Insights Lead

The Insights Lead is an evolved research leader: part analyst, part futurist, part intelligence architect. This is not a traditional research role or a traditional strategy role. We're not looking for someone who runs surveys and builds decks. We're looking for a trend and theme seer - someone who is genuinely excited about the intersection of human behavior, category trends and emerging AI capabilities, and who understands that the future of insights is synthetic, predictive, and always-on.

You will build and steward TEAM LEWIS's Global Intelligence Hub - a connected intelligence infrastructure that gives our teams (and maybe clients!) real-time access to category signals, buyer behavior shifts, cultural momentum, and competitive landscape evolution. Working in close collaboration with our AI development team, you'll help make insights available at our fingertips.

This role sits within the Brand Strategy practice and serves as a critical enabler of creative excellence and strategic growth across the agency.

What You'll Do

Build an Intelligence Hub

• Architect and lead a centralized, always-on platform for category, audience, buyer, and cultural intelligence

• Partner with our AI development team to define what intelligence we need and how it's surfaced. You bring the insight instincts; they bring the technical build

• Evaluate and manage the agency's research tool stack across trend monitoring, social listening, and AI-assisted research

See What's Coming

• Synthesize signals across categories, cultures, buyer behaviors, and competitive landscapes to produce forward-looking intelligence. Not what happened, but what's next

• Leverage AI-assisted tools and synthetic data inputs to conduct research at scale, without the constraints of traditional methods

• Develop proprietary TEAM LEWIS trend narratives that fuel thought leadership, strategy, and new business

Enable Great Work

• Partner with the Managing Director, Brand Strategy to build insight-led creative briefs that inspire bold, relevant work

• Serve as an insights resource across Strategy, Creative, and Client leadership teams, translating research into narrative-driven intelligence that moves work forward

Lead and Grow a Team

• Build, manage, and mentor a growing insights team with complementary skills across research, trend analysis, and intelligence curation

• Foster a culture of curiosity, rigor, and experimentation, and connect the practice into the broader agency ecosystem

Own the Commercial Model

• Develop and manage the commercial framework for the Insights practice including packaging, pricing, and positioning services across retainer, project, and subscription models

• Productize intelligence assets (trend reports, category deep dives, audience audits) as standalone or add-on offerings

• Partner with Sales and Client leadership to make insights a driver in new business pitches and client growth

• Track revenue contribution, utilization, and margin, with a continuous eye toward profitability and scale

Consult Clients

• Lead client-facing insights consultation by challenging assumptions, surfacing uncomfortable truths, and providing confidence behind creative and strategic decisions

Who You Are

You're a researcher with a futurist's mindset and a builder's ambition. You thrive on synthesizing complexity into clarity, you have a nose for the so what, and you're energized by the idea of turning great insight work into a commercially sustainable practice

You Bring

• 5-8+ years in market research, consumer insights, or strategy. Agency or consultancy experience strongly preferred

• Curiosity about and experience with AI-powered research tools, social intelligence platforms, and trend monitoring

• Strong storytelling and synthesis skills. You make data compelling, not just accurate

• Experience across qualitative and quantitative methodologies

• People leadership experience. You've built or mentored a team

• Commercial acumen: You understand how agency services are scoped, sold, and grown

• A client-facing orientation and the confidence to present to senior stakeholders

Bonus Points For

• Familiarity with tools like Brandwatch, GWI, MRI Simmons, Meltwater, or SemRush

• Background in B2B buyer research or brand strategy

• Experience productizing or commercializing proprietary research offerings

Why This Role, Why Now

The research industry is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. Synthetic data, AI-native research platforms, and always-on intelligence infrastructure are rewriting what it means to "know your audience."

At TEAM LEWIS, we're not waiting for the industry to catch up. We're building ahead and this role is the person who leads that charge. You'll have the resources of a global agency, the agility of an entrepreneurial team, and a direct line to leadership that means your work will shape how we grow.

The expected salary range for the Insights Lead position is between $105K - $125K. Base annual salary is determined by factors such as location, experience, and expertise.

Department Account Servicing Role Research & Insights Locations Boston MA Remote status Hybrid Employment type Full-time