Senior Program Manager, Research & Intelligence

About the role Spotlight’s Research & Intelligence team provides unparalleled insights, analysis, and perspective to Spotlight’s clients and client teams. The Senior Program Manager is the leader of our R&I programs: they own delivery across a portfolio of client accounts, sit across the table from client executives, and present the findings themselves. This role is ideal for an experienced, client-facing research leader who is as comfortable fielding tough questions in a boardroom as they are building the narrative behind the data. Where a Program Manager executes programs, the Senior Program Manager sets their direction, raises the bar on insight quality, and is the voice of R&I in front of clients, supporting our expanded Influence Orchestration vision. The programs you’ll lead You will lead three core program types, often running several at once across different clients. What you’ll do Lead research programs end to end

• Own the full lifecycle of VoA, AI Influence, and Market & Competitive Intelligence programs: scoping, timelines, resourcing, quality control, and final delivery.
• Manage a complex, multi-account workload, prioritizing across programs and keeping the team’s priorities aligned with client needs and business impact.
• Direct the work of Researchers and Data Analysts so data gathering is efficient, standardized, and fit for each program’s goals.

Turn data into strategy

• Apply analytical rigor across complex, multi-source intelligence: survey results, AEO and citation data, and market and competitor signals.
• Connect findings from multiple sources into one clear narrative, with original observations, “what-it-means” analysis, and specific recommendations.
• Produce client-ready intelligence that is strategic and executive-quality.

Be the voice of R&I with clients

• Build and deliver research presentations to a range of client stakeholder groups, from practitioners to senior executives.
• Present with poise: handle challenging questions, manage time, and keep every participant engaged.
• Lead client meetings and communicate with confidence at the senior executive level, internally and externally.

Grow relationships and the business

• Partner with Client Teams (CTs), R&I Leaders, and Consultants to understand client needs and deliver value.
• Understand each client’s industry and competitors well enough to make recommendations that fit their context.
• Spot opportunities to expand services, and feed program learnings back into internal process improvements.
• Mentor Program Managers and raise the bar for analysis and delivery across the team.

What you’ll bring

• 6 to 10 years of professional experience in research, intelligence, consulting, analyst relations, or a related client-facing field.
• A track record of leading multiple client programs at once, with strong project management and client service skills.
• Proven experience building and delivering presentations to senior executives, including handling tough questions live.
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills: you can work across quantitative and qualitative sources and land on a clear, defensible point of view.
• Ability to make strategic recommendations that clients act on.
• Business acumen and curiosity about B2B technology markets and competitive dynamics.
• Strong ability to adapt to and succeed within a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with the industry analyst ecosystem (Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and others) and how analyst perception affects buying decisions.
• Hands-on experience with survey design and analysis.
• Working knowledge of AEO/GEO, AI answer engines, and how they source and cite content.
• Experience with competitive or market intelligence tools and methods.
• Experience mentoring or managing junior team members.

You could come from competitive intelligence, management consulting, analyst relations, market research, or another client-facing research role where turning complex data into a confident, defensible point of view was the job. About Spotlight Spotlight is a fun, smart, rapidly growing firm based in the Crossroads, consistently named KC Business Journal’s Best Place to Work. Learn more at spotlight-io.com Spotlight is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Anticipated Start Date: January 2027 Starting Salary Range: $72,000-$85,000