Research Manager

Research Manager – Client side

• Location: London or various offices in major UK cities
• No office mandate
• Excellent benefits
• Work with brands within Retail, Sport & Hospitality

About the role

An international professional services firm is looking for a Research Manager to deliver high-quality, commercially focused research and insight across the Retail, Sport & Hospitality.

This is a newly created role within a growing Research & Intelligence function, offering the chance to work closely with senior stakeholders and domain leaders to shape market strategy, spot opportunities, and influence client development decisions.

The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor — combining analytical rigour, creative thinking, and domain knowledge to generate actionable insight that informs business strategy and client engagement.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver in-depth research and analysis on markets, clients, competitors, and emerging trends across Retail, Sport & Hospitality.
• Produce clear, concise written reports and presentations that translate data into actionable recommendations.
• Partner closely with domain leadership, business development, and client teams to identify growth opportunities and inform go-to-market plans.
• Lead complex, multi-source research projects using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Analyse internal and external data to identify opportunities within key client portfolios and market segments.
• Contribute to thought leadership, from idea generation through to research design, analysis, and presentation.
• Support the development of new tools and methodologies, including exploring how AI and new data sources can enhance research delivery.

What we’re looking for

This organisation is open to different backgrounds for this role. While experience in a law or professional services firm would be advantageous, they are equally keen to speak with candidates from market research, market intelligence or insight agencies who bring a strong commercial and quantitative skill set.

Essential experience:

• Proven experience delivering market and client research and analysis in Retail, FMCG, or Sport.
• Strong grounding in quantitative or mixed-methods research - comfortable working with data, designing surveys, and interpreting complex findings.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and projects in a fast-paced, client-focused environment.
• Ability to translate data into strategic insight and communicate findings clearly to senior audiences.
• Confident working autonomously while collaborating across teams.

Desirable:

• Previous experience in a professional services, legal, or consulting setting.
• Familiarity with strategic frameworks (SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces, etc.).
• Strong presentation and storytelling skills; ability to influence through insight.
• Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, and ideally Power BI or other visualisation tools.

The opportunity

This is a fantastic chance to step into a global professional services firm in a visible role where your research will directly shape domain and client strategy. You’ll work with a highly engaged leadership team in a firm known for its forward-thinking approach and collaborative culture.