EY GDS - Manager - Research

Job Summary :

Providing a combination of research and analysis, the analyst will execute research projects, with a focus on secondary research, to identify insights that power distinctive pieces of thought leadership to help EY shape the global dialogue on topics we study and solve the toughest issues facing our clients, business and society.

As part of the EY Research Institute, this role will execute research projects to support EY's Tier 1 thought leadership content - a curated set of high impact pieces aligned to EY's strategic themes that provide a differentiated and innovative point of view on a topic relevant to a broad audience. Topics may be cross-cutting or focused on a specific domain. All work will be done under the guidance of the Research Institute leader and senior analysts from the Research Institute and in collaboration with EY business leaders, EY Knowledge domain analysts, subject matter experts and data specialists in the EY Research Institute, editorial teams, and internal/external activation networks.

Successful execution of the role will require the ability to combine strong analytical skills and a strategic mindset with real-world perspective driven by an understanding of both clients' experiences and broader marketplace drivers. Collaboration and communication are crucial, as the EY Research Institute has a key role to play in sharing information across sectors, service lines, accounts, and solutions, and using that information to further strengthen the quality of insights produced.

Essential Functions of the Job :

- Partner with the Research Institute members, business leaders and subject matter experts to execute research programs resulting in business-relevant insights on a variety of topics. Research projects will help identify and test key trends and understand how existing trends will evolve or new trends will emerge.

- Select the optimal analytical approach to meet project objective and deliver differentiated insights that go beyond the obvious

- Use data to create compelling storylines and communicate them succinctly through data visualizations, PPTs, and dashboards

- Rapidly develop an understanding of new project topics and their business/ market context to inform analysis, interpretation and deliver of insights

- Collaborate with members of their team and the EY Research Institute community to execute analysis, leverage subject matter expertise, identify additional data and tools to enhance output, adopt and share best practices, and deliver high quality insights.

- Work in a flexible and agile manner, adjusting the depth or focus of analysis to align with publishing priorities agreed by the Global Editorial Board.

- Leverage EY's proprietary insights and global network of colleagues to improve and enhance the quality of insights delivered, including interacting with account teams, sector and service line colleagues, domain subject matter experts, Knowledge teams, clients and external networks.

- Collaborate with editorial and marketing colleagues to help deliver and activate distinctive insights on top-of-mind issues for the C-suite

- Share insights and perspectives that support business development activities and service delivery to clients in collaboration with domain teams

- Work with external vendors and collaborators to collect, process, and quality control data

- Clearly and concisely communicate (both in writing and orally) analytic approaches, novel insights and distinctive points of view on research topics

- Develop a credible internal brand within EY as subject matter expert on the practices of primary research.

- Innovate on approaches to content development; trial new formats and methodologies; and scale successful proofs of concept.

Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities :

- Responsible for analyzing and interpreting the results of complex, global, internally- and externally-executed research projects

- Select and implement the appropriate analytical approach to achieve Tier 1 thought leadership objectives.

- Quality control insights and outputs to ensure accuracy, integrity, and application of best practices in data handling and analysis

- Bring together a variety of perspectives and sources to develop a compelling, business-relevant point of view.

- Work with subject matter experts to evaluate multiple business drivers and identify the root causes of key trends.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements :

- Credible experience in an analytical or strategy-oriented environment

- Familiar working in a fast-moving, client-driven environment, consulting/professional services firm

- Able to work independently as well as part of a team

- Strong executive presence and demonstrated experience in presenting to executive-level audience

- Big picture thinking is critical for this role

- Succinct and structured oral and written communications skills with proven ability to explain complex concepts in a crisp, clear, concise, and graphic-rich style, using appropriate analytics and visualization tools.

- Consultative mindset and integrated teaming approach to service delivery

- Ability to take ownership for delivering customized projects with a high degree of autonomy; adept at managing several projects simultaneously.

- Understanding of the business and demonstrated commercial acumen using commercial language that presents knowledge activities in the context of business objectives

- Professional, confident, credible and an enthusiastic team player who is able to work effectively across functional teams and domains

- Strong project management skills and experience in leading complex programs and projects to achieve milestones and objectives

- Advanced skills in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

- Flexibility in working hours to accommodate multiple time zones as needed

- Comfortable working virtually across service lines and geographies

- Experience employing other quantitative & qualitative techniques for primary and secondary research. Examples could include analyzing numerical data sets (e.g., financial performance data), developing or conducting benchmarking exercises, conducting interviews, or analyzing news articles to identify insights (e.g., key trends) or create structured data (e.g., a database of articles tagged with a taxonomy).

- Experience with relevant software for data analysis and visualization such as Alteryx or Power BI desirable, but not required

- Ability to surface the insight that aren't immediately obvious when looking at an issue / market to identify emerging trends

Experience and professional qualifications:

- Experience: 5-8 Years

- Education: Master's degree or postgraduate qualification is preferred