Executive Director, Market Insights

College Board - Learning & Assessments (L&A), Research Team

Location: This is a fully remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office)

Type: This is a Full-time position

Travel: 3-5 times per year

About the Team

The Market Insights Research Team at the College Board plays a vital role in understanding the voices of key stakeholders across the education ecosystem. We design and execute quantitative and qualitative research to inform and strengthen College Board programs, including SAT, AP, BigFuture, and emerging products. Our work centers on the lived experiences, perspectives, and needs of students, parents, educators (K-12 and higher ed), administrators, and employers. We use this insight to inform strategic and tactical decisions across the organization, from product development to policy design, and to assess the impact of our work on access and success in education.

About the Opportunity

As Executive Director, Market Insights, you will lead the vision, strategy, and execution of survey and qualitative research at College Board. You will oversee a team with expertise in engaging diverse stakeholder groups across the education and workforce landscape. In this role, you will champion the use of rigorous, actionable research to shape the College Board's products, services, and business decisions, while also advancing thought leadership in the field through publications and presentations.

You will be responsible for ensuring the team delivers best-in-class, fit-for-purpose research that is both timely and impactful. Your portfolio will contain client-driven research as well as independent research determined along with your Research colleagues. You'll drive the strategic use of insights to inform product innovation, organizational strategy, brand awareness and strength, and mission advancement. As a senior leader within the Research division, you will also foster cross-functional collaboration, build research capabilities, and mentor the next generation of applied education researchers.

Key Responsibilities

Research Leadership & Strategy (40%)

• Set and drive the College Board's stakeholder and market research strategy in alignment with enterprise-wide priorities and changes in the education landscape.
• Design and oversee a research portfolio that includes large-scale surveys, tracking surveys, blind surveys, qualitative studies, and mixed-methods research to support product, brand and marketing, policy, organizational decision-making, and contribute to broader education research in the field.
• Lead strategic collaboration with the leadership of College Board assessments, programs, and initiatives to ensure that research insights inform innovation, particularly as relevant to a dynamic and evolving education ecosystem in areas like generative AI and technology.
• Ensure research design meet the highest standards of methodological rigor, ethical responsibility, and data privacy and security considerations.
• Author or co-author research publications, presentations, and briefs that advance both internal knowledge and public understanding of key issues in education.

Team & Talent Development (30%)

• Lead, manage, mentor, and develop a highly productive team of 7-10 survey and qualitative researchers.
• Foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, continuous learning, and methodological excellence.
• Grow and sustain an inclusive, mission-driven team that collaborates with other teams in Research and the Learning & Assessment division.
• Ensure timely delivery of research findings that are relevant, accessible, and actionable.

Strategic Collaboration & Organizational Influence (30%)

• Partner with senior leaders across College Board to identify emerging insight needs and proactively recommend research approaches.
• Represent Market Insights and the Research division in enterprise-level planning and strategy sessions.
• Lead the optimization of external research vendor engagement and investment.
• Act as a trusted advisor on issues related to survey methodology, respondent experience, sampling, and data interpretation.

About you, you have:

• A Ph.D. or master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., social science, education, market research, statistics, behavioral science).
• 10+ years of experience designing, conducting, and leading survey and qualitative research, including experience producing peer-reviewed publications or industry white papers/reports.
• A deep understanding of stakeholder and customer insight generation in both consumer and B2B settings, preferably in the education sector.
• Demonstrated success in using research evidence to influence product development, strategy, or policy.
• A portfolio of impactful research and strategic insight that showcases your ability to translate findings into action and a clear narrative.
• Exceptional communication skills and a track record of effectively presenting findings to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience leading inclusive teams in fast-paced, matrixed environments.
• Experience managing third-party vendors, research partners, and clients.
• Experience with a wide range of survey and analysis tools (e.g., Qualtrics, Alchemer, Sawtooth, SAS, Q) and advanced methods (e.g., conjoints, max-diffs).
• Experience utilizing the latest AI tools for research as well as portfolio and team management.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and a high degree of intellectual curiosity.
• Willingness to travel 3-5 times per year to the New York or Reston offices or other sites as needed.

All roles at College Board require:

• A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work
• Authorization to work in the United States for any employer
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and a comfort learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively.
• Clear and concise communication skills, written and verbal
• A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely, respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input.
• A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking.
• A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success.

About Our Process

• Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.
• While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise such as live coding, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.

What We Offer

At College Board, we offer more than just a paycheck, we provide a meaningful career, a supportive team, and a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. We're a self-sustaining nonprofit that believes in fair and competitive compensation, grounded in your qualifications, experience, impact, and the market.

A Thoughtful Approach to Compensation

• The hiring range for this role is $160,000 - $225,000.
• Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at College Board.
• We aim to make our best offer upfront, rooted in fairness, transparency, and market data.
• We adjust salaries by location to ensure fairness, no matter where you live.
• You'll have open, transparent conversations about compensation, benefits, and what it's like to work at College Board throughout your hiring process. Check out our careers page for more information.

#LI-TheAcorn

#LI-Remote