Vice President, Data & Intelligence

Zeno Group•Washington DC, DC

About The Position

Do you enjoy turning complex questions into research that helps organizations understand audiences, strengthen reputations and make smarter decisions? Are you energized by combining rigorous research with strategic storytelling to uncover insights that shape communications and business strategy? As Vice President, Data & Intelligence at Zeno, you will serve as a senior research leader within the agency's Data & Intelligence team. You will lead qualitative and quantitative research programs that help clients understand audiences, test messages and ideas, measure reputation, develop thought leadership and make more informed communications and business decisions. This is an opportunity for a hands-on research leader to counsel senior clients, lead complex engagements, mentor talent and help grow Zeno's research capabilities while connecting primary research with the broader world of analytics, intelligence and AI-enabled insights.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in primary research, market research, insights, communications research, analytics, strategy or related fields within an agency, consultancy, client-service or similar environment.
Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative primary research, including research design, questionnaire and discussion guide development, sampling, fieldwork, analysis and reporting.
Experience leading research programs spanning audience segmentation, message and concept testing, reputation, brand perception, thought leadership, stakeholder research or campaign effectiveness.
Proven ability to translate complex research findings into clear strategic recommendations and compelling narratives.
Experience advising senior clients and building trusted relationships with executive stakeholders.
Strong understanding of communications, reputation and brand research and how insights inform business and communications strategy.
Experience leading complex research engagements, including scopes, budgets, timelines, vendors and multiple workstreams.
Experience contributing to business development, including research strategy, proposals, scopes of work and client growth opportunities.
Familiarity with survey platforms, statistical analysis, data processing and reporting or visualization tools.
Working knowledge of adjacent analytics capabilities, including social listening, audience intelligence, earned media measurement, digital analytics and integrated measurement.
Experience mentoring and developing research, analytics or insights professionals.
Strong writing, storytelling and presentation skills with the ability to make complex findings accessible to diverse audiences.
Collaborative leadership style with curiosity about emerging research methodologies, technologies and AI-enabled approaches.

Nice To Haves

Experience with advanced research approaches such as segmentation, multivariate analysis or longitudinal reputation tracking.
Familiarity with AI-enabled research workflows, automation, APIs or integrated intelligence platforms.
Experience evaluating research vendors, data providers or analytics technologies.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, translating business and communications challenges into research strategies that support audience understanding, reputation, messaging, thought leadership and strategic decision-making.
Lead qualitative and quantitative research programs from design through delivery, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, online communities, segmentation, message and concept testing, reputation studies and thought leadership research.
Translate complex research findings into clear narratives, executive-ready recommendations and actionable implications that inform communications and business strategy.
Advise clients and internal teams on the right combination of primary research, secondary research, syndicated data, audience intelligence, social listening, media measurement and digital analytics to address business questions.
Lead research discovery and scoping conversations, develop research approaches and budgets, identify opportunities to expand client engagements and contribute to new business efforts.
Oversee research partners, fieldwork, budgets, timelines and quality-control processes while ensuring methodologies and deliverables are rigorous, accurate and aligned with client objectives.
Identify opportunities to apply AI, automation, analytics platforms and emerging technologies to improve research workflows, quality control, reporting and insight development while maintaining methodological rigor.
Mentor and develop team members while strengthening capabilities across research design, analytical thinking, storytelling, presentation and client counsel.
Partner across strategy, creative, earned media, digital, corporate, consumer, healthcare and technology teams to integrate research and intelligence into broader client programs.