About Purple Strategies

Purple Strategies is a corporate reputation and strategy firm that combines the creativity and discipline of brand communications with the speed and strategy of political campaigns to help leverage or reduce pressure on a business, brand or issue. We help build and defend reputation and brand value and serve Fortune 500 companies, associations, nonprofits and some of the most recognizable brands in the world. 

Purple helps the world’s most important organizations address their toughest challenges. We operate in a highly collaborative environment and apply integrated, team-based approaches to help clients: 

• ANTICIPATE reputation challenges and opportunities; 
• COMPEL change through business actions and transformation; and 
• NAVIGATE reputation issues, acute crises, key business choices and policy/regulatory changes to inform decision-making. 

About The Position

Insights fuel our campaigns at Purple Strategies. Serving as a core client team member, the Research Director is responsible for developing and leading research scopes that will inform/drive decisions and action and address client and research objectives. This is a full-time position in Purple Strategies’ Research Expertise Group.

In This Position, You Will

• Work closely with client teams to identify and answer questions to guide strategy and tactics; develop or contribute to the learning agenda throughout the client engagement and filling knowledge gaps 
• Translate client and research objectives into best approach(es) using quantitative, qualitative, digital, secondary, and other approaches

• Direct the collection and analysis of a wide variety of data for client engagements, including but not limited to quantitative and qualitative research, social listening, web traffic and user behavior, financial data, paid media performance metrics, and syndicated audience profiling
• Supervise/manage research team members on a daily basis to complete research projects to Purple standards and within deadlines; coach/direct teammates to elevate their work and make the work better
• Ensure that the data tell a story (what the data say and what they mean); filter and highlight most relevant data; connect the dots between research and client objectives
• Identify and reconcile disconnects or gaps across multiple data streams

• Ensure quality and accuracy of process and research deliverables
• Present research findings to internal team members and external client contacts as needed

• Contribute to thought leadership and Purple IP (may include one or more of the following: generate ideas for exploration; design, analyze, and report proprietary research; lead or contribute to cross-functional teams to create thought leadership; identify or develop new, innovative methodologies that facilitate holistic approach to delivering insights)
• Contribute to new business development and organic relationship growth

Qualifications and Experience You Need To Be Successful In This Role  

• 10+ years of experience in a senior/leadership role within a strategic communications agency or corporate reputation firm, on a political campaign or polling firm, or at a research, advertising, or marketing firm

• Proven leadership applying research insights to the development and execution of strategic plans and campaigns
• Qualitative and quantitative research techniques to inform reputation, crisis or broader communication strategies
• Non-traditional data and research methods, such as social media monitoring, traditional media analysis, legislative tracking, client/first-party data, syndicated data, etc.
• Political polling or campaign experience
• Experience presenting complex research findings and recommendations in a clear, compelling, visual manner to executive stakeholders
• Ability to integrate research insights into campaigns / strategy / recommendations

Work Location  

This is a full-time position based in either our Alexandria, VA headquarters or our Chicago, IL office.  Purple Strategies offers a hybrid model and seeks employees who are comfortable working in the office for a portion of their workweek. Purple values the camaraderie, connection, inclusion and professional development that in-person interactions provide, yet still recognizes the importance of flexibility and balance in our employees’ lives.

How To Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter online at purplestrategies.com/join-our-team/   

Purple is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics.