Senior Manager, Client Services

at  NORC at the University of Chicago

JOB SUMMARY:

AmeriSpeak® is a fast-growing, fast-paced, innovative, probability-based panel housed within NORC at the University of Chicago, a world leader in research excellence. The Client Services Senior Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of project management for client research projects within AmeriSpeak. This is a unique opportunity to work directly with clients on important and cutting-edge survey research. You will be leading and executing surveys focused on a wide variety of topics that impact our world today. In this position, you will lead a team of Client Services Managers and Analysts with a portfolio of client project work and areas of expertise, as well as work with a multidisciplinary, cross-functional team including researchers, statisticians, programmers, telephone center staff, business development, and subject matter experts throughout NORC. You will be a hands-on manager with the potential to have a real impact on client business outcomes.
The Senior Manager, Client Services is responsible for managing a research team, with a focus on specific research areas, clients, and/or methodologies within AmeriSpeak Client Services, and is responsible for the success of $4M+ annually in strategic studies. Works with managers and analysts within that team to ensure all critical aspects of executing AmeriSpeak client studies are managed well. This includes managing or overseeing the management of the following: client relationship in executing AmeriSpeak client studies, offering clients insight into questionnaires, study, and sample designs based on in-depth knowledge of the capabilities of the AmeriSpeak panel, meeting and exceeding expectations of timelines and deliverables to AmeriSpeak clients, and overseeing a portfolio of AmeriSpeak client services projects.
A Senior Manager supports project managers being supervised by helping them overcome obstacles and tackle complexities, communicate effectively, and identify risks and solutions to make sure projects are executed with quality, timeliness, and on budget. This includes being responsible for (and supporting a manager in) problem-solving with the client, support teams, and vendors for issues related to a project schedule, complex study design or programming, quality of deliverables, and the financial performance of projects. Takes the lead in communications with the client when needed. Works closely with the rest of AmeriSpeak client services, business development, and support teams to anticipate future problems with projects and design solutions to deliver the project on schedule and on budget.
An AmeriSpeak Client Services Senior Manager: works closely with AmeriSpeak business development to secure strategic opportunities of $2M+; helps write and support technical and business proposals to win new business for AmeriSpeak; works closely with others at NORC to identify new products, capabilities, and offerings; and assists in employee recruitment, onboarding, training, and growth.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree is required. Master’s degree or more in social science, survey methodology, or market research is strongly preferred.
• At least 8 years of survey research experience is required, with a minimum 6 year of client management experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience managing and mentoring staff required.
• Advanced knowledge of the principles, processes, and methodologies of survey research.
• Quantitative analysis skills and proficiency with data management and statistical analysis in SPSS, R, and/or SAS.
• Well-developed problem-solving skills, time management, personal organization, and attention to detail.
• Advanced ability to communicate effectively (oral and written) and strong interpersonal skills with colleagues and clients.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at the same time, identify and mitigate project risks, and work effectively with team members, other NORC departments, stakeholders, and internal/external clients.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of general office procedures, technology, and equipment.
• Microsoft Office software, including word processing, spreadsheets, and graphics (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). Experience with online survey or CATI software is preferred.

WHAT WE DO:

NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

WHO WE ARE:

For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

• Provide leadership in managing designated strategic client accounts and one or more specific focus areas (e.g., custom research using AmeriSpeak, proprietary survey panels, multi-cultural research, TrueNorth Calibration, etc.)
• Oversee internal projects that improve the functioning, efficiency and quality of the AmeriSpeak Client Projects, deliverables, and the AmeriSpeak Panel.
• Responsible for overseeing all aspects of project management in executing AmeriSpeak projects, from beginning to end, for projects generating a total of $2M+ per year.
• Responsibilities include overseeing a Client Services team, to prepare client questionnaires for programming; overseeing quality control testing of programmed questionnaires; managing change requests from clients; conducting pretest surveys; managing sample quotas; providing feedback to the client on sample and questionnaire performance; preparing survey data files, codebooks, and field report documentation; monitoring project budgets and costs; inspecting and assuring quality of deliverables; and completing all work on schedule.
• Developing strong effective working relationships with clients and ensuring that client expectations of quality, timelines, and deliverables are met or exceeded.
• Providing value-added insights to the client in the areas of questionnaire design, data collection methodology, panel data, and analysis and reporting.
• Supervising Client Services staff, including assigning and reviewing their work products, developing their skill set, and coaching and training.
• Developing and refining AmeriSpeak standards, processes, and procedures.
• Training and onboarding new hires for Client Services positions.
• Coordinating with multidisciplinary, internal teams—such as AmeriSpeak business development, panel operations, statistics/methodology, researchers, programming, telephone centers, and subject matter experts—to execute AmeriSpeak studies.
• Works closely and successfully with the Client Service Director, and the team of Client Services Senior Managers and Managers to improve coordination of projects, enhance processes and procedures, and help make Client Services an effective and efficient team.
• Work with Client Services Director to coordinate project work and assignments, and to support Client Services Staff’s ability to get projects successfully executed.
• To lead a portfolio of projects, and to develop standards, processes, client relationships, and strategic engagements in a custom panel or in a custom research area.
• Works with and supports researchers and subject matter experts throughout NORC on projects and issues related to AmeriSpeak.
• Work with business development workflow for proposal development, strategic engagement, pricing, contracting, and problem-solving.
• Performs other duties as assigned.