Director, Customer Research & Market insights

Duties And Responsibilities

• Own and evolve Upbound’s enterprise Voice of Customer programs across brands and channels
• Design and manage customer feedback systems including surveys, in-product feedback, complaints, and qualitative listening
• Ensure VoC insights, customer problems and friction points are synthesized into clear themes, opportunities, and actions that drive customer and business outcomes
• Partner with CX Strategy, Product, Marketing, and Operations to embed customer insights into planning and prioritization
• Lead customer research efforts across brands, including qualitative and quantitative studies, journey research, and concept testing
• Have a deep understanding of different research methodologies and know when quantitative versus qualitative approaches will be most impactful
• Establish research standards, methodologies, and governance to ensure consistency and rigor
• Translate research findings into compelling stories and actionable insights that influence experience design, messaging, persona development and product strategy
• Balance foundational research with rapid-turn insights to support agile decision-making
• Oversee market and competitive intelligence programs, monitoring direct competitors, adjacent solutions, and substitute offerings
• Track macro trends, consumer behaviors, and industry shifts impacting affordability, credit access, and financial services
• Develop competitive assessments, market landscapes, and executive briefings to inform strategy and innovation
• Partner with Strategy, Corporate Development, and Growth teams to support planning (TAM, SAM, SOM), partnerships, and investment decisions
• Synthesize customer, market, and competitive insights into clear, compelling narratives while ensuring opportunities for executive and functional audiences are clear and actionable
• Support executive leadership, QBRs, and board discussions with timely, insight-driven perspectives
• Ensure insights are connected to better outcomes on behalf of the customer and the business

Skills And Qualifications

• 10–12 years of experience in customer insights, market research, competitive intelligence, or strategy roles
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in business, marketing, psychology, analytics, or related field preferred
• Proven experience leading enterprise VoC programs and customer research functions
• Strong understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
• Experience building and scaling market and competitive intelligence programs
• Able to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights for senior leaders
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and executive presentation skills
• Experience in fintech, financial services, retail, or consumer-facing industries preferred