How to hire a director, market research

How to hire a director, market research, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director, market research hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a director, market research job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new director, market research
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a director, market research do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the director, market research you need to hire. Certain director, market research roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A director, market research's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors, market research from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of director, market research salaries for various roles:

   Type of Director, Market Research	Description	Hourly rate
   Director, Market Research	Market research analysts study market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.	$32-88
   Research Internship	A research intern is responsible for assisting the research team with conducting an investigation, compiling information, and analyzing results for an organized research study. Research interns' duties also include understanding the work processes and operation procedures, sharing strategies and recommendations on research methods, reaching out to appropriate research correspondents, managing clients' inquiries and concerns, keeping important client records for reference, studying current market trends, and maintaining the eagerness to learn... Show more	$12-28
   Research Director	Research Directors oversee the research initiatives of the company. They are usually deployed in the academe, research facilities, or companies with research and development departments... Show more	$32-82

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Market Research
   • Data Analysis
   • Competitive Intelligence
   • Project Management
   • Primary Research
   • Market Research Studies
   • Quantitative Research
   • Research Findings
   • Data Collection
   • Consumer Insights
   • Strategic Insights
   • Market Intelligence
   • Client Relationships
   • Research Process

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and balance annual syndicate research budget, including MRI, Nielsen, SRDS vendors.
   • Lead social path-to-purchase study, incorporating social media analytics into insight community to identify spectrum of social engagement among customers.
   • Network with fellow students and discuss events in the macro and micro environment.
   • Research property utilizing GIS and local government offices to locate ownership, property records, and tax information.
   • Conduct interviews with technology leaders, financial heads and other managers of major healthcare organizations regarding administrative and information technology issues.
   • Create budgetary protocol and project proposals that are successfully implement by Bloomberg.

   More director, market research duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the director, market research job description is a good way to get more applicants. A director, market research salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a director, market research in Mississippi may be lower than in Delaware, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level director, market research. Additionally, a director, market research with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average director, market research salary

   $112,955yearly

   $54.31 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director, market research salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 12, 2026

   Average director, market research salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Delaware	$145,695	$70
   2	New York	$138,303	$66
   3	New Jersey	$137,678	$66
   4	California	$137,523	$66
   5	Colorado	$130,054	$63
   6	Maryland	$129,538	$62
   7	New Hampshire	$125,665	$60
   8	Connecticut	$125,352	$60
   9	Washington	$125,034	$60
   10	Nevada	$121,610	$58
   11	Texas	$119,780	$58
   12	Arkansas	$118,916	$57
   13	District of Columbia	$118,482	$57
   14	Pennsylvania	$116,457	$56
   15	Michigan	$112,248	$54
   16	Louisiana	$109,142	$52
   17	Massachusetts	$109,089	$52
   18	Arizona	$108,494	$52
   19	Georgia	$104,752	$50
   20	Minnesota	$104,192	$50

   Average director, market research salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Barclays	$208,696	$100.33	4
   2	Koch Industries	$198,896	$95.62
   3	Boehringer Ingelheim	$185,437	$89.15
   4	Biogen	$183,508	$88.22	2
   5	eBay	$176,346	$84.78
   6	BGC Partners	$171,896	$82.64	5
   7	GLG	$162,441	$78.10
   8	Oculus	$159,320	$76.60
   9	Sanofi US	$158,900	$76.39	26
   10	Alnylam Pharmaceuticals	$157,670	$75.80
   11	AbbVie	$157,604	$75.77	57
   12	Perception Research Services International (now PRS IN VIVO)	$156,260	$75.13
   13	En Masse Entertainment	$155,750	$74.88
   14	Allergan plc	$154,418	$74.24
   15	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$153,883	$73.98	20
   16	C Space	$152,696	$73.41
   17	Cantor Fitzgerald	$152,656	$73.39	12
   18	Guidehouse	$143,534	$69.01	21
   19	Cytokinetics	$141,982	$68.26
   20	Momentive	$138,115	$66.40	2

4. Writing a director, market research job description

   A job description for a director, market research role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a director, market research job description:

   Director, market research job description example

   The Rock Family of Companies is made up of nearly 100 separate businesses spanning fintech, sports, entertainment, real estate, startups and more. We're united by our culture - a drive to find a better way that fuels our commitment to our clients, our community and our team members. We believe in and build inclusive workplaces, where every voice is heard and diverse perspectives are welcomed. Working for a company in the Family is about more than just a job - it's about having the opportunity to become the best version of yourself.
   
