Senior Manager - Qualitative Field Management

This role is to be based near one of our offices in Los Angeles or New York City. (Hybrid)

About the Senior Manager - Qualitative Field Management Role

As a Senior Manager - Qualitative Field Management, you will be responsible for ensuring successful execution of recruitment for client projects: you will ensure the correct audience is recruited to participate in our research, and you will ensure accurate costing, budgeting, scheduling and timely execution for all recruitment and fieldwork-related elements of a client project. This role requires a strong understanding of qualitative research methodologies, exceptional organizational and communication skills, and the ability to effectively manage fieldwork operations for multiple complex domestic and international projects simultaneously.

What You'll Do

• Own end-to-end recruitment management of both Qualitative and UX research studies, including vendor management, scheduling, and detailed communications — ensuring timelines and quality standards are met even under shifting priorities.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for recruitment topics throughout project engagements, proactively communicating study progress, flagging risks early, and managing client expectations with confidence and clarity.

• Translate complex client requirements into actionable field plans, coordinating across internal teams, vendors, and research participants to keep studies on track.

• Manage multiple complex domestic and international projects simultaneously with increasing independence.

• Collaborate with clients across global markets and multiple time zones, with flexibility to adjust working hours as needed to support project needs and client availability.

• Confirm and communicate all project fieldwork schedules, logistics, and details in writing to project teams.

• Solicit and evaluate vendor bids; ensure thorough briefing on project specs and client needs.

• Draft and review recruitment screening questionnaires based on client and team input.

• Track fieldwork project budgets and monitor/approve vendor invoices.

• Identify fieldwork problems and implement solutions; communicate action plans to teams and vendors.

• Enforce standard operating procedures to drive consistency and efficiency.

• Identify opportunities to enhance fieldwork quality and client experience.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Market Research, Social Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, or related field. Certification in Project Management is a bonus!

• Proven experience of a minimum of 2 years in project managing qualitative research methodologies, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, and ethnographic studies both domestically and internationally.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with participants, clients, and internal teams.

• Detail-oriented mindset with a commitment to maintaining data accuracy and quality.

• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing project requirements.

• Ability to think “outside the box” and recognize when a creative solution may be required for a particular problem; willingness to be flexible and collaborative in determining how to solve a problem or meet client needs.

• Capable of working independently with little supervision.

Pay Range: $75,000.00 – 95,000.00

The range shown represents a grouping of relevant ranges currently in use at Material. Actual range for this position may differ, depending on location and specific skillset required for the work itself.