Strategic Initiatives, Director

R25_0013101

Who We Are:

MRI-Simmons is a leading consumer insights company. We are an established organization, with a great brand, that is aggressively reinventing itself through investments in technology and people!

Background:

MRI-Simmons powers media and marketing planning, profiling, segmentation and target audience activation by delivering high-quality, representative data through survey and data partnerships. As clients want to integrate their first-party data in audience development, and we want to expand the number of data assets that can be leveraged for more complex target/audience building and real-time activation of those audiences, it is essential that we continue to build frictionless experiences across their workflows that bring efficient speed to insights & recommendations at scale.

We are seeking an organized results-driven Strategic Initiatives Director to support a portfolio of growth initiatives, ensuring appropriate cross functional engagement for delivery of legal/regulatory compliant innovative technology and products. The Director will set timelines, goals and milestones aligned with strategic business deliverables, manage delivery across growth products and services, and guide best practices for organization, communication, and tracking. The role involves driving continued progress and excellence in data, technology and compliance, with business and product stakeholders. The role will also engage with strategic partnerships and vendors, managing relationships, coordinating and delivering against key milestones. This is a full-time non-contract position reporting to the SVP of Product Strategy.

Responsibilities:

• Architect and execute a strategic roadmap for data partnerships, contractual frameworks, and compliance alignment to support scalable growth initiatives.
• Oversee end-to-end project lifecycle management, including schedule optimization, risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration to support product and technology development from R&D through launch, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Facilitate seamless coordination across technology, legal, procurement, and product teams to accelerate initiative delivery and operational efficiency.
• Proactively identify, assess, and escalate risks and blockers in the product development lifecycle to ensure timely resolution and delivery.
• Support vendor and partner relationship management, including contract oversight and alignment with annual operating and capital expenditure plans.
• Lead initiatives related to data governance, serving as a strategic liaison between product teams and governance stakeholders to ensure compliance and data integrity.
• Champion quality assurance protocols to safeguard company data assets and uphold operational excellence.
• Develop and institutionalize decision-making frameworks that enhance cross-functional accountability and accelerate execution.
• Evaluate and onboard strategic data partners and vendors aligned with long-term business goals and innovation priorities.
• Design and refine initiative tracking systems and performance metrics to drive transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement

Experience & Skills:

• Strong background in risk mitigation
• Lead discussions with senior leadership, providing insights and recommendations
• Focus on execution, accountability, and results
• Managing or supporting high-impact programs, initiatives, or business units.
• Exceptional cross-team collaboration across functions and organizations
• Knowledge of various tech and business optimization trends for strategic planning
• Experience helping manage resource and budget plans for timely, on-budget delivery
• Experience coordinating between Eng, Product, Procurement and Legal
• Experience with big data tech stacks, methods and technologies, a plus

Qualifications:

• 6-10 years recent experience in data, adtech or martech in functions of program management, project management, and change management.
• Strong business acumen in areas of market research, audience targeting, data licensing and programmatic media
• Bachelors Degree
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal incl. senior leadership presentation skills.
• Experience navigating regulatory and compliance considerations in the use of consumer data, is a plus.
• A positive energy to inspire a culture that is excited collaboration and embraces change
• A demonstrated ability to transform and drive real business change.

This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation of $105,500.00 - $150,500.00. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, and location. This role might also be eligible for a sales-based incentive or performance-based bonus. Other benefits include a flexible working environment, comprehensive health insurance, industry-leading parental leave, life insurance, education support, and more.

US Benefits:

• Comprehensive healthcare plan (medical, Rx, dental, and vision).
• Flexible spending accounts and a Health Savings Account (including company contributions).
• Life and AD&D insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan including company matching contributions.
• Disability insurance.
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• Discretionary paid time off program and 11 paid holidays.
• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

Our Benefits

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

About NIQ

NIQ is the world's leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights-delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms-NIQ delivers the Full View. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world's population.

For more information, visit NIQ.com

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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

NIQ is committed to reflecting the diversity of the clients, communities, and markets we measure within our own workforce. We exist to count everyone and are on a mission to systematically embed inclusion and diversity into all aspects of our workforce, measurement, and products. We enthusiastically invite candidates who share that mission to join us. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action-Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, marital status, protected veteran status or any other protected class. Our global non-discrimination policy covers these protected classes in every market in which we do business worldwide. Learn more about how we are driving diversity and inclusion in everything we do by visiting the NIQ News Center:https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion