Senior Research Executive at Kantar

Role Description

Role Purpose: To be a key point of contact for clients on a specific area of their business. To handle all data requests and project briefs ensuring timely, accurate delivery of information and offering good levels of insight, whilst also contributing to the growth of the client’s business within Kantar Worldpanel by identifying potential revenue opportunities.

A person in this role is likely to have the ability to:

• Gather facts and figures, monitor self and others, and achieve goals in a timely and factual manner
• Seek ways of perfecting things, raising standards, reducing errors and overcoming omissions
• Bring a sense of urgency to situations, demonstrating an active approach, and a willingness to get involved in order to increase the pace, achieve goals and meet objectives
• Take decisions as appropriate, and ensure others do likewise
• Provide satisfactory solutions in situations involving the new and unexpected
• Have a flexible approach in changing situations and be adaptable in difficult circumstances, continuously striving to achieve a result
• Work independently when required, while remaining responsive to feedback and direction received from their line manager
• Be curious, demonstrate a real desire to learn, seek out training opportunities and actively participate in meetings (both internal and external as appropriate)
• Show dedication to both the client and the client service team, demonstrating a professional work ethic and willingness to focus and commit when required

Client Relationship

• Be a key point of contact for a specific area of the client’s business, attending on-site days and owning all related client data requests and project briefs
• Deliver a highly responsive service to clients, continuing to build good relationships and trust with your contacts
• Understand where Worldpanel complements and competes with other information your client buys
• Further develop the client relationship by seeking out opportunities to introduce other Worldpanel capabilities and services to your contacts

Account Handling

• Demonstrate real curiosity and a willingness to focus and commit in dealings with your clients
• Be responsible for managing your own day-to-day workload on the area of the business you have responsibility for and establishing priorities with the client as needed
• Anticipate client demands and proactively find solutions, rather than just answering requests
• Support Manager in client meetings/whilst on-site by preparing meeting material and handling follow-up requests
• Personally de-brief key contacts on any requests/project briefs that you have completed
• Demonstrate commercial awareness by understanding revenue targets, identifying and acting upon potential revenue opportunities
• Manage client expectations if demands are unreasonable or you can see a better approach
• Demonstrate an inquisitive nature and desire to focus and commit for your client contacts
• Anticipate client needs and be cognizant of the Worldpanel plans for developing the account
• When faced with a problem adopt a positive, hard-working attitude
• Train client users on software and data interpretation

Service Development

• Highlight and raise client concerns with any Worldpanel deliverables and help identify potential issues as they arise
• Offer your opinion and recommendations to your team manager regarding the relevance and effectiveness of regular deliverables and general client servicing in order to ensure the service’s high standard is maintained.
• Share guidelines and efficient ways of working with other team members

Basic Data and Tracking

• Assume responsibility for checking and reviewing any regular reports that are sent out to your client contacts to ensure their accuracy and relevance
• Production and interpretation of Big 6 analyses with a focus on finding patterns in the data, highlighting key points and making recommendations
• Confidently use the more advanced capabilities within Powerview such as level groups, distributions etc
• Build a network of contacts within Worldpanel Operations who can help you resolve difficulties with the data or systems if they arise

Analysis & Insight

• Attend on-site days and de-brief key contacts on any requests/smaller project briefs that you have completed
• Discuss briefs with clients, challenging appropriately to make sure requests have been properly thought through and offering advice on how best to tackle issues
• Be conversant in the methodology and deliverables of all the panels and services run by the division –eg building a good working knowledge of Expert Services capabilities in order to introduce them as relevant to help solve client issues
• Recognise patterns, draw logical conclusions, consider implications and make recommendations based on your analysis and knowledge of the client’s business
• Always make valuable contributions to basic ad-hoc client data requests by adding commentary and drawing out key findings
• Draw on your understanding of your client’s business, brand plans and category goals in order to ensure your recommendations are relevant
• Begin applying the ESI insight principles and including wider “truths” from across the business to add a greater context and depth of insight to your work
• Be responsible for managing client briefs from start to finish ie – designing correct methodology, running the required analysis, adding interpretation and insight based on category knowledge, delivering back to the client
• Where appropriate and required by the client, work with the retail data provider and other Worldpanel counterparts to produce multiple source presentations in order to deliver the complete picture

Team, People & Self Development

• Highlight and raise client concerns with any Worldpanel services to aid senior management with prioritising investment and development efforts
• Actively participate in your Academy training programmes to develop the required skills
• Seek opportunities to practice and apply what you have learned in training
• Take part in your own performance management using the KWP appraisal system
• Ensure you maintain an up-to-date PDP with your line manager – monitor your progress and find solutions for your development needs
• Engage with your line manager – seeking their feedback, input and contribution to your development – act upon it appropriately asking for advice when relevant
• Build relationships internally, specifically with immediate team with the view to willingly offer help and support to others in the team where possible
• Understand your personal impact, and build your reputation as a member of the team who has the confidence to work independently when required, but who is also an active, flexible, confident and trusted team member
• Show that you are a positive, inquisitive individual who is prepared to focus and commit and get involved!
• Seek out opportunities to grow your client and category knowledge by reading trade press, making store visits, having an opinion on your clients’ products and advertising (and their competitor products/advertising) for example!

Someone excelling in this role will demonstrate:

• An increasing network of contacts within the client organisation, not limited to the insight department
• An increasing network of internal contacts in “expert” roles within the Kantar Worldpanel
• An awareness of contractual obligations and ability to spot potential conflicts or issues arising
• Ability to convert revenue opportunities arising from client issues
• Evidence of introducing new concepts or new ways of working with your client
• Ability to deliver actionable insights focused on things your client can influence
• Give junior members coaching and feedback, acting as a role model and mentoring where appropriate
• A strong track record of attending and actively participating in training
• Ownership of your self development in completing and managing your own PDP, highlighting areas where further development is required.