Director, Qualitative Program Management

Job description

We go beyond the obvious, using intelligence, passion and creativity to inspire new thinking and shape the world we live in. To start a career that is out of the ordinary, please apply... Job Details Title: Director, Qualitative Program Management Location: REMOTE (CT, RI, MA, NJ, NY, PA, Est zone) We are seeking a highly experienced Director of Qualitative Program Management to lead complex, high-visibility qualitative research programs for leading technology companies. This is not a traditional project management role. The ideal candidate functions as both a strategic advisor and operational leader, capable of managing large-scale qualitative research initiatives while serving as a trusted partner to senior client stakeholders. They bring executive presence, exceptional organizational rigor, and the ability to confidently navigate ambiguity, influence decisions, and drive action. Success in this role requires a candidate who acts as the operational face of our team to tech clients, driving outcomes through active risk mitigation and strategic problem-solving, rather than merely coordinating tasks. What You'll Do Strategic Client Leadership · Serve as a trusted advisor to stakeholders across product, marketing, UX, research, innovation, AI, cloud, and technology organizations. · Lead client conversations with confidence, bringing recommendations and solutions rather than simply reporting status. · Connect research activities to broader business objectives, strategic priorities, growth opportunities, and decision-making needs. · Guide clients through complex challenges by providing clear points of view, trade-offs, and actionable recommendations. · Build long-term partnerships that strengthen client confidence, retention, and growth. Program & Portfolio Leadership · Oversee multiple concurrent qualitative research programs and strategic accounts. · Drive end-to-end execution across large-scale, multi-market and global initiatives. · Establish operational frameworks that enable teams to execute consistently and efficiently. · Anticipate risks, remove barriers, and implement mitigation strategies before issues impact delivery. Create clarity and accountability across complex stakeholder groups and workstreams. · Proactively manage scope, recruitment challenges, and timeline realities. You are expected to present options, trade-offs, and clear recommendations rather than simply escalating problems Research & Operational Excellence · Partner closely with researchers, moderators, project managers, recruitment partners, vendors, operations teams, and client stakeholders. · Apply a strong understanding of qualitative methodologies, recruitment feasibility, screeners, participant management, and study execution. · Manage highly customized research programs requiring precision, adaptability, and exceptional attention to detail. · Translate ambiguity into structured plans, clear deliverables, and actionable next steps. · Identify opportunities to improve processes, scalability, and operational efficiency. Executive Communication · Serve as the primary point of contact for senior client stakeholders and internal leadership teams. · Navigate difficult conversations with confidence, professionally pushing back on unrealistic timelines or scope creep when necessary to protect delivery quality and client satisfaction · Foster a 'Revenue Protection' mindset by recognizing that seamless operational execution is a direct driver of client retention and future account growth · Facilitate alignment across cross-functional teams, ensuring information flows effectively and decisions are clearly documented. · Navigate conversations around scope, feasibility, timelines, budgets, and changing priorities while preserving strong client relationships. What Makes Someone Successful in This Role · A strategic thinker who understands both research and business outcomes. · Comfortable managing ambiguity and operating with incomplete information. · Exceptionally proactive and solutions-oriented. · Calm and composed under pressure. · Capable of influencing senior stakeholders and inspiring confidence. · Operationally rigorous with outstanding attention to detail. · Skilled at balancing client needs with delivery realities. · Equally comfortable leading executive conversations and diving into execution details when needed. Preferred Qualifications · 6+ years of experience in qualitative research, insights consulting, program management, project leadership, operations, or client services. · Experience supporting enterprise-level technology companies or complex B2B organizations. · Strong understanding of qualitative research methodologies and participant recruitment. · Proven success managing complex, multi-market, multi-stakeholder initiatives. Kantar Benefits We provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package, including Medical plans with comprehensive, affordable coverage for a range of health services Health Savings Account/FSA Dental, Vision and benefits to cover unique healthcare needs Wellness Program 401k with match Tuition Reimbursement, Commuter benefits Unlimited PTO Why join Kantar? We shape the brands of tomorrow by better understanding people everywhere. By understanding people, we can understand what drives their decisions, actions, and aspirations on a global scale. And by amplifying our in-depth expertise of human understanding alongside ground-breaking technology, we can help brands find concrete insights that will help them succeed in our fast-paced, ever shifting world. And because we know people, we like to make sure our own people are being looked after as well. Equality of opportunity for everyone is our highest priority and we support our colleagues to work in a way that supports their health and wellbeing. While we encourage teams to spend part of their working week in the office, we understand no one size fits all; our approach is flexible to ensure everybody feels included, accepted, and that we can win together. We’re dedicated to creating an inclusive culture and value the diversity of our people, clients, suppliers and communities, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds and sections of society. Even if you feel like you’re not an exact match, we’d love to receive your application and talk to you about this job or others at Kantar. Privacy and Legal Statement PRIVACY DISCLOSURE: Please note that by applying to this opportunity you consent to the personal data you provide to us to be processed and retained by The Kantar Group Limited (“Kantar”). Your details will be kept on our Internal ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for as long as is necessary for the purposes of recruitment, which may include your details being shared with the hiring manager The salary range for this role is $108,100 - $132,100 USD Annual. Your final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to location, work experience, skills, knowledge, education and/or certifications. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability Kantar Rewards Statement At Kantar we have an integrated way of rewarding our people based around a simple, clear and consistent set of principles. Our approach helps to ensure we are market competitive and also to support a pay for performance culture, where your reward and career progression opportunities are linked to what you deliver. We go beyond the obvious, using intelligence, passion and creativity to inspire new thinking and shape the world we live in. Apply for a career that’s out of the ordinary and join us. We want to create an equality of opportunity in a fair and supportive working environment where people feel included, accepted and are allowed to flourish in a space where their mental health and well being is taken into consideration. We want to create a more diverse community to expand our talent pool, be locally representative, drive diversity of thinking and better commercial outcomes. Kantar is the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company. We understand more about how people think, feel, shop, share, vote and view than anyone else. Combining our expertise in human understanding with advanced technologies, Kantar’s 30,000 people help the world’s leading organisations succeed and grow. #LI-HB1 Location Connecticut, Work from HomeUnited States of America Kantar Rewards Statement At Kantar we have an integrated way of rewarding our people based around a simple, clear and consistent set of principles. Our approach helps to ensure we are market competitive and also to support a pay for performance culture, where your reward and career progression opportunities are linked to what you deliver. We go beyond the obvious, using intelligence, passion and creativity to inspire new thinking and shape the world we live in. Apply for a career that’s out of the ordinary and join us. We want to create an equality of opportunity in a fair and supportive working environment where people feel included, accepted and are allowed to flourish in a space where their mental health and well being is taken into consideration. We want to create a more diverse community to expand our talent pool, be locally representative, drive diversity of thinking and better commercial outcomes. Kantar is the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company. We understand more about how people think, feel, shop, share, vote and view than anyone else. Combining our expertise in human understanding with advanced technologies, Kantar’s 30,000 people help the world’s leading organisations succeed and grow.