• Company:                     Nielsen 
•  Division:                        European Consumer Research, Financial Services Industry Practice Group
•  Job Title:                       Vice President
•  Reporting to:               Global Head of Financial Services Research 
•  Location:                      Flexible, preferably London

OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANISATION

This is an Organisation you’ll know, admire, and be proud to represent. Their name is synonymous with talent and excellence because they innovate, challenge, and deliver.

Active in over 100 countries with 40,000+ employees, they’ve been dedicated for over 80 years to companies that market their products and services to consumers, answering fundamental business questions including:

• What is happening in the marketplace?
• Why is this happening?
• What is likely to happen next?
• What is the best route to growth?

In today’s dynamic global markets, finding clear answers to these questions is a complex challenge. Our Client provides services that help clarify and understand the complexities of marketplaces, so that others can make decisions and choose actions that will build the efficiency and productivity of their Organisations, increasing revenues and improving profitability.

As a global pioneer generating information and media research they command market leading positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

To drive significant P&L growth of the European Financial Services Research Practice.

This includes adding value to current work, growing relationships with senior client leaders, penetrating new major clients, displaying thought leadership and leading a successful team.

Business Management

• To manage the current multi-million USD business, including P&L (c30m)
• To grow the business significantly supported by the wider organization
• To formulate actionable development plans for the EU Financial Services Practice, including staffing, R&D and resource planning
• To clearly articulate to senior management the opportunities, obstacles and path forward for the Practice

Client service and business development

• To discuss business issues and clarify research needs with clients
• To review/finalize proposals designed to address client’s needs, ensuring unique benefits, integrated analyses (as appropriate/relevant) and leadership practice are demonstrated
• To manage and approve costs
• To anticipate client needs and/or issues and discuss solutions/propose next steps
• To build existing and new customer relationships that deliver incremental business opportunities both for the division and others divisions within Clients
• To prepare and discuss group selling opportunities with Clients for each completed project that meet internal criteria
• Ensure that unit goals on group initiatives are met in terms of number of entries and average scores

Cultivate high performance teams

• To conduct objective setting and performance review sessions with matrix managed reports
• To discuss development plan needs and career development goals with matrix managed reports
• To recognize and reward exemplary performance, celebrating team accomplishments
• To communicate and resolve performance issues
• To develop and execute effective succession planning

Analysis/report-writing and presentation

• To work with the wider business to ensure integrated and value-added insights are provided
• To review and finalize reports, ensuring a strategic perspective and actionable recommendations
• To present findings to Clients, discussing next steps and potential business opportunities

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

•  Graduate or Masters equivalent ideally in statistics, social science, business, marketing or related field

 Career experience

• Will have Significant experience of delivering results in market research, consulting, or related fields
• Will demonstrate a track record of P&L growth
• Will possess a detailed knowledge of the financial services industry, preferably banking
• Will have successfully developed business within market research
• Will have extensive experience in managing multiple large Clients
• Will demonstrate management and consultative experience
• Will thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Will be adept at manipulating MS Office products
• Ideally will have experience in global research
• Ideally will have led a marketing or research function within a bank or financial service institution
• Ideally will have a track record of building successful teams

Interpersonal Style and Leadership qualities

Leadership/Collaboration

• Leads, facilitates and drives One Voice collaboration
• Drives integration with other Nielsen units
• Ability to recognize development potential of team members and determine extent of fit for current role
• Establishes an action-oriented culture where unit operates with a sense of urgency
• Sets clear vision, strategy and goals that creates impact and mobilizes the unit
• Fosters an understanding of unit’s mission and value to organizational objectives
• Fosters a culture of learning, innovation and collaboration
• Quickly, effectively and decisively resolves organizational issues
• Solicits participation from the unit leadership team and, when appropriate, from the unit as a whole in making decisions that affect the unit
• Takes ownership of revenue and profitability targets and takes appropriate steps to achieve them.

Client Management

• Fosters and grows strong, trust-based, consultative client relationships at a senior level
• Takes ultimate accountability for client satisfaction; takes appropriate steps to resolve client issues, prevent/mitigate escalation and prevent recurrence
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of client’s business, able to prioritize information needs and organically devise appropriate solutions, looking outside of own unit if necessary
• Builds strong external network that leads to new client introduction
• Viewed as an extension of client’s team

Communication Skills

• Strong, compelling presentation skills, adapts communication style to fit the audience
• Ability to connect with the client and engage in active dialogue with clients to isolate key issues
• Ability to shape opinions, and influence and persuade internal and external audiences
• Communicates openly and encourages others to do the same

Analytics

• Synthesizes and integrates fact-based insights and utilizes a broader industry-level knowledge, cementing strong role as expert consultant
• Inspires client confidence in ability to think strategically
• Develops creative approaches to address client issues, collaborating with other entities within or outside the organization

Will be a bright, energetic capable manager and leader and as such will be ambitious. Whilst it is hoped that the successful individual will certainly have the stretch to move up the hierarchy they should understand the importance of being in the role long enough to effect change, deliver results and share their knowledge.

There is significant scope to develop within the position.