Head of Research Strategy

HEAD OF RESEARCH STRATEGY 

SONGTRADR LONDON / AMSTERDAM

VACANCY: FULL-TIME

Company Profile

Songtradr is the world's largest B2B music technology company, offering end-to-end music licensing, rights management, and direct-to-fan solutions. Through strategic acquisitions like MassiveMusic and Bandcamp, Songtradr empowers music creators and enables brands to connect with audiences through the power of music.

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Team

MassiveMusic, part of the Songtradr brand portfolio, is the global music and sound partner for leading brands, agencies, & platforms. By blending creativity, data-driven insights, and market-leading technology, MassiveMusic delivers scalable music strategies, innovative technology services and award-winning creative solutions, driving measurable business value and shaping the future of sound.

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Job Description

This role defines and leads Massive Music's global research vision, embedding strategic insight and evidence-based practices across the business. You will guide proprietary methodology development, oversee research operations, and serve as a thought leader in the marketing effectiveness space, specialising in the power of music and sound. Working across commercial, creative, and product teams, you will ensure research drives creative excellence, innovation, brand impact, and business growth for our global roster of clients.

Main Job Duties

Team Management

• Lead and mentor the global research team, fostering a high-performance culture with clear development pathways
• Own budget planning, profitability oversight, and strategic headcount decisions
• Manage procurement and vendor relationships (e.g., Cloud Army, Cint, Pure Spectrum)
• Negotiate and manage contracts across research service providers and platforms
• Scale operational capabilities to meet global research demands
• Ensure research studies are well-resourced, timely, and methodologically sound

Methodology Development & Innovation

• Lead evolution of proprietary frameworks such as MusicIQ, SonicIQ, and audience listening tools, and continuously strive to innovate scalable product-led offerings.
• Guide research design, sampling strategies, and segmentation approaches
• Maintain and enhance a global norms database for benchmarking and insight development
• Oversee tooling, dashboards, and systems that support effective research collaboration
• Uphold global standards for methodological consistency and rigor

Commercial Enablement & Thought Leadership

• Act as technical lead on complex or strategic research opportunities
• Support the development of sales enablement tools and commercial team training
• Collaborate with Partnerships and Client Services to sell in the research offering and unlock growth
• Represent MassiveMusic publicly through keynotes, panels, podcasts, and editorial features
• Design and publish whitepapers and research reports to enhance and promote the industry's understanding of the power of music and sound in advertising / branding / cultureBuild visibility for MassiveMusic's thought leadership in the brand and media ecosystem

Research Vision & Strategic Direction

• Define and lead a global research strategy aligned with creative, commercial, and product priorities
• Integrate research insights into creative frameworks, product development, platform innovation, and service design
• Establish scalable, repeatable research practices adaptable across regions and cultures
• Champion ethical practices, data standards, and compliance across all research initiatives
• Contribute to the evolution of MassiveMusic's global capabilities through research-driven IP and insights
  

Desired Skills & Experience

• 10+ years' experience in research, strategy, or brand insight roles, preferably within music, sonic branding, media, creative, or tech environments
• Proven leadership experience, with a record of mentoring and scaling teams across regions
• Deep understanding of marketing effectiveness, research design, statistical sampling, and sonic branding 
• Strong commercial acumen with experience supporting sales, marketing, and product development
• Experience with research tooling, automation platforms, and global collaboration systems
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including public speaking and publishing

Personal Attributes

• Strategic Visionary: Sets direction and inspires others to deliver against ambitious research goals
• Collaborative Partner: Works fluidly across creative, commercial, and product functions
• Creative Evidence Builder: Passionate about grounding storytelling in meaningful insight
• Mentor & Developer: Invested in team growth, capability-building, and cross-functional fluency
• Detail-Oriented Operator: Champions data quality, governance, and process integrity
• Curious & Culturally Fluent: Deeply attuned to global trends, cultural nuance, and regional insight needs
  

Our Three Core Values

LEAD WITH MUSIC

It's our compass and our passion. We champion creativity by putting artists, brands and fans first, balancing artistic integrity with bold commercial ambition.

PERFORM AS ONE BAND

United by purpose and trust. We aim high, knowing that collaboration, community, and doing it for the right reasons drives success for everyone.

OWN YOUR VOICE

We listen deeply and speak honestly. We value time, welcome diverse perspectives, and keep the rhythm of open, transparent communication alive.

Employment

Full time. What do you get in return? Inspiration, knowledge, career development, on top of our financial package. You'll also be working with an international bunch of remarkable musically-infused individuals. 

On this note, please know that Songtradr is an equal opportunities employer. Applicants will not be excluded on the grounds of sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, race, marital status, diversity of thought, disability, age, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. And if you need any specific adjustments to be made throughout our recruitment process, please feel free to let us know. 

If after reading this you know this is the perfect role for you, please apply via THIS LINK and make sure you include your resume and a brief summary of the professional achievement you are most proud of to date.

We look forward to hearing from you