Associate Research Director

Role Description

Job Specification:
Associate Research Director

Location:
Leeds – Hybrid. 2-3 days in office.

Salary: £40k-£50k

SPARK We’re a full-service research agency, established in 2007. We’ve grown from a boutique qualitative agency to an integrated research agency offering a wide range of qualitative and quantitative innovative methodologies and products. We now have a team of 15+ researchers across Dublin & Leeds. Spark is part of the Audience Collective, a group of specialist agencies connected by a shared belief that different perspectives create better outcomes.

That means we bring deep expertise, cross-agency collaboration, and a big‑picture view to every project.

We’re looking for a sharp, versatile Associate Director to play a key role in delivering high‑impact research, impressing clients, and helping shape the future of our team. You’ll be hands‑on with projects, confident in front of clients, and ready to take ownership of proposals, debriefs, and mentoring moments. You’ll also be a key contributor to pitching new work – bringing fresh thinking, strategic insight, and presentation flair to help us win exciting new projects and partnerships.

And, based in the Leeds office, you’ll work closely with our sister agency, Ponderosa, and with agencies across the wider Audience Collective.

• Lead the design and delivery of quantitative research projects for a range of clients and sectors.
• Ensure every project delivers clear, actionable insights with methodological integrity.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders to shape project direction and elevate outputs.

• Build strong relationships with clients, acting as a trusted advisor and day‑to‑day lead.
• Present findings with confidence and clarity, adapting style to suit different audiences.
• Spot opportunities to add value and contribute to account growth.

• Write compelling proposals that demonstrate strategic thinking and methodological expertise.
• Actively contribute to pitch teams, helping shape the narrative, research design, and presentation flow.
• Present pitch ideas to prospective clients with confidence, clarity, and enthusiasm.
• Collaborate with commercial leads to scope projects and refine positioning.

• Mentor junior researchers, offering guidance on research design, analysis, and storytelling.
• Share knowledge and lead internal sessions to upskill the team.
• Be a role model for collaboration, curiosity, and quality.

• Craft engaging debriefs that go beyond data – telling stories that spark action.
• Translate complex findings into simple, powerful narratives.
• Contribute to the development of frameworks, templates, and best practices.

• Solid experience in agency‑side quantitative research, with a strong portfolio of projects and client experience.
• Hands‑on project management and delivery experience in a range of quantitative methodologies – tracking, U&A, segmentation, ad‑hoc, pricing, trade‑off studies (conjoint / max diff).
• Proven ability to manage client relationships and deliver projects end‑to‑end.
• Confident communicator with excellent presentation and writing skills.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, and influencing junior team members.
• Commercial awareness and a knack for writing persuasive proposals and pitching ideas.

• Outgoing, engaging, and able to build strong working relationships.
• A self‑starter who is naturally curious and always looking to learn.
• Collaborative, proactive, and comfortable juggling multiple projects.
• A strategic thinker with a creative edge and a passion for storytelling and research.

• A supportive, ambitious team culture that values insight and imagination.
• Opportunities to grow into a Director‑level role and shape client strategy.
• Competitive salary, flexible working, and ongoing development support.
• Hands‑on working relationships with clients, personally delivering research that makes a commercial difference.