Director, Business Analytics & Operations

About the Role

Wiley Research is executing a three-year transformation — from its strong publishing foundation through a connected intelligence layer to essential research infrastructure. The Business Management & Strategic Programs (BMSP) team is the connective tissue between the EVP's strategic agenda and the day-to-day work of the Research business. The Director, Business Analytics & Operations is the operating and analytical engine that keeps this ambition on track.

This role combines two critical capabilities: the disciplined operating-rhythm and executive-support functions of a business operations leader, and the data and analytics leadership needed to instrument a growth strategy in a complex and matrixed organization. The Director partners directly with the VP, Business Management & Strategic Programs and the EVP and GM, Research to translate strategic direction into structured execution, and builds the analytical foundation — dashboards, KPI frameworks, pipeline intelligence, financial governance — without which no data-led growth model can scale.

The ideal candidate has operated at the intersection of business operations and data analytics in a large, matrixed organization, has supported P&L-owning senior leaders, and brings the credibility to act as a trusted proxy across functions. This is an execution-oriented role with visibility and consequence.

Responsibilities

• Business Operations & Executive Operating Rhythm
  • Design and own the operating cadence for the EVP and GM, Research and its Business Management & Strategic Programs team, including weekly team meetings, executive meetings, monthly business reviews, and board reporting cycles — ensuring every session is decision-ready and action-tracked.
  • Serve as a senior operating partner and trusted advisor to the VP; act as a credible proxy in cross-functional forums where the VP's perspective needs representation.
  • Drive accountability across the Business Management & Strategic Programs team: maintain a central initiative register, track commitments, surface blockers, and ensure follow-through on strategic workstreams.
  • Lead high-priority special projects on behalf of the VP, including those involving operating model design, cross-functional alignment, and transformation sequencing.
  • Prepare and quality-control executive-facing materials — board deck inputs, Research Leadership Team briefings, and EVP talking points — owning the narrative architecture that keeps the team's communications coherent across audiences.
• Business Analytics & Performance Intelligence
  • Stand up and own the Business Analytics function for the Business Management & Strategic Programs team — the data infrastructure the four strategic bets depend on to scale.
  • Define, instrument, and maintain the core KPI set across the four strategic bets and enabling tracks; replace retrospective QBR reporting with a forward-looking pipeline accountability mechanism.
  • Build integrated executive dashboards combining pipeline, revenue, commercial signals, and operational performance data; ensure senior leaders have decision-ready visibility at all times.
  • Apply advanced analytical tools and techniques to complex business questions — modeling revenue scenarios, identifying behavioral signals, and quantifying the impact of strategic choices with clarity and speed.
  • Partner with Technology & Operations and AI & Data Analytics teams to ensure data quality, governance, and infrastructure are fit for purpose; influence roadmap decisions where gaps exist.
  • Leverage AI-augmented approaches to drive efficiency in analytics and reporting workflows — reducing preparation time, improving data integrity, and enabling faster leadership decisions.
• Cross-Functional Program Leadership
  • Lead a defined portfolio of cross-functional programs where the Business Management & Strategic Programs team provides connective tissue — defining scope, assembling working teams, tracking milestones, and surfacing blockers.
  • Interface with Technology & Operations, AI & Data Analytics, Legal, and Finance on behalf of the VP and EVP/GM, aligning resources, resolving dependencies, and ensuring delivery visibility without duplicating existing PMO ownership.
  • Coach Research leadership team members and their direct teams through operating model shifts, new governance structures, and strategic pivots as directed.
  • Support the clean transition of successfully validated initiatives into their permanent organizational home, with full documentation and handoff.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in business operations, analytics, strategy, or a combination — ideally including a senior executive-support or business management role in a large, matrixed organization.
• Demonstrated track record supporting P&L-owning or senior executive leaders: owning operating rhythms, cross-functional alignment, and executive communication.
• Strong analytical depth — comfortable building financial models, dashboards, and KPI frameworks; able to translate complex data into clear, decision-ready insights.
• Proven ability to build and instrument an analytics function from a limited foundation, including defining data standards and influencing data engineering teams.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to prepare board-level materials, ghostwrite for senior executives, and adapt narrative for diverse audiences.
• High tolerance for ambiguity; bias for action; ability to drive structured execution without a defined playbook.
• Experience managing complex, multi-workstream programs across functions not directly managed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience at a global technology or comparable professional services organization with a sophisticated business management function.
• Familiarity with academic publishing, research technology, open access models, or scientific information — or a rapid ability to develop credibility in a new domain.
• Experience leveraging AI tools to drive efficiency in operations, analytics, and reporting workflows.
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree, or commensurate professional experience.
• Track record working across time zones and cultures in a global organization.

Benefits

• Meeting-free Friday afternoons for focused work and professional development.
• Robust employee programming to foster community, learning, and growth.
• Comprehensive benefits package supporting health and well-being.

Pay

The range below represents Wiley's good faith and reasonable estimate of the base pay for this role at the time of posting for roles in the United Kingdom, Canada, USA, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, or Spain. It is anticipated that most qualified candidates will fall within the range, however the ultimate salary offered may be higher or lower and will be set based on a variety of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, skills, and competencies.

Salary Range: 128,200.00 USD to 187,933.33 USD