Witt/Kieffer provides executive search services on behalf of healthcare, academic medicine, life science companies, education, and not-for-profit organizations. Its consulting team includes more than 80+ expert consultants across specialty practice areas in locations nationwide. Witt/Kieffer helps client organizations find great leaders in the C-suite and clinical, academic, technology and regulatory disciplines, among others. Its tailored executive search services also help identify talented executives who advance the mission and strategic direction of not-for-profit organizations.
Reports to: Chief Knowledge Officer and Matrixed Reporting Relationship: Accountability to P & L Leaders
The Research Director provides leadership for the Witt/Kieffer research department. The department provides support in the development, execution and completion of search assignments and in the informational support of new business development. Research staff are charged with supporting the firm’s 80+ consultants by developing and managing a search strategy for each job; identifying candidate prospects; retrieving and analyzing data from relevant prior searches; finding and developing industry sources; and employing in-house library and external resources for gathering data on potential candidates, sources, industries, etc.
The Director is a people-focused leader who is also an operations expert with deep knowledge of the informational resources and data that are key to executive recruiting. The Director is also a working leader, providing support for high profile searches, and is ultimately responsible for providing research for the firm’s 500+ search assignments each year
Major Responsibilities
• Manages the Research team (approximately 20), including all aspects of recruiting, resource allocation, performance management, feedback, coaching and mentoring, and disciplinary actions.
• Partners with HR and practice groups to establish talent profiles, build talent pipelines, and aggressively recruit talent.
• Works closely with CKO, P & L Leaders, and internal business partners to: (a) set strategic direction, design services, and establish short- and long-term goals for the department; and (b) to design, manage and continuously improve Research processes to increase the level of service while delivering services at the appropriate level of cost.
• Rigorously innovates, measures and manages department operations to achieve operational excellence – defined as high-touch/high-service, while being both efficient and appropriate cost. Achieves operational excellence through
o Designing and implementing methods and processes (some in partnership with Research Operations and Information Technology leadership) to both reduce the time to identify and enter names and increase the number of names identified and entered.
o Working closely with CKO, P & L Leaders, and internal business partners to design services and negotiate, manage and report about key operational metrics and service level agreements associated with the department’s key services.
o Designing and managing the Research customer experience program, which solicits, analyzes and acts on feedback from shareholders, consultants, and associates related to specific researcher and department performance.
o Establishing relationships with outside vendors and managing those vendors to provide key services, focused on name generation, at the highest quality with the lowest cost.
o Ensuring that operationally effective department training is provided for existing and new team members as required.
• Oversees the identification of and measures success (i.e., usefulness, usage, cost, etc.) of all Research data resources (e.g., external lists/databases for database building). Partners with Information Technology to create and innovate data solutions.
• Partners with practice leaders and CKO to develop and monitor yearly data strategy goals (e.g., prioritized content areas for database building).
• Establishes efficient guidelines, cross-functional processes and procedures for evaluation, selection and ongoing assessment of resources, including business case and cost/benefit analysis
• In consultation with practice leaders and other industry experts in healthcare and education, oversees resource evaluation and selection efforts aligned with data strategy goals
• Works with publishers and/or content owners to verify coverage and access to content; negotiates and reviews licensing agreements to ensure legal compliance
• Partners with technology team to ensure data is compatible with DFE
• Provides appropriate and ongoing education about resources to researchers, associates, and consultants
• Develops and maintains high-quality, visible relationships with internal business partners; actively and regularly communicates with internal business partners to proactively supply information and gather feedback.
• Develops and supports a culture of continuous learning and improvement for the department.
• Develops and manages the Research department budget.
• Periodically manages projects, including assigning resources, delegating tasks, monitoring work efforts, creating project artifacts, creating and implementing communication plans, managing issues and risks, and reporting progress.
• Champions the department and its services.
• Partners with Information Systems, Research Operations, and other internal business partners to design and/or select and test technology enhancements.
• Provides departmental orientation for new consulting and administrative staff throughout the firm.
• Represents the Research Department and its interests on various firm-wide committees.
• Maintains a small search load; engages in research for key, high-profile searches.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (e.g., MBA) strongly preferred.
• 7 to 10 years experience in executive search or similar professional services research function.
• 7 to 10 years people leadership experience, including proven ability to coach, mentor and develop team members, and manage individual and team performance.
• 5+ years operational management experience.
• 2 to 3 years experience designing and/or delivering training for executive search Researchers.
• Expert relationship manager and facilitator
• Strong analytical skills required, including a solid understanding of how to use data, analytics and unstructured feedback to design metrics, design services and manage operations
• Track record of successfully designing and implementing innovation and change across multiple disciplines
• Exceptional knowledge (both broad and deep) of research and knowledge management methods required in executive search.
• Exceptional knowledge of research tools, including databases, publications, purchased lists, social media, etc., and when to apply them.
• Solid business knowledge of data aggregation and import methodologies.
• Strong ability to “package” and present information for a wide variety of audiences.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group of people.
• High level of competence with internal database solutions and Microsoft Office, including MS Project and MS Visio.
• Solid understanding of healthcare, higher education, and not-for-profit industries.