Senior Research Executive - Qual

We go beyond the obvious, using intelligence, passion and creativity to inspire new thinking and shape the world we live in.

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Job Details

Senior Research Executive - Qualitative Research

Reports to: Account Director / Head of Qualitative

Location: South Africa

About the Job

At Kantar, we help the world's leading organisations understand people better and make more confident business decisions. As a Senior Research Executive, you'll play a key role in uncovering the motivations, attitudes and behaviours that shape consumer choices, transforming those insights into recommendations that influence brand, innovation, customer experience and growth strategies.

Working as part of a collaborative qualitative team, you'll lead research projects from design through to delivery, partnering closely with clients and colleagues across the business. You'll have the opportunity to work across a diverse range of sectors, develop your consulting expertise, and contribute to the evolution of modern qualitative research through innovative approaches and emerging technologies.

Job Goals

• Design and deliver qualitative research programmes that answer complex business challenges and create meaningful client impact.
• Moderate interviews, focus groups, workshops, online communities and immersive research experiences that uncover rich consumer understanding.
• Translate research findings into clear insight stories and commercially relevant recommendations.
• Build trusted relationships with clients through responsive consultancy, insight-led thinking and consistent delivery excellence.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget and to a high standard.
• Contribute to proposals, pitches and thought leadership that support client growth and strengthen Kantar's market presence.
• Encourage the use of innovative research approaches and AI-enabled tools that enhance research effectiveness and insight generation.

Ideal Skills and Capabilities

• Proficiency in designing and delivering qualitative research across a range of methodologies, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, ethnography, co-creation and online communities.
• Ability to uncover the deeper motivations and tensions that drive consumer behaviour and translate them into actionable business opportunities.
• Experience managing complex research projects from proposal through to debrief, balancing quality, timelines and commercial considerations.
• Talent for synthesising multiple sources of information into compelling narratives that influence decision-making.
• Curiosity about emerging research tools and technologies, with the ability to combine human understanding and innovative approaches to generate stronger insights.

Why Join Kantar?

• Work with leading local, regional and global brands on some of their most important business challenges.
• Be part of a highly collaborative qualitative practice that encourages new ideas, experimentation and continuous learning.
• Develop your consulting, moderation and storytelling expertise while working alongside experienced insight professionals.
• Gain exposure to a broad range of industries, categories and research challenges.
• Help shape the future of qualitative research through the thoughtful integration of new methodologies and AI-enabled solutions.

Location

Kantar Rewards Statement

At Kantar we have an integrated way of rewarding our people based around a simple, clear and consistent set of principles. Our approach helps to ensure we are market competitive and also to support a pay for performance culture, where your reward and career progression opportunities are linked to what you deliver.

We go beyond the obvious, using intelligence, passion and creativity to inspire new thinking and shape the world we live in. Apply for a career that’s out of the ordinary and join us.

We want to create an equality of opportunity in a fair and supportive working environment where people feel included, accepted and are allowed to flourish in a space where their mental health and well being is taken into consideration.

We want to create a more diverse community to expand our talent pool, be locally representative, drive diversity of thinking and better commercial outcomes.

Kantar is the world’s leading data, insights and consulting company. We understand more about how people think, feel, shop, share, vote and view than anyone else. Combining our expertise in human understanding with advanced technologies, Kantar’s 30,000 people help the world’s leading organisations succeed and grow.