Title: Head of Research & Methodologies
Location: SF or NYC preferred, open to Remote
Compensation: Commensurate with experience
Contact: Lindsey Bartlett - lbartlett@smithhanley.com
AI-Native Insights Platform | High-Growth Startup
Why Join at This Stage
This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-scaling, AI-powered insights platform at a true inflection point. The product is already winning with enterprise customers, insights are spreading virally inside organizations, and research is directly influencing real decisions — not just decks.
What’s needed now is senior research leadership to define the standard for how insights are delivered, trusted, and scaled in an AI-native world. You won’t be inheriting a mature organization with rigid rules. You’ll be helping to build the playbook — shaping how research drives product direction, executive decision-making, and long-term customer value.
This role offers real ownership, close partnership with founders and product leadership, and the chance to build a core function that directly impacts growth.
The Role
The Head of Research & Methodologies will build and lead the Insights Strategy function, sitting at the intersection of research, product, customer success, and revenue. Insights are not a support function here — they are central to customer retention, expansion, and company momentum.
What You’ll Do
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Build and lead the Insights Strategy function, defining vision, standards, and operating model
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Establish best practices for onboarding, insight delivery, and executive-level storytelling
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Serve as the senior research voice partnering with product, AI, and engineering teams
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Translate customer patterns into product and positioning strategy
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Act as a trusted, customer-facing research advisor supporting retention, expansion, and escalations
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Evolve how qualitative and quantitative insights are synthesized, packaged, and communicated
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Experiment with AI-enabled workflows to deliver insights faster and more effectively
Who You Are
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10–15+ years across research, insights, strategy, consulting, or analytics-driven roles
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Proven experience in early-stage or high-growth environments
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Deep, hands-on knowledge of end-to-end qual and quant research
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Comfortable advising enterprise clients with a commercial mindset
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Highly operational, systems-oriented, and quality-driven
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Thrives in ambiguity and takes full ownership
