Manager, Research Operations

Referred applicants should not apply directly to this role.

All referred applicants must first be submitted through Workday by a current Loblaw Colleague.

Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued - as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country's largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well®.

At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong.

The main purpose of this role is to enable the Customer Centre of Excellence and the business with the right research tools and practices to better understand our customers and make customer led decisions. The Manager, Research Operations will be responsible for the development, use, and continuous improvement of proprietary research tools including the PC Optimum™ Panel and insights repository. This role will also focus on sourcing and evaluating new research tools and capabilities and ensuring the Customer COE team has access to best-in-class research methodologies and tools.

Other responsibilities include managing direct reports, managing vendor relationships, contract and budget administration, and supporting efforts to drive data integration across multiple data sources.

What you’ll do:

Proprietary Research Tools (PC Optimum Panel Management and Insights Repository):

• Lead the vision, objectives, and day to day management of our proprietary PCO customer panel (~30k members), including panel engagement, general maintenance, and communications
• Compile and share learnings from on-going tracking and engagement studies as needed
• Lead panel recruitment efforts and perform regular panel refresh
• Lead communication with panelists and participants including regular “newsletters”

• Drive continuous improvement of the panel​ to better meet the requirements of the business and drive efficiencies
• Lead the on-going management and maintenance of our internal research and insights repository, including reviewing and sharing content, user management, general maintenance and communications
• Ensure research tools meet government and organizational standards for privacy, data protection, and accessibility
• Establish governance processes to ensure appropriate interactions and a positive panel and/or portal experience for customers
• Work with internal stakeholders to support monetization efforts through the panel and other tools (ie DI&A, Loblaw Media)
• Collaborate with vendor partners to optimize operations and reporting
• Work with cross functional teams to support data integration efforts across tools

Manage and Support 3rd Party Research Tools:

• Support the management of operational customer experience technologies and platforms across the business
• Ensure customer experience platforms meet government and organizational standards for privacy, data protection, and accessibility
• Lead sourcing and management of syndicated research resources (ie Mintel)
• Evaluate and source best in class research tools and capabilities that can help Loblaw better understand its customers
• Stay up to date on consumer insights/research industry trends

Vendor Relationship Management:

• Manage relationships with multiple vendor partners across various tools
• Hold vendors to account on deliverables and platform capabilities
• Work with vendors to align on product roadmap and priorities

Budget and contract management:

• Maintain spend to annual budget
• Manage entry of contracts into Fieldglass
• Co-ordinate with business stakeholders and vendors on contract set ups and renewals

Team management:

• Lead, inspire, motivate, and guide the team towards achieving individual goals and cross-functional objectives
• Create an environment that fosters continuous learning by identifying skill gaps, providing training opportunities, coaching for development, and facilitating career growth opportunities
• Provide feedback on progress, areas for improvement, and recognize outstanding achievements within the team
• Ensure efficient distribution of workload among team members based on skills/experience while adhering to project timelines/deadlines.

Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars - Environment, Sourcing and Community - and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values - Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence - guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits - these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Greenest Employers & Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.

If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Please Note:
Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.