Research & Insights Director

Orange Barrel Media (OBM) creates and operates iconic urban media displays that advertisers ask for by name in top U.S. markets. Since our founding in 2004, OBM has pioneered a community-oriented model of outdoor media development and is nationally recognized by cities and real estate owners alike seeking to implement premier media programs that add to the character of urban places. In the advertising community, OBM is widely recognized as the owner of the highest impact and most memorable advertising locations in the cities where it operates.

The OBM team is also a leader in smart city infrastructure, launching the Interactive Kiosk Experience (IKE) platform in concert with cities across the U.S. through the company IKE Smart City. IKE is a best-in-class public engagement platform that helps cities communicate with the public, enliven the pedestrian experience, and tell the story of their city. The core pillars of the IKE platform are public benefit and social equity, values that we seek to maximize in every IKE market to achieve city objectives and exceed community expectations.

We are a place where people are inspired to achieve success, genuinely like each other, and have endless opportunities to grow.

Learn more at www.obm.com and www.ikesmartcity.com.

About the Role

Orange Barrel Media is hiring a Research & Insights Director to connect our research capabilities to the way agencies and brands plan, buy, and evaluate media. We have a Research & Insights Manager who leads the technical work. We need a Director with deep knowledge of out-of-home advertising who can help set the research agenda, guide that work toward the questions clients are asking, and turn the findings into persuasive sales conversations.

This is a senior, client-facing role working closely with Sales and Marketing. The Director will understand how OOH competes for media budgets, what evidence buyers need to recommend an investment, and how to position OBM’s inventory against a client’s objectives and other media options. They will partner with the Research & Insights Manager on measurement, attribution, category analyses, and case studies, then shape how those insights are presented to agencies, brands, and internal stakeholders.

Success means giving Sales a clearer, more credible case for OBM: one grounded in sound research, tailored to client goals, and useful in winning and growing business.

Please provide a cover letter sharing how your experience and interests align with this opportunity.

What You'll Do

• Set research priorities in partnership with Sales and Marketing, focusing the team’s work on the questions that influence media planning, client decisions, and revenue opportunities
• Manage and mentor the Research & Insights Manager, providing strategic direction and support while drawing on their technical expertise to execute rigorous research
• Join Sales executives in agency and brand conversations to understand client objectives, present findings, answer questions, and recommend how OBM can help meet campaign goals
• Shape research projects, including third-party impact and attribution studies, comparative analyses, and category studies, around clear commercial questions and client needs
• Turn research findings into compelling case studies, pitch materials, and other resources that help clients understand the value of OBM’s OOH offerings
• Identify opportunities to win a greater share of media budgets and build the evidence and positioning Sales needs to pursue them
• Guide how research is communicated to leadership, Sales, Marketing, clients, and business partners, tailoring the story and level of detail to each audience
• Partner with the Research & Insights Manager to evaluate research vendors, data sources, and measurement tools based on their rigor, cost, and value to the business
• Keep Sales equipped with current insights, defensible claims, and direct support for pitches, proposals, and ongoing client conversations
• Stay current on OOH measurement, buying trends, competitor offerings, and other media formats to ensure OBM’s positioning remains relevant and credible

What You'll Bring

• 8+ years of experience in media research, insights, strategy, or a closely related role, with substantial experience in out-of-home advertising
• A strong understanding of how agencies and brands plan, buy, and measure media, and where OOH fits within a broader marketing strategy
• Experience using research and insights to support sales, strengthen pitches, grow accounts, or win business
• Credibility with agency and brand stakeholders, including the ability to present findings, handle challenging questions, and connect evidence to campaign objectives
• The judgment to identify which research questions matter most to clients and which findings will make a difference in a buying decision
• Experience managing and developing people, including the ability to guide technical work without needing to personally perform every analysis
• Strong analytical fluency and familiarity with media measurement, attribution, and research methodology
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, with the ability to make complex findings clear and persuasive without overstating what the data supports
• A collaborative approach to working with Sales, Marketing, leadership, and external partners, and a willingness to share expertise through hands-on support