Research Director, New Solutions, ARC

Role overview

Research innovation and AI

• Identify research, AI, and automation opportunities across the research lifecycle; design pilots to assess methods, tools, and vendors.
• Recommend adoption, scaling, or discontinuation based on evidence and business impact, and support product and insourcing teams with validated findings.
• Evaluate vendors for quality, commercial fit, scalability, and compliance; support responsible AI aligned with governance, privacy, and quality standards.
• Develop playbooks, training, and best practices to enable adoption across ARC.

Arabia research solutions

• Serve as a point of contact for research intake, scoping, methodology design, and pricing for client and internal engagements.
• Support proposal development and project handovers to delivery teams.
• Manage vendor feasibility assessments, RFQs/RFPs, and fieldwork procurement.
• Coordinate supplier onboarding and contracting with Legal, Sourcing, and Privacy teams.
• Maintain reporting and dashboards for revenue, pipeline, backlog, and business performance.
• Support internal enablement and communication of ARC offerings and research capabilities.

Qualifications and experience

• Extensive experience in market research, research technology, or agency environments.
• Deep knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Experience applying AI, automation, or emerging technologies to research processes.
• Strong experimentation, vendor management, commercial negotiation, and project governance skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority; strong analytical, reporting, communication, and documentation skills.
• Experience in financial services, payments, technology, retail, or similar data-rich industries is preferred.

Success measures

Corporate security

• Follow Mastercard security policies and practices, protect the confidentiality and integrity of accessed information, report suspected security violations or breaches, and complete required periodic security training.