Senior Research Consultant

Milltown Partners is a global advisory firm working with influential organizations and individuals on the communications and public policy challenges that define their reputations. We’re looking for a Research and Insights professional who has between 5-8 years relevant experience to join our US team based in New York in order to drive and manage exciting research projects for our clients who are mostly in the private sector. A successful candidate will be expected to work in one of our offices, have existing experience managing qualitative and quantitative research projects, and ideally a curiosity to experiment with new methodologies and AI-powered tools. 

THE SENIOR RESEARCH CONSULTANT ROLE

Consultants are the driving force behind our work. They are trusted advisors who are able to shift the reputation of our clients, in line with agreed strategy and priorities. They drive work across the whole team in a way that makes the most of everyone’s skills and experience, supporting more junior colleagues to develop and deputizing for senior team leaders when required. For this particular role, we are looking for someone with the ambition to provide specialist research expertise to client teams across the business, and contribute to the continued growth of our research offer. We expect our research specialists to work in a fully integrated way with their colleagues to offer a rounded advisory experience to our clients.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE RESEARCH CONSULTANT ROLE

Research and insight strategy, and execution

-Interrogating client asks and designing research briefs to ensure that our advice is underpinned by insight

-Developing strategic recommendations and tactical ideas based on research findings

-Using a variety of research techniques - qualitative and quantitative - to develop and deliver advice that helps our clients build and protect their reputations

-Managing the delivery of large, complex primary research projects

-Drawing on other research techniques such as market research, desk research or digital analytics

-Sharing your insights and experience across client teams in a way that allows them to learn research skills and replicate your success

-Having enthusiasm and flexibility for learning new research methodologies

-Going above and beyond the brief to suggest the most effective solutions

Advising:

-Earning the trust of a variety of clients and providing recommendations that are understood and accepted

-Advising both clients and colleagues in a variety of formats (written and verbal)

-Tailoring the style and content of advice to meet the needs and expectations of individual clients

-Reading a wide breadth of industry and client news to understand the issues clients are facing in order to inform our advice

People Management:

-Supporting the wellbeing of the team and encouraging everyone to perform, learn, and develop

-Developing project plans for client teams and ensuring work is delivered in a timely and high-quality manner

-Managing the work of junior colleagues, and supporting their professional development through coaching and mentoring

-Supporting the delivery of internal learning and development sessions about different research methodologies

-Encouraging continuous learning and development, including the delegation of tasks and the provision of constructive feedback 

Contributing to the business: 

-Applying knowledge of how the firm and clients generate revenue to improve the quality of our advice and analysis

-Applying knowledge of the commercial context in which clients operate to ensure our advice furthers their business objectives

-Demonstrating restlessness about spotting growth and development opportunities for the business (e.g. finding new ways to help clients, ways to run teams efficiently or share knowledge internally)

-Using personal interests and/or former experience to contribute to the continued growth of the business (e.g. potential new business opportunities, finding opportunities to expand our research work, development opportunities for the team

Contributing to a collaborative and inclusive work environment:

-Giving and receiving regular feedback to individuals at all levels in the firm

-Actively seeking input or assistance from others and reflecting their contributions in the work

-Demonstrating allyship to all colleagues

-Supporting the wellbeing of everyone on the team

• At least 5 years of professional research experience in a similar role
• Demonstrable ability to take a strategic approach to reputation and advising, rooted in data and insights 
• Experience developing strategic communications and/or policy recommendations based on primary research insight
• Experience managing a variety of research projects, including planning and delivering work against agreed goals, timetable and budget
• Experience managing a team and pushing work to the appropriate level
• Experience liaising with and managing third party suppliers
• Intellectual curiosity to develop subject matter expertise in new topics, and share that with colleagues
• Excellent presentation skills
• A highly motivated team member who values collaboration
• A desire to seek out feedback in order to learn and develop
• Commitment to contributing to a supportive and inclusive culture
• Fluent command of English

• Experience in advising technology companies
• Experience moderating focus groups
• Experience conducting statistical analysis of quantitative data, and proficiency in a standard statistics packages, for example, R, SPSS, Stata

• Competitive and fair base salary determined through annual industry benchmarking
• Discretionary twice-yearly bonuses
• Professional development opportunities, with access to both an expert professional coach and internal training
• 26 days of annual Paid Time Off (PTO) plus Public Holidays
• 4% match to 401k contribution
• Generous policy for new parents (for both mothers and fathers)
• Generous medical, dental and vision insurance options, including support for dependents
• $100 monthly commuter benefits
• Variety of team events, such as socials, external guest speakers, and annual firm celebrations
• Selection of breakfast foods and snacks in the office, plus a weekly team lunch
• 3-day week in the office hybrid policy (Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays mandatory)

ABOUT US

Milltown Partners is a global advisory firm working with influential organizations and individuals on the communications and public policy challenges that define their reputations. We are an Employee Ownership Trust which means that we’re fully independent and will remain so; the people who work here own the company and share in its success. We will continue to do what we've always done: take the long view, build a business aligned to our values, invest in our people and their development, and innovate to improve the quality of our advice by combining our deep sector-specific knowledge and research-driven approach.

Our clients are leaders in their field: groundbreaking technology companies and their founders; global businesses and their CEOs; prominent individuals and renowned institutions. Technology and innovation are at the heart of our business and problem-solving approach, and we root our strategies in data insights and research on the audiences that matter, messages that work, and communications channels that deliver.

DIVERSITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION AT MILLTOWN

Creating a diverse, equitably and inclusive environment is core to our values, culture and success as an employee owned business. We want to empower everyone in the team to share their best thinking and ideas, feel valued and know they are having an impact and belong in the business, regardless of their background, age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability. We have an ambitious DEI programme managed by a global leadership team of volunteers with three global company commitments to: improve representation of minority groups, enhance everyone's sense of inclusion and support underrepresented communities through pro bono work. Underpinning these commitments is a focus on what it means to have a DEI culture and how to measure that in our approach to growth, attracting talent and the impact of our work for clients.