Vice President of Research and Insights
Career GuideKey Responsibilities
- Set the research and insights strategy aligned to business goals
- Partner with executive leaders to define priority questions and decisions
- Oversee research programs across customer, market, and product topics
- Translate findings into clear recommendations and business actions
- Build and lead research and insights teams including hiring and coaching
- Establish research standards for quality, ethics, and consistency
- Develop an insights roadmap and manage budgets and vendors
- Create executive-ready storytelling through presentations and reports
- Track business impact of insights and improve adoption across teams
- Strengthen cross-functional collaboration with Product, Marketing, Sales, and Analytics
Top Skills for Success
Executive Communication
Stakeholder Management
Strategic Planning
People Leadership
Influence Without Authority
Research Strategy
Research Program Management
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Survey Design
Experiment Design
Market Research
Competitive Analysis
Insights Storytelling
Measurement Strategy
Career Progression
Can Lead To
Chief Insights Officer
Chief Customer Officer
Head of Research and Insights
Vice President of Product Strategy
Vice President of Customer Experience
Transition Opportunities
General Manager
Vice President of Product Management
Vice President of Marketing
Strategy Director
Corporate Development Director
Common Skill Gaps
Often Missing Skills
Executive PresenceResearch PrioritizationChange ManagementVendor ManagementBudget ManagementImpact MeasurementCross-Functional Operating CadenceData Literacy
Development SuggestionsBuild a repeatable process for intake, prioritization, and decision support. Practice concise executive storytelling with clear recommendations. Define how insights success is measured, then report outcomes regularly. Strengthen financial and vendor skills by owning budgets, negotiating scopes, and managing performance.
Salary & Demand
Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 160,000 to 200,000
Mid LevelUSD 200,000 to 260,000
Senior LevelUSD 260,000 to 350,000
Growth Trend
Stable to growing demand, with stronger hiring in organizations investing in customer experience, product-led growth, and competitive positioning.Companies Hiring
Major Employers
GoogleAmazonMicrosoftAppleMetaNetflixSalesforceAdobeProcter and GambleUnileverPepsiCoNikeMcKinsey and CompanyBain and CompanyBoston Consulting Group
Industry Sectors
TechnologyConsumer Packaged GoodsRetailFinancial ServicesHealthcareMedia and EntertainmentTravel and HospitalityMarket Research ServicesManagement Consulting
Recommended Next Steps
1
Create a one-page research and insights strategy tied to business priorities2
Build an executive-facing insights narrative with three examples of decisions changed by research3
Audit current research workflows and define quality standards and templates4
Set a quarterly roadmap and an intake process that aligns teams on priorities5
Develop a leadership scorecard that tracks adoption and business impact6
Strengthen influence skills by co-owning a cross-functional initiative with Product or Marketing7
Identify team gaps and write a hiring plan for the next two key roles