Assistant Vice President, Research & Innovation
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
LOCATION: CLARK, NJ
This role as part of The Direction Innovation (DI) team of L’Oreal USA’s Research and Innovation (R&I) department provides consumer and market intelligence, insights, trend tacking, cultural intelligence and forecasting to inform and frame the innovation roadmaps and programs that feed the entire L’Oréal portfolio of 35 skin, hair and makeup beauty brands. The team uses a wide variety of insights/research, trend analytics tools and innovative mixed-media methodologies: quantitative, qualitative, online, offline, primary and secondary data sources. From social listening, to ethnographies, to semiotics, to surveys, to concept testing, to focus groups to online communities. The team also experiments with cutting edge technologies (data science, AI, new platforms) to generate insights for innovation.
This role works hand in hand with US DI and a global ecosystem global DI, global CMI, labs, brands and category managers as well as marketers, scientists, inventors, consumers, beauty influencers, professionals, and experts. The role supports innovation by providing consumer innovation insights and help transform those insights into game-changing innovation opportunities. The Innovation strategic planner will bring a proven expertise in CMI, strong vision and passion for innovation and will help design consumer-centric innovation methods, approaches, and strategies.
We are seeking a new team member who thrives on “consumer insights-to-innovation” to be an integral part of the Us Direction Innovation team.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Providing the best expertise in consumer and market dynamics, US category health analysis and future facing decoding of trends with potential to impact the category.
- Designing and executing consumer and market research to identify emerging consumer behaviors, wants, needs and tensions.
- Identifying new consumer segments (now, next and future) and market trends (micro, macro and mega), and analyzing competitive activity.
- Providing strategic counsel, such as developing data-driven points-of-view on topics, steering strategic roadmaps and creating compelling arguments for new products and business opportunities.
- Helping the DI transform insights and trends into new products, services and experiences (feeding into new product development processes).
- Designing and moderating Innovation workshops (with external and internal participants), and leading innovation processes; designing new research and Innovation workshop methodologies.
- Helping to write new product concepts and managing testing of new product concepts (qualitatively and quantitatively).
- Supporting key strategic opportunities and business priorities with market and consumer insights and helping to size business opportunities.
- Managing and sharing an archive of insights, including communicating insights and research findings (in reports, presentations, online platforms, etc.) with global partners.
- Collaborating with multiple internal functions locally and internationally: Direction Innovation (DI), Labs, Evaluation, Packaging Innovation, Open Innovation, CDMO, Beauty tech, Category Management, Consumer Market Intelligence, Marketing, etc.
- Mastering cutting edge methodologies and developing new methodologies and platforms to generate insights, inform foresight and strengthen the innovation process.
- Driving Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) throughout innovation by representing and/or including the voice of diverse consumers in new product development processes.
JOB EXPERIENCE & REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum 7-10 years consumer research experience (client or agency side, such as Strategic Planning)
- BS Degree in Marketing, Business Admin, Commerce or Market Research preferred, MBA optional
- Familiarity and comfort with traditional market and consumer research sources (Nielsen, NPD, GNPD, Ipsos, Euromonitor, Mintel, etc.)
- Experience with digital data sources, including Social Listening and Search Listening
- Strong connection to US Culture (cultural awareness) – pop culture, social media, influencers, trends
- Technical mastery across research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative, online and off line, primary and secondary data mining), with a preference for Semiotics and Behavioral Sciences
- Proven analytical skills and strategic thinking, ideally in the innovation or new product development space, with the ability to solve problems and develop creative solutions in complex environment
- Experience designing and leading innovation and/or creative brainstorming workshops
- Experience with innovation processes (such as Design Thinking and Agile)
- Ability to take multiple data-inputs and synthesize into easy to understand and actionable insights that inform new product development
- Exceptional consumer sensitivity, empathy and intuition, combined with understanding of market dynamics and trends (technological, socio-economic, environmental, etc.)
- Strong team player, highly collaborative with strong leadership skills to lead multi-disciplinary teams; cross-cultural sensitivity is critical to the role.
- Curious, creative and conceptual: strong in ideation processes and problem solving
- Excellent written, presentation and oral communication skills (from public speaking to producing a beautiful and clear deck)
- Entrepreneurial start up mindset, self-motivated, confident and out going
- Organized and good with time management, with a strong ability to multi-task, adapt and pivot
- Passionate about digital and tech
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other legally protected status. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application for a recognized disability under applicable law, please email
[email protected]. Please note this email will only respond to specific requests for assistance completing the application as a request for accommodation for a disability. All others will not be considered.
