Market Insight Manager

Manchester Metropolitan University is recruiting a Market Insight Manager to join and support decision making in the Marketing Department within the Directorate of External Relations.

This is your opportunity to put your stamp on a newly created role, working closely with stakeholders across the University to help us understand future students, market trends, and our portfolio of programmes.

You will have an interest in student recruitment, marketing, and higher education and enjoy working in large complex organisations. With experience in conveying complex data to a range of audiences, you will have the ability to draw out key insights and recommendations for actions. To succeed in this role, it is crucial to be comfortable in both the manipulation of data as well as transforming it into a clear narrative.

The Market Insight team is a new function in the University, with a focus on the following priorities:

• Horizon scanning of marketing trends and course development within the Higher Education sector.
• Supporting colleagues in the design, implementation, and evaluation of market research.
• Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from a range of sources to produce compelling reports.
• Provide clear recommendations to aid decision making, marketing, and student recruitment strategy.

As the Market Insight Manager, you will be responsible for:

• Working closely with the Head of Market Insight, along with key stakeholders within the University, to plan, manage, and lead on the development and implementation of the University's market insight activities to ensure all outputs are aligned to the Directorate and University's strategic objectives.
• Providing leadership and support in the development of market research and insight strategies, developing, delivering, and implementing strategies and plans to enhance and support service delivery.
• Role model leadership and management within Marketing, overseeing and ensuring delivery of market research and insight projects, providing an effective service for the University and its stakeholders.
• Ensuring effective systems, policies, and processes are in place to support the market research and insight team delivery of local objectives.
• Leading on strategies for measurement and evaluation to ensure alignment to the wider University activities and deliver value for money within budgets and timeframes.
• Keeping up to date with market research opportunities and with marketing law, providing advice to the wider team, senior colleagues, and academics.
• Providing accurate and insightful market analysis and research to support the University's understanding of current and future market demand and audiences to inform decision-making and planning around strategic decisions.

As the Market Insight Manager, you will possess:

• Excellent market research and insight skills including all aspects of planning, delivery, and evaluation.
• A track record of effective team working and building relationships with colleagues at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to negotiate and influence academic and Professional Services staff of all levels with the ability to pro-actively build effective working relations internally and externally.
• Ability to analyse data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations, communicating complex information to a range of diverse audiences, both orally and in writing.
• Extensive experience of designing and executing market insight projects utilising a wide range of qualitative and quantitative techniques.
• Experience of working in a large, complex matrix organisation.
• Excellent attention to detail with a focus on delivering quality outputs.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, including leading, planning, delivery, and reporting with the ability to manage a heavy and varied workload.

(For a full list of essential and desirable criteria please refer to the Candidate Pack.)

For all informal queries about the role, please contact Jamie Roberts on j.roberts@mmu.ac.uk.

To apply for this role, please provide your CV along with a cover letter highlighting your experience in market research. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we sometimes close our vacancies early. It is therefore advisable to apply as early as possible if you would like to be considered for a role.

Manchester Met University is committed to creating an intentionally inclusive culture of belonging that promotes equity and celebrates diversity. We understand the importance of having a diverse workforce and the benefits it can bring to ensuring diversity of thought and innovation in everything we do. We, therefore, encourage applications from people from ethnic minority groups, disabled people, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+.