Senior Director, Consumer Research and Insights

Sandisk is seeking a strategic, results-oriented Senior Director, Global Consumer Research & Insights to lead consumer research, insights, and analytics across all regions, product categories, and segments. Reporting to the Chief Consumer Officer, this leader will set the consumer learning agenda and embed global, regional, and local consumer and shopper insights into brand, product, packaging, innovation, pricing, media, and go-to-market decisions.

As a member of the Global Consumer Leadership Team, this leader will build and manage a distributed team of researchers and analysts. The role will turn complex data into practical recommendations through insight frameworks, consumer personas, demand and revenue models, market opportunity assessments, pricing guidance, brand equity measures, and NPI volume forecasts.

Success requires strategic thinking, methodological discipline, executive presence, and the ability to influence learning across a complex global organization. A key priority is building advanced analytics and in-house AI modeling capabilities that identify emerging consumer trends, industry growth areas, and new product opportunities while establishing consistent standards for research quality, insight translation, and data-driven decisions.

Key Responsibilities:

Global Insights Strategy & Learning Agenda

·        Lead Sandisk’s global consumer research, insights, and analytics strategy across regions, product categories, and consumer segments.

·        Set the enterprise learning agenda and prioritize research investments based on strategic, commercial, and financial value.

·        Integrate consumer, shopper, industry, and