Senior Manager/ Director, Research

Job Description

Job Description

IAB Research & Insights: Fixed-Term Assignment

Senior Manager / Director of Research

Join one of the leading research teams in digital advertising and help shape industry understanding of AI, streaming media, measurement, data, creator economy, commerce, and consumer trends.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is seeking a seasoned Senior Manager/Director-level market researcher to be responsible for developing and executing industry-leading research that will bring new insights to the overall digital advertising ecosystem in the service of IAB’s 700+ member companies as well as legislators and the public at large regarding the importance and value of digital advertising.

This is a temporary, fixed-term position designed to provide coverage during a team member's parental leave. The anticipated assignment length is approximately six months starting in August 2026. The position requires working Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:30 PM ET, including 3 days of on-site work at IAB's NYC offices on Tuesdays through Thursdays in accordance with IAB's hybrid schedule.

Responsibilities include overseeing initiatives spanning the research universe and issuing market-making reports on topics including digital advertising strategies and trends, ad spend, AI, commerce, creators, CTV, data and measurement, privacy, etc.

Reporting to the VP of Industry Insights & Content Strategy, this person will work with leaders across media companies, platforms, brands, agencies, and ad tech firms to manage member-driven initiatives and develop high-impact solutions to the most pressing challenges in digital advertising.

Key Responsibilities

• Scope, develop, and conduct qualitative and quantitative research on digital advertising and marketing best practices, case studies, and trends, in the development of whitepapers, public presentations, playbooks, and other resources based on the findings.
• Own projects, manage member constituents and drive studies from conception to completion.
• Participate in development and project management of highly visible, data-dependent initiatives across the topics mentioned above.
• Develop and present collateral supporting IAB industry educational and evangelical efforts.
• Assist IAB members and others with questions regarding interactive advertising research and data.

Requirements and Qualifications

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience in research, data, or insights at a media company, platform, agency, brand, or market research firm, and demonstrates the following:

• Deep market research experience spanning multiple methodologies, with the ability to align study design to strategic and tactical business objectives.
• Hands-on quant/qual skills including survey design, sampling methods, and statistical weighting.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to frame the right questions, develop analytical frameworks, and translate findings into actionable business recommendations.
• Strong data analysis skills and the ability to craft compelling, data-driven narratives for C-suite and member audiences across presentations, whitepapers, and bylines.
• Strong awareness and familiarity of the leading market research vendors (e.g., Advertiser Perceptions, BWG, Ipsos, GWI, GfK, Madison & Wall, Emarketer, Forrester, Gartner, Dynata, etc.)
• Hands-on experience with out-of-the-box, SaaS survey tools, e.g., Attest, Qualtrics, Survey Monkey.
• An understanding of the media industry and key digital advertising topics such as AI (incl. LLMs, GenAI, and agentic), measurement, privacy, ad spend, video, audio, creators, commerce, etc.
• Excellent oral/written, communication/presentation skills, well-versed in Google Slides, Power Point, Excel, and Word as well as the latest AI tools including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
• Proven experience at project management, managing multiple projects simultaneously and managing multiple constituents—a pro-active approach to work is essential.
• Have a passion for the digital media industry.
• Must have an LLC or INC

Why You’ll Love IAB

1. We team up. You’ll work with some of the industry's most innovative and interesting people. We work hard, but we also have fun and care deeply about our work and each other.
2. We are purposeful and mindful. We make strategic decisions thoughtfully and communicate with intention.
3. Everybody sweeps. No task is too small. We focus on the details and aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty.
4. We lead the future together. We foster a culture of action, innovation, and forward-thinking.
5. We encourage curiosity. We take risks, learn by doing, and reward future thinking.
6. We embrace all voices. Healthy debate leads to better outcomes, and every voice matters.
7. We stay hungry. We constantly seek new challenges—“good enough” is never really enough

About IAB

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy.

Our membership includes 700+ leading media companies, brands, and technology firms. We develop industry standards, conduct research, and provide education that shapes the future of digital marketing.

Headquartered in New York City, IAB operates globally across five continents.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.