Market Research Operations Specialist

Balsam Brands is a global, omnichannel retailer specializing in holiday and home décor. They are seeking a detail-oriented Market Research Operations Specialist to support their Consumer Insights team by coordinating research projects, managing vendor relationships, and optimizing research processes to enhance customer experiences. Responsibilities - Coordinate the scheduling of multiple research projects from initiation to completion, ensuring timelines are met - Manage vendor relationships including: contract and payment coordination and communication - Develop and maintain project documentation, such as contracts, timelines, budgets, and status reports, to keep internal stakeholders informed - Oversee management and monitoring of recruitment logistics from both internal and external panels to ensure diverse and representative participant samples - Ensure data integrity and PII standards are integrated into the process across all research projects by maintaining high-quality standards for data handling - Work closely with the Consumer Insights team to operationalize and organize research studies, including basic survey programming, participant recruitment, and data collection - Supporting specific phases of the project process: survey programming, monitoring data collection, data pulling/preliminary analysis (charts, open-end analyses, etc.) and reporting (updating templatized slides, dashboards, etc.) - Secondary research (AI tools, referencing different online sources, etc.) - Serve as the internal scheduling bridge between the CI research team and cross-functional departments, such as Marketing, Creative, Merchandising, Operations, Digital, and Customer Service to manage research assets and project flow - Provide logistical support for internal and external workshops, focus groups, and testing sessions, including scheduling, materials preparation, and technology setup - Clearly communicate project updates and status to key stakeholders - Manage and update the CI library of programs, projects, and insights to ensure easy access across the organization - Identify opportunities to streamline research processes and implement tools or frameworks to improve efficiency - Maintain and update a repository of research templates, guidelines, and best practices - Monitor industry trends and emerging tools in research operations to keep the team running efficiently and effectively Skills - Strong proactive project management with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously - 1-2 years of experience in Market Research, Consumer Insights, or a related field, with exposure to both quantitative and qualitative methodologies - Baseline proficiency with project management and research tools and platforms (e.g., survey software and project management platforms) - Excellent organizational skills, with a keen eye for detail and ability to manage complex logistics - Strong verbal and written communication skills, including translating timeline and process details and clearly communicate to internal stakeholders - Knowledge of basic project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Figma, Confluence) - Curious and passionate about understanding consumer behavior and improving customer experiences - Familiarity with CI and UX quantitative and qualitative research methodologies - Base-level experience with research platforms - Basic statistical analysis skills a plus - A background or coursework in psychology, sociology, business, or a related field is preferred - A self-starter with a collaborative approach to problem-solving - Adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment - Demonstrated AI literacy, enabling effective understanding, interaction, and critical evaluation of AI technologies and applications across diverse business functions Benefits - Competitive compensation, including a cash-based incentive plan; salary is reviewed yearly and may be adjusted as part of the normal compensation review process - Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, with 100% of monthly premiums covered for team members, and 85%+ employer-paid premiums for other coverage tiers that include dependents - Up to $2,000 annual funding toward HSA accounts - Medical, transit, dependent care FSA - Infertility coverage offered on all medical plans - Generous parental leave program and flexible return options - Company-paid life and AD&D insurance - Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance - 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to $4,000 per calendar year - Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other mental health and wellness perks - Paid holidays, annual shutdown week, PTO, and volunteer time-off (VTO) packages - Paid 5-week sabbatical leave after 10 years of employment - Annual continuous learning benefit up to $1,000 per person, per fiscal year - Up to $300 flexible reimbursement to support setup of new team member's work-from-home environment - Generous team member merchandise discount - Valuable extras: identity theft protection, subsidized parking, monthly wellness, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance Company Overview - Balsam Brands is a multi-brand E-Commerce retailer with roots in holiday and home décor. It was founded in 2006, and is headquartered in Redwood City, California, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is http://www.balsambrands.com. Company H1B Sponsorship - Balsam Brands has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 3 in 2025, 3 in 2024, 3 in 2023, 4 in 2022, 6 in 2021, 4 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.