Careers

Job Title: Vice President, International Account Services
Department : Business Development
Location:  Princeton, New York or Minneapolis
Job Code: VP-IAS-BD

The Company:

GfK ARBOR, GfK Custom Research Inc. (CRI), GfK Caribou Lake, GfK NOP, GfK Automotive and GfK Research Dynamics have now come together to form GfK Custom Research North America.

Headquartered in New York, GfK Custom Research North America is part of the GfK Group, the world’s fifth-largest market research organization. With approximately 115 companies located in more than 90 countries and over 8,200 employees worldwide, the GfK Group covers five business divisions: Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media and HealthCare.

Position Summary:

This position has overall responsibility for providing supervisory and management support to achieve effective and efficient internal client relationships, project costing, project management, invoicing, and financial performance of operational tasks for international studies.  This position has overall responsibility and accountability for all multi-country studies regardless of methodology.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

Manage and develop a team of people with a range of skill levels up to the grade of Director.

• Identify needed capacity to execute account management tasks for international studies including involvement in the hiring process
• Optimize utilization of capacity to achieve determined goals for cost, time, billability, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Manage team expectations, including understanding and adherence to project milestones. Supervise functional compliance with company operational, quality and personnel procedures
• Work with other GfK personnel to develop a deep understanding of data collection world-wide.
• Work with business teams to increase their knowledge of international field execution.
• Coordinate/Review the costing of work performed by team members.  This includes assessing client needs through effective interaction with both internal and external vendors, generating cost estimates, and developing project plans to ensure the efficient execution of all operational tasks
• Provide necessary coaching and developing to assigned team leaders and staff including annual performance appraisals, goal setting, continuous feedback, and the creation of developmental plans.

Develop the operational function (including strategy, techniques & technical development)

• Develop the policies and procedures for conducting multi-country field management.
• Provide expertise and assistance in developing a worldwide network of internal and external vendors that can consult, bid, and execute multi-country studies as required by GfK CR NA.
• Maintain a database of information for executing multi-country field management.  Ensure this information is available across GfK CR NA.
• Ensure appropriate tools are available to staff.  Be actively involved in generating requirement for new tools and implementing new tools and automation
• Supervise functional compliance with company operational, quality and personnel procedures
• Take the responsibility for performance of operations project execution within time & budget specifications, including delivery and analysis of financial information for presentation to the Head of Operations and delivery and analysis of departmental performance versus targets
• Develop solid working relationships with established partnerships with external vendors in the areas of sample and data collection.

Additional areas of responsibility include:

• Develop a solid working relationship with all necessary contacts within the GfK Network and gain an understanding of their operational processes and needs.
• Play a lead role during negotiations between operations, internal and external vendors, and business area staff on project issues and cost decisions.
• Collect, analyze and report customer satisfaction levels for international studies executed.  Develop and implement improvement plans as necessary
• Ensure self and staff compliance with company operational, quality and personnel procedures
• Conduct analysis of team performance as required and present findings to Operations management. 
• Provide technical and operational expertise/consultancy to business vertical sectors and other operational functions on operations processes.  This encompasses liaising with business sectors and practice areas with regard to project work (including project meetings and training/presentation activity)
• Support line-managed staff technically.  This includes analyzing all aspects of data collection and communicating issues in a supportive and clear manner. Provide technical and process assistance and support to staff as required.

Skills and Competencies

Ability to team manage effectively across multiple disciplines. This will include delegation, scheduling, organizing cover for absences, monitoring costs, project support, problem-solving and identification of training needs

Solid understand of all research methodologies and client/project requirements and provide & implement effective solutions for international studies

Very strong and proven communication, negotiation and ‘diplomatic’ skills

Very strong cross cultural experience and exposure.

Well developed decision making skills

Ability to analyze issues, determine root causes, and implement effective solutions

Well developed business acumen with the ability to understand financial statements and make sound decisions that support the business needs of the company

Ability to work under pressure and ensure specified deadlines are met

Responsibility for self-development with particular emphasis on organizational and management skills

Ability to identify developmental requirements and manage developmental activity

Experience and Educational Background

Required Qualifications

College degree

6+ years related working experience

Well developed and demonstrated record of successful project management skills, within MR environment

Proven inter-personal and communication skills

Organizational and administrative skills within market research environment.

Desired Qualifications

College degree or formal education in Marketing, Marketing Research, Social Sciences, Computer Science or Programming

8+ years related working experience

3+ years of line-management experience

A comprehensive understanding of the market research process for executing multi-country studies

Exposure to different research environments (i.e. experience within other organizations in MR sector)

Exposure to different cultures

Application Procedures:

We offer a very competitive salary commensurate with your experience and a full benefits package. Please submit your resume and cover letter via email to .  Your submission must include Job Code  "VP-IAS-BD ” in the subject line of your email and provide salary requirements in order to be considered.

EOE/M/F/V