Consumer Research Excellence Manager - Domestic FMCG

Consumer Research Excellence Manager - Domestic FMCG - Regular MBA

Description:

The Consumer Research Excellence Manager is responsible for leading high-impact in-house consumer research globally, with deep expertise in study design, questionnaire adaptation, data interpretation, and insight generation.

The role exists to ensure that select, repeatable research typesespecially product testing, claim validation, and standardised quantitative studiesare delivered with rigour, speed, and insight depth, with minimal reliance on external agencies beyond data collection.

This role represents craft excellence in consumer research, combining hands-on insighting with team leadership to build a strong, trusted internal research capability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

In-house Research Design & Delivery (Global Scope)

- Act as the owner of in-house consumer research excellence, defining where in-house research is used, how it is designed, and the quality standards it must meet.

- Lead the design and execution of in-house consumer research studies across markets, with particular strength in:

- Product and claim testing

- Comparative tests

- Repeatable quantitative studies

- Standardised trackers (where relevant)

- Adapt and customise standardised questionnaires, scales, and methodologies based on:

- Business objectives

- Category context

- Market nuances

- Ensure research designs are:

- Methodologically sound

- Fit-for-purpose

- Efficient and scalable

2. Data Analysis & Insighting

- Personally review and interpret data outputs from in-house studies

- Draw out:

- Meaningful patterns and differences

- Consumer signals and implications

- Clear answers to business questions

- Translate data into concise, decision-oriented insight narratives

- Ensure outputs go beyond tables to clear recommendations and implications

3. Team Leadership & Capability Building

- Lead and develop the in-house research team responsible for internal studies

- Guide team members on:

- Research design and questionnaire logic

- Data reading and interpretation

- Insight articulation and storytelling

- Quality and accuracy standards

- Build strong discipline around:

- Speed

- Attention to detail

- Consistency

- Ownership

4. Agency Interface (Focused & Limited)

- Work with external agencies primarily for:

- Data collection

- Fieldwork execution

- Ensure:

- Clear briefs

- Strong field quality checks

- Minimal dependency on agencies for thinking or analysis

- Retain internal ownership of:

- Study design

- Data interpretation

- Insight generation

5. Quality, Efficiency & Standardisation

- Own and continuously improve:

- In-house research templates

- Questionnaires and scales

- Reporting formats

- Balance rigour with efficiency to enable faster decision-making

- Ensure in-house research outputs are fully aligned with broader CMI research standards and frameworks.

6. Stakeholder Enablement

- Work closely with:

- Head of CMI

- Global Consumer Insights Manager Research Excellence & Partnerships

- Category Insights Leads

- Proactively partner with category and innovation teams to shape product, claim, and validation decisions through strong in-house insights

- Provide clear guidance on what in-house research can and cannot answer

INTERFACES

- Head Consumer & Market Intelligence (primary)

- Category Insights Leads (Home Care, Hygiene, Innovation etc.)

- In-house research team

- External fieldwork agencies

- R&D, Marketing and Innovation teams (through Category Leads)

SUCCESS METRICS

- Quality and clarity of insights generated from in-house studies

- Accuracy and reliability of product and claim testing outputs

- Turnaround time for internal research projects

- Reduction in reliance on external agencies for analysis and thinking

- Stakeholder confidence in in-house research outputs

- Capability uplift within the in-house team

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

- 8-12 years of experience in consumer / market research

- Deep hands-on expertise in:

- Product testing

- Claim validation

- Quantitative research design

- Strong ability to:

- Adapt questionnaires and methodologies

- Read data critically and derive insights

- Write clear, decision-focused summaries

- Proven experience leading and developing small teams

- Comfortable working at speed without compromising quality