Director, Research

Join the future of news

We're on a mission to deliver riveting storytelling for all of America. At The Washington Post, you'll help reinvent news. Our work is driven by a deep investigative spirit and enhanced by innovation to bring audiences closer to the stories that matter most.

About Our Team

The Washington Post is powered by the passion and talent of our people. It takes all of us to reinvent news. Beyond our award-winning Newsroom and Opinions teams, we work across many departments, including Brand & Events, Communications, Customer Care, Engineering & Product, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing & Advertising, Print Operations, and Sales.

Why This Role Matters

The Washington Post is seeking a Director of Research to lead our audience research efforts. In this high-impact role, you will oversee the development of custom research solutions and the management of syndicated data resources that deepen our understanding of The Post's current and potential audiences, and drive advertiser success. As the senior leader of the independent research function at The Post, you will manage a team of researchers and analysts and work closely with stakeholders from across the business organization and our award-winning Newsroom. You will also help shape the future of research at The Post through the use of emerging technologies, AI and automation.

• Driven by data and energized by the opportunity to solve complex business problems through analysis and insight.
• A passion for story telling through quantitative and qualitative data and research, and a connection to our mission.
• Thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution, bridging high-level objectives with detailed operational solutions.
• Takes initiative and ownership, delivering measurable impact across cross-functional projects.
• Values collaboration and operates with a strong sense of accountability, urgency, and clarity in communication.
• Values leading a team through empowerment of intellectually curious and intrinsically motivated individuals who are passionate about delivering strategic insights.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to streamline and automate workflows, reducing manual overhead and increasing scalability.
• Embraces technology as a lever for efficiency, accuracy, and innovation-committed to enhancing both business outcomes and user experience.

• Lead the Research Strategy: Set the vision, goals, and priorities for The Post's consumer research program. Develop new frameworks and methodologies that reflect the changing media landscape.
• Manage and Grow a High-Performing Team: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of qualitative and quantitative researchers and analysts. Build a strong team culture that emphasizes curiosity, rigor, collaboration, and innovation.
• Collaborate Across Functions: Partner with stakeholders from Marketing, Product, Advertising Sales, Business Development, the Newsroom to ensure research aligns with strategic priorities and client needs.
• Guide High-Impact Custom Research: Oversee the design and execution of a wide-ranging set of research initiatives including audience segmentation, customer satisfaction work, design and concept testing, price testing, UX research, creative testing, advertising effectiveness and more.
• Translate Data into Business Insights: Synthesize complex primary research findings and syndicated research data into clear, compelling, and actionable insights that drive decision-making and strategy across the business.
• Drive Innovation in Research Approaches: Stay abreast of advancements in AI, automation, and emerging methodologies. Evaluate and introduce new tools and technologies to enhance research capabilities and drive efficiencies.
• Oversee Vendor and Budget Management: Provide guidance on vendor selection, contract negotiation, and management. Maintain oversight of the research budget and ensure efficient allocation of resources.
• Represent The Post in the Industry: Act as a thought leader, representing The Washington Post in industry forums, conferences, and with clients and partners.

• 15+ years of experience in market research, including at least 5 years leading and developing research teams.
• Bachelor's degree required, master's degree preferred, emphasis on marketing research
• Proven track record conducting or overseeing primary research projects using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Strong storytelling and communication skills, with experience presenting research findings to C-level executives and external clients
• Collaborative leadership style and ability to influence across departments
• Familiarity with syndicated media measurement tools such as ComScore, MRI Simmons, Ipsos Affluent Studies, etc.
• Understanding of the media, advertising and publishing ecosystems
• Advanced knowledge of Qualtrics or other survey tool, SPSS/Q or similar statistical analysis software, and PowerPoint/Google Slides.

• Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
• Company-paid pension and 401(k) match
• Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave
• Nine paid holidays and two personal days
• 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent
• Robust mental health resources
• Backup care and caregiver concierge services
• Gender affirming services
• Pet insurance
• Free Post digital subscription
• Leadership and career development programs