Overview:
The Operations Manager is a pivotal role responsible for the selection and management of outsourced Fieldwork partners. The role encompasses the end-to-end operational process related to fieldwork and data collection, ensuring the precise and seamless delivery of data files that meet the designated specifications for all projects within the assigned territory.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Vendor Management:
• Vendor selection: Identify, evaluate, and select outsourced FW partners.
• SLA Development:Establish and manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with vendors to ensure high-quality and timely service and data delivery.
• Vendor Performance Monitoring:Regularly evaluate vendor performance against SLAs, addressing any issues and implementing improvement plans as needed.
• Relationship Building: Foster strong, collaborative relationships with FW partners to ensure effective communication and long-term partnership success.
2. Operational Timeline Management:
• Project Scheduling:Develop and manage detailed operational timelines to ensure all studies are executed on time and within budget.
• Resource Coordination:Align regional projects with research team requirements and overall resource capacity to ensure smooth project staging and execution.
3. Questionnaire Management:
• Questionnaire Ownership: Act as the primary owner of all questionnaires within the designated territory.
• Preparation and Customization:Oversee the preparation of questionnaires, incorporating client-specific requirements into studies to ensure relevance and accuracy.
• LOI Management:Proactively manage survey length in conjunction with the research team.
• Survey design: Ensure best practice in survey design is implemented e.g. mobile optimisation.
4. Operational Process Design:
• Process Development:Design and implement robust end to end operational processes from the receipt of the designed questionnaire through to the delivery of data.
• Process Optimization: Continuously evaluate and optimize processes to enhance efficiency and quality of project delivery.
• Issue Resolution: Proactively identify potential project risks and issues and implement solutions to mitigate them promptly.
5. Sample Management:
• Fieldwork Oversight: Monitor fieldwork activities to ensure effective sample management and adherence to study protocols.
• Response Rate Management:Implement strategies to manage response rates.
• KPI Monitoring:Track and analyse demographic and other core Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to maintain sample quality, consistency and representativeness.
• Market expert: Ensure comprehensive knowledge of the territory markets including demographics and FS positioning in order to facilitate the effective tracking of sampling and data quality through fieldwork.
6. Sample Quality Assurance:
• Quality Control: Ensure rigorous quality control measures are in place to maintain the integrity of the sample that reports the data.
• Link Testing and Data Verification: Conduct thorough link testing and data checking to ensure accuracy and reliability of the data collected.
7. Data Preparation and Delivery:
• Data File Preparation:Prepare data files in accordance with agreed specifications inclusive of merging and weighting, ensuring they meet the required standards and expectations.
• Final Data Review:Conduct a final review of data files to ensure completeness and accuracy before delivery to research teams.
8. Stakeholder Collaboration:
• Cross-Functional Coordination:Collaborate with internal teams, including research and client success to ensure seamless project execution and delivery.
• Stakeholder Communication:Provide regular updates to senior management and key stakeholders on project status, challenges, and successes.
Role specific knowledge and experience:
• 5-7 years’ experience in an operations management role in the market research industry
• Extensive experience in selecting, negotiating, and managing outsourced partners and vendors.
• Proven track record of establishing and maintaining Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure high-quality and timely service delivery.
• Strong background in project management, with the ability to develop and manage detailed operational timelines.
• Experience in coordinating multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring alignment with resource capacity and team requirements.
• Experience in managing sample selection, fieldwork monitoring, and response rate strategies.
• Strong background in quality control practices, particularly related to sample integrity and data accuracy.
• Experience with link testing, data verification, and preparation of data files to meet specified standards.
• Sector experience working with financial services data would be an advantage
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Curiosity and solution-focused thinking
