods, destination intelligence, business intelligence, and data visualization, with the judgment to partner effectively with subject-matter experts.
Strong AI literacy and demonstrated experience applying AI tools to research, workflow, or communications challenges, with sound judgment related to governance and accuracy.
Strategic thinking and foresight, with the ability to translate data into implications and implications into action.
Exceptional communication, storytelling, facilitation, and listening skills, including the ability to make complex findings useful to nontechnical audiences and coach others in applying insights.
Demonstrated ability to build organizational data literacy, facilitate change, drive adoption of new tools and practices, and influence without direct authority.
Strong project management and stakeholder coordination skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects independently.
Natural curiosity, adaptability, and commitment to continuous learning.
Ability to sit for extended periods, stand, move intermittently throughout the workday, operate standard office equipment, and occasionally lift or move up to 15 pounds.
Good speaking, listening, and interpersonal skills, and ability to interact with others in person, by phone, by e-mail, and in written correspondence.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of tourism, destination management, or urban development is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate, steward, and continuously improve Visit Indy’s distributed research and destination intelligence program, including hotel and short-term rental performance, economic impact, visitor behavior, resident sentiment, competitive benchmarking, and performance measures.
Maintain an accessible inventory of existing research, data sources, and knowledge gaps, and help teams identify useful ways to answer important questions.
Synthesize research sources and trends across tourism, technology, urban development, consumer behavior, and the broader destination environment, translating findings into clear stories and actionable implications.
Manage external research consultants, data providers, and intelligence platforms, ensuring research is current, credible, documented, accessible, and useful across teams.
Lead complex special studies and competitive analyses that inform organizational and destination strategy, feasibility work, long-term planning, and the Destination Vision Plan.
Partner with teams to translate research and insights into decisions and measurable improvements, including destination development feasibility, implementation, and investment strategy.
Coach and support colleagues in interpreting findings, asking better questions, testing approaches, and applying lessons to their work.
Develop and maintain dashboards, KPIs, and performance systems that provide timely, accessible, actionable information, and help teams use them effectively.
Influence and collaborate across teams without direct authority, serving as a connector, facilitator, and trusted thought partner.
Identify, evaluate, and apply emerging tools, technologies, research methods, and practices—including artificial intelligence—to improve organizational effectiveness, insight generation, storytelling, decision-making, and destination competitiveness.
Build organizational capability to use new tools and methods effectively and responsibly by developing frameworks, use cases, training, governance practices, and accuracy and appropriate-use standards.
Pilot and deploy promising approaches, measure their value, document learnings, and support team adoption and continuous improvement.
Advance a culture of applied innovation in which research, technology, and new ideas lead to better decisions, stronger work, and meaningful organizational change.
Make relevant research and intelligence accessible to hospitality, civic, philanthropic, and community partners, positioning Visit Indy as a trusted intelligence hub.
Develop ways to share insights externally through partner briefings, data collaborations, dashboards, data tools, and other practical resources.
Listen to partners’ questions, information needs, and knowledge gaps, and identify opportunities for shared research, analysis, and learning.
Build and maintain relationships with public agencies, universities, and regional planning bodies to align tourism intelligence with broader community priorities.
Represent Visit Indy in relevant industry, research, innovation, destination development, and economic development forums and working groups.
Perform other duties as assigned.