   Rocket Central is a centralized hub that delivers thoughtful and innovative solutions for Rocket Companies . We are the center of operations, technology, marketing, HR, legal, strategy and more that propels our companies forward. Here, we'll give you the opportunity to launch your career and work with various companies, spanning multiple industries from fintech, to auto and real estate. We offer you the tools you'll need to succeed, no matter what stage you're at in your career. You'll be able to master your craft here by working on complex problems in a collaborative culture and challenging yourself to make a real impact.
   Apply today to see all that Rocket Central has to offer!
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   Master's degree in market research, business administration, sociology, statistics, or related field10 years of experience or equivalent competency in market research or similar field5 years of experience or equivalent competency mentoring researchers Demonstrated expertise facilitating ideation, alignment and engagement workshops with a variety of disciplines and stakeholders Demonstrated expertise collaborating with cross-functional and interdisciplinary teams to curate, plan, execute, synthesize, and share user research for multiple initiatives
   
   Preferred Qualifications
   Doctoral degree in market research, business administration, sociology, statistics or related field Demonstrated expertise leading advanced quantitative research activities, such as conjoint analyses, key driver analyses and price sensitivity meters Demonstrated expertise leading secondary research activities to explore market conditions, characteristics, trends, and competitive landscape Demonstrated ability building a market research community of practice at scale Understanding of the mortgage, financial services or financial technology (FinTech) industry
   
   Job SummaryAs the Director of Market Research, you'll lead a Market Research team that plans and executes creative studies that deeply explore current and potential market opportunities. In this role, you'll lead the vision of the Market Research team by providing a roadmap for the maturation, development, operation, and scale of the Market Research team.
   
   Responsibilities
   Define the vision for the maturation, development, operation and scale of the Market Research team Identify signals and metrics to track team progress, and proactively resolve team blockers, pain points or conflicts Guide Market Research team across business areas and disciplines to balance strategic and tactical research work Inform and support the practice of applying multiple research methods within scope Identify and communicate actionable insights and artifacts across the organization to drive change Discover and facilitate adoption of emerging research methods, approaches, and processes Build partnerships across business areas and disciplines as an evangelist and thought leader of Market ResearchStrengthen the maturity of the Market Research team by cultivating a culture of learning and passion for the discipline through collaboration, delegation, and interactive learning activities Balance constructive feedback, accountability, and positive recognition to develop growth-centric, trusting relationships with team members and leaders Hire talent that strategically complements the team's strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
   
   Who We Are
   Rocket Companies is a Detroit-based company made up of businesses that provide simple, fast and trusted digital solutions for complex transactions. The name comes from our flagship business, now known as Rocket Mortgage , which was founded in 1985. Today, we're a publicly traded company involved in many different industries, including mortgages, fintech, real estate, automotive and more. We're insistently different in how we look at the world and are committed to an inclusive workplace where every voice is heard. We're passionate about the work we do, and it shows. We've been ranked #7 on Fortune's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2022, as well as ranking #1 for Fortune's Best Large Workplaces in Financial Services and Insurance List in 2021.
   
   Disclaimer
   This is an outline of the primary responsibilities of this position. As with everything in life, things change. The tasks and responsibilities can be changed, added to, removed, amended, deleted and modified at any time by the leadership group.
   
   We are proud equal opportunity employers and committed to providing an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all candidates and team members. Employment decisions, including hiring decisions, are not based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, military or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with state and federal law.
   
   Colorado Candidates Only. Pursuant to the disclosure requirements of C.R.S. § 8-5-101, et seq., the minimum salary for this position for candidates in Colorado is approximately one hundred and thirteen thousand dollars. The position may also be eligible for an annual bonus and other employment-related benefits. The information regarding compensation and other benefits included in this paragraph is only an estimate and is subject to revision from time to time as the Company, in its sole and exclusive discretion, deems appropriate. The Company may determine during its review of the proposed minimum compensation and benefits provided for this position, that the compensation and benefits for such position should be reduced. In no event will the Company reduce the compensation for the position to a level below the applicable jurisdictional minimum wage rate for the position. The Company is a proud equal opportunity employer and committed to providing an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all candidates and team members.
   
   The Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and does not discriminate in any hiring or employment practices. The Company provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with state and federal law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in completing the application and/or participating in the employment application process should notify a representative of the Human Resources Team, The Pulse, at 1-800-411-JOBS.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right director, market research for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with directors, market research they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit directors, market research who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your director, market research job on Zippia to find and recruit director, market research candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as swipe files, exit five, marketinghire, american marketing association.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit directors, market research, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new director, market research

   Once you've decided on a perfect director, market research candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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