Consumer Insights Specialist

FleishmanHillard's award-winning global research and analytics practice is hiring for Research Director - Consultant

Location: Mumbai

Experience: 8+ years

Position Summary

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic Research Director to lead the design, execution, and delivery of insight-driven research across our global and regional client portfolio. You will be a senior leader within the organization, responsible for overseeing a diverse range of research engagements—quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods—spanning communications, reputation, brand, ESG, employee engagement, public affairs, and media performance.

In addition to leading primary research, you will play a key role in overseeing media monitoring and analysis, turning media outputs into reputational insights that drive communications and campaign strategy. You'll work closely with account teams, data specialists, and clients to ensure that our media intelligence capabilities are robust, timely, and aligned with business priorities. You may bring either hands-on experience with media and data analysis tools or a proven track record of leading teams that deliver these capabilities. Either way, you will need to demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply media and research insights to drive strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Research Strategy & Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end management of multi-market research projects across diverse industries.
• Design bespoke research methodologies using qualitative and quantitative approaches, including integration of media monitoring and social listening data.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to align insights with broader communications and business strategy.
• Ensure analytical rigour, relevance, and insightfulness in all research outputs.

Media Intelligence & Monitoring

• Oversee and evolve organization's media monitoring offer, ensuring we deliver high-quality, real-time insights across traditional, digital, and social media platforms.
• Work with monitoring tools and teams to design custom dashboards, reporting frameworks, and campaign evaluation metrics.
• Interpret media coverage and sentiment to uncover reputational risks, narrative shifts, competitive dynamics, and thought leadership opportunities.
• Collaborate with FleishmanHillard account teams to integrate media insights into ongoing campaign planning and reputation management strategies.
• Provide senior counsel to clients on media performance and impact, leveraging benchmarks and KPIs that demonstrate value.

Client Engagement & Consulting

• Act as a senior advisor to clients, helping them translate data, including media outputs, into actionable strategy.
• Present research and media analysis to senior stakeholders in a clear, compelling way.
• Co-create strategic recommendations that drive narrative evolution, mitigate reputational threats, or enhance share of voice.

Team Leadership & Development

• Manage, mentor, and grow a team of researchers, analysts, and media monitoring specialists.
• Ensure quality, consistency, and innovation across all insight deliverables.
• Foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Innovation & Growth

• Champion the adoption of new tools and technologies in the media and research space (e.g., AI-powered summarisation, trend forecasting, influencer tracking).
• Support business development through pitch contributions and capability presentations.
• Help evolve organization's integrated analytics offering by combining research, media intelligence, and digital analytics.

Key Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in research, insights, or analytics, preferably in an agency or consultancy environment.
• Experience with media monitoring, social listening, or data analysis tools is highly advantageous.
• Strong command of both quantitative (e.g. surveys, analytics, segmentation) and qualitative (e.g. interviews, focus groups) research methods.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to link media and research data to broader communications goals.
• Strong client relationship skills, with the ability to present insights in an engaging and persuasive way.
• Experience managing teams and collaborating across functions.
• Familiarity with media intelligence platforms (e.g., Meltwater, Cision, Talkwalker, Brandwatch) is a plus, but strategic interpretation of media insights is more critical than tool-specific knowledge.
• While direct experience with media monitoring or analytics tools is valued, we are equally open to strategic leaders who can guide technical teams to deliver insight-rich outputs.
• Excellent storytelling, written and verbal communication skills.

Why Join Us?

You'll join a forward-thinking team that believes research and media intelligence should inspire change. We partner with some of the world's most influential brands to shape strategy and create impact. If you're passionate about turning data into meaningful action, we'd love to hear from you.