Associate Director – Innovation Practice

This is a strategic leadership role. You will be responsible for profitable revenue growth of the Innovation Practice (BASES) in India. You will interact with clients, understand their business problems and offer solutions in the innovation domain.  As an Innovation Sales expert, you would need to create awareness of all your portfolio – both externally with clients as well as internally – with the various NIQ Sales Business Partners. You will be working closely with the India Practice Area leader and support various India Sales Business Partners across Verticals (FMCG, Durables, Auto, Finance, etc.). You would also need to collaborate with multiple teams like Customer Success, Sales Enablement, Marketing, Product Leadership, Finance, etc.

Location - Mumbai / Delhi / Bangalore

Role Purpose

1. Profitable revenue growth

• Own revenue and cost Operating Plan within Innovation Practice, driving long term profitable growth.
• Involvement in proposal development and end-to-end sales process in partnership with Business Partners, Sales Enablement and Customer Success teams.
• Craft India client engagement plans alongside the Practice Lead, Vertical leads and Business partners for target client activation – sales campaign calendar and content, client roadshows, etc.
• Being part of the larger regional community, sharing as well as bringing regional best practices to India

1. Innovation Product Sales Expert

• Ability to understand client’s business questions in the innovation / renovation domain and identify the right solutions that will answer those questions in full. This will require prior consumer research experience and knowledge of testing methodologies for idea, concept, product, pack, communication, pricing, etc.
• Confidence & credibility to talk to a wide range of decision influencers on innovation
• Tailor-make the study design in order to answer business questions in full. Whenever needed, consult with Customer Success teams on the optimal study design
• Close collaboration with Innovation Customer Success team to drive seamless delivery to clients

1. Product positioning and awareness

• Be a brand ambassador for the Innovation Practice. Clearly and convincingly articulate Practice Area offerings and value creation to Vertical Business Partners, helping them open up doors with clients
• Provide use cases, trainings, objection handling on Innovation products as needed
• Lead or support C- client meetings concerning Practice Area

Success Will Require:

• 8+ years of experience in Consumer Research
• Knowledge of Innovation / Renovation research – Idea / Concept / Product / Pack / Communication / Pricing Research
• MBA degree preferred
• Ability to come across as an innovation product expert, build enduring relationships with C-level executives, truly passionate relationship developer and brand ambassador
• Strong acumen towards consultative selling. Strong sense of urgency and accountability to drive client outcomes
• Excellent problem solving skills. Solution oriented. Great presentation skills
• Strong Collaboration and Networking skills
• Financial understanding (eg. P&L, EBITDA) and how this relates to business success.

Our Benefits

• Flexible working environment
• Volunteer time off
• LinkedIn Learning
• Employee-Assistance-Program (EAP)

About NIQ

NIQ is the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. In 2023, NIQ combined with GfK, bringing together the two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights—delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms—NIQ delivers the Full View™. NIQ is an Advent International portfolio company with operations in 100+ markets, covering more than 90% of the world’s population.

For more information, visit NIQ.com

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Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

NIQ is committed to reflecting the diversity of the clients, communities, and markets we measure within our own workforce. We exist to count everyone and are on a mission to systematically embed inclusion and diversity into all aspects of our workforce, measurement, and products. We enthusiastically invite candidates who share that mission to join us. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action-Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, marital status, protected veteran status or any other protected class. Our global non-discrimination policy covers these protected classes in every market in which we do business worldwide. Learn more about how we are driving diversity and inclusion in everything we do by visiting the NIQ News Center: https://nielseniq.com/global/en/news-center/diversity-inclusion