Market Research Manager

Company Overview

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operate collectively as a “Bridgestone West” strategic region. This region services the strategic business needs of teams across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. BSAM and BSEMEA are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Corporation, globally headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products and solutions to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.

Job Category

Data & Analytics

Position Summary

The Lead, Market Research Analyst develops and executes market and portfolio strategies that guide the strategic growth and optimization of Bridgestone Retail Operations’ (BSRO’s) North American retail footprint. This role works on the development of market entry, portfolio optimization, and capital allocation strategies across 2,200+ locations, leveraging advanced analytics, financial modeling, and market intelligence to inform executive decision-making.

The role partners with Real Estate, Finance, and Field Operations, to ensure new site opportunities support the overall real estate strategic plan. Additionally, this role will support analysis for capital decisions related to store relocations, remodels, and portfolio transformation initiatives. By providing these complex insights-driven solutions, the Manager of Real Estate Strategy & Market Planning will contribute to the company's growth and operational excellence, supporting Bridgestone West Retail's success and innovation.

This is a hybrid role based in Nashville, TN. Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute components of the enterprise market growth strategy, defining where and how BSRO should expand through data-driven opportunity sizing and financial analysis. (in partnership with New Store Development team).
• Create and own market-level DMA strategies (for assigned territories) related to store growth planning using a mixture first-party / third-party data, combined with travel to these markets for boots on the ground research and strategic planning sessions in partnership with Real Estate Development and Field Operations teams.
• Conduct site analysis / sales projections for potential new, relocation and acquisition opportunities throughout the country utilizing the company’s sales forecasting / site selection tools, emerging individual market trends, consumer, demographic, psychographic, mobility, and competitive data
• Develop market and portfolio scenarios that evaluate alternative growth, relocation, closure, remodel and capital investment strategies, quantifying expected sales, profitability, cannibalization, customer access and return implications.
• Present new site information regarding to monthly executive Real Estate Committee as needed, including information related to store performance, cannibalization, surrounding area strategy, competition, or broader company objectives.
• Ongoing review of existing markets to ensure portfolio optimization in response to shifting industry and market trends, including the ongoing analysis of new store performance/profitability, real estate characteristics, and competitive landscape.
• Serve as subject matter expert on projects requiring spatial and/or financial analysis, including competitor analysis, store closing profitability and sales transfer analysis, potential acquisitions, remodel analysis and other projects as required.
• Create, run, and present multiple reports / dashboards as needed on company and competitor store location strategy, along with other reporting related to strategic and tactical decision-making and research.
• Create and manage quarterly new store over/under performance reporting and in-depth analysis, including establishment and leadership of accompanying review meetings with Operations.
• Suggest refinements for quantitative multi-variable ranked scoring model to support selection of store remodel and refresh prioritization, incorporating field operations insights and qualitative inputs
• Monitor portfolio performance and key real estate KPIs, identifying opportunities to improve market penetration, store productivity, customer access, and investment returns.
• Support cross-functional alignment with Real Estate Data Engineer to devise and guide the build of custom reporting to display complex data insights in easily digestible formats leveraging PowerBI, Tableau, etc.
• Perform correlation analysis to identify and understand optimal conditions and site characteristics for store operations and translate findings into portfolio strategies for new and existing stores.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Real Estate, Finance, Market Research, Statistics or related fields, is desired.
• 5+ years of experience in retail real estate, location strategy, market planning, business strategy, analytics, management consulting, finance, or a related field, with demonstrated experience applying quantitative analysis to complex business decisions.
• Detail-oriented individual who can produce quality work with limited need for revisions and is comfortable presenting and defending analysis and recommendations to a wide-ranging audience of both peers and leadership.
• Ability to translate business requirements and specifications into actionable strategies, insights and executable plans with minimal direction or oversight.
• Strong financial modeling and business-case development skills, including the ability to evaluate sales, profitability, cannibalization, capital investment, and expected returns associated with real estate decisions.
• Experience with retail site selection, market planning, portfolio optimization, or real estate strategy.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; strong working knowledge of Microsoft Word.
• Preferred experience utilizing GIS, spatial analytics, trade area analysis, or location intelligence platforms (e.g., Esri, Alteryx, Placer.ai, Buxton, Kalibrate, or similar tools).
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is preferred.
• Domestic travel as needed to visit markets, prospective sites, or existing stores (~10-20%)

At Bridgestone, you are Free to Be

We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they feel safe bringing their chosen version of themselves to work. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. So, show us what you are made of, because who you are is what we need.

What we offer

At Bridgestone, what really matters is to foster co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality”, for that, we offer you more than just a competitive compensation; we will provide you:

• A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.
• The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship.
• Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
• A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment.
• Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being.
• An effective and inclusive team.

Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is our policy to consider all individuals for employment based on their unique merit and without regard to age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Employment Eligibility

If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.