At Walmart, we enable the connection between supplier brands and retail shoppers at an unprecedented scale. As primary stewards of our brand promise, “Save Money. Live Better,” we work alongside some of the most talented people in the world to engage with the more than 150M households who shop with us. This is a unique opportunity to join a small, highly-visibility team within the largest company in the world. We believe all digital advertising can be targeted and accountable – and we have Walmart’s sales data to prove it. Walmart Connect wins when suppliers invest in digital media to drive growth; Walmart and our supplier partners win when your digital expertise helps sell more goods online and offline. Growth in our digital advertising business is key to Walmart’s overall growth strategy.  

Walmart Connect is seeking a Director of Thought Leadership Research n the Media Insights organization which oversees audience insights and measurement services for Walmart Connect clients. Reporting to the Group Director, you will drive Walmart Connects thought leadership research strategy and use your skills as a research storyteller to establish Walmart Connects identify as a measurement and research leader internally and externally. You will work cross-functionally with senior leadership from Sales, Client Services, Marketing and Product Marketing teams to build a market facing thought leadership research program at Walmart Connect.  

The individual needs to be analytical and solution-driven with the ability to partner with Marketing and Communications teams to effectively communicate complex media and measurement insights to the market. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams in Sales, Client Services, Marketing, and Communications to identify key research objectives, develop research methodologies, and gather relevant data through primary and secondary research methods. Utilizing your analytical prowess, you will meticulously analyze research findings, distilling complex data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations. 

Role Specific Responsibilities: 

Thought Leadership Research Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive external thought leadership research strategy that positions Walmart Connect as a pioneer and industry leader in retail media advertising. This role will drive external research initiatives, whitepapers, and industry reports that showcase innovative ideas, trends, and insights. 

Thought Leadership Research Development: Produce the hypothesis and analysis we need to execute Thought Leadership Research. Build and execute small and large-scale research project plans with multiple stakeholders and wide external reach.  

Collaborate on Research Content Creation: Oversee the creation of thought-provoking content, including articles, blog posts, videos, and presentations, that showcase Walmart Connect’s thought leadership in digital advertising. Ensure content is innovative, engaging, and aligned with the company’s strategic objectives. 

Executive-Level Engagement: Develop and deliver executive-level presentations and perspectives that communicate thought leadership insights to senior leadership and external stakeholders. This role provides strategic guidance and thought leadership-driven recommendations to shape the direction of the organization. 

Research Vendor Utilization: Oversee the client facing analysis and collaboration with third party research vendors to leverage vendor data sources and industry benchmarks, ensuring robust and comprehensive Thought Leadership capabilities. 

Go To Market Support: Collaborate with Marketing partners on the planning and execution of the go to market activities around Thought Leadership Research distribution.  

Basic Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Statistics, or related field and 5 years' experience in data analytics or related field OR 7 years' experience in data analytics or related field. 

• 4 years' supervisory experience OR experience leading cross-functional teams  

• Experience working in an analytics leadership role within a digital advertising or marketing organization. 

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with a track record of developing high-performing teams. 

• Strong public speaking experience with a track record of speaking engagements.  

• Pre-existing published Thought Leadership research. 

• Experience working directly with b2b Marketing and Communications teams to develop tThought Lleadership Rresearch agendas and Go to Market strategies. 

• Strong expertise in advertising measurement methodologies, including attribution modeling, and cross-channel analytics. 

• Experience managing both quantitative and qualitative research studies. 

• Proven track record of providing strategic insights and recommendations to drive business impact. 

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts to executive audiences.  

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master's degree in a quantitative field (e.g., statistics, economics, mathematics, business administration, marketing).   

• 15+ years' experience with media and marketing measurement, analytics, and reporting within an advertising agency/ consulting.    

• Experience writing and producing market facing research content at scale   

• A history of working with media sales organizations to promote the drive audience insights and thought leadership research   

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.  

• History of success managing combination on-shore / off-shore teams.  

• Competency in SQL and Tableau for data manipulation, visualization and analytics.  

• Familiarity with Ad Servers, DSPs, DMPs, onsite & offsite targeting, & identity graphs is a plus. 

Core Competencies 

Integrated Marketing (Digital and Traditional) Analytics, Digital analytics, Data driven storytelling, Survey research, Digital B2C tactics, Consulting, Consumer shopping behavior, Presentation skills, Measurement frameworks, Data visualization, Data wrangling, Tableau, Excel and PowerPoint to turn raw data into actionable insights.