DESCRIPTION:

The role of the CMI product manager will be to conduct market, consumer and social insights studies, and to successfully manage the projects from end to end.

KEY JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Be a strategic business partner.
• Demonstration of thought leadership in research or related fields will be advantageous.
• Experience with digital research tools.
• Communicate insights with impact, clarity and conviction.
• Conduct/oversee customer and marketing analytics providing strategic and tactical business decision support. Must be especially strong in quantitative research, with some experience in qualitative research.
• Provide holistic insights by filling information gaps using a variety of sources, from primary and secondary research to competitive insights and in-house data analytics, as appropriate.
• Accompany stakeholders in development of strategy, products, concepts. Go beyond pure research delivery to be a part of accomplishing business objectives.
• Brief agencies and work closely with them, but also be able to conduct own studies.
• Ability to understand the key question from stakeholders and propose a design to properly answer it.
• Be future oriented. Keep informed on new trends and competitor activity across categories and disseminate important information to the broader team.
• Challenge the traditional research method status quo. Keep abreast of research industry evolution and bring best practice and new methodologies to projects.

TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Create clear briefs that synthesize business needs into research requirements.
• Deal with suppliers, design discussion guides and questionnaires, appropriate samples/targets for each study, analyze and synthesize all research.
• Deep analytical expertise is required. Be statistics savvy and make numbers meaningful. 
• Advise business by summarizing and leveraging 360 data (including digital, CRM, Media, Retailers)
• Able to synthesize reports into actionable summaries with strong recommendations based on business objectives.
• Builds and transmits a consumer centric culture.
• Possess an inquisitive and creative mind.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Good understanding of the South African and Sub-Saharan Africa landscape and consumers.
• Ability to work on numerous projects at the same time.
• Ability to work in project mode, not only study by study: follow up and link studies together, per category.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies and analysis.
• Self-motivated and disciplined with a strong work ethic. 
• Ability to work in a team. And to build internal networks within the company.
• Going the extra mile to achieve results.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Business, Marketing or relevant degree coupled with experience in the research industry – in agency and client organizations.
• Previous experience in FMCG is advantageous.
• At least 10 years' experience in a qualitative and quantitative research environment.
• Conducted research in South Africa and other Sub-Saharan Africa markets like Nigeria, Kenya.
• Highly computer literate – must have an advanced level of computer literacy

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 status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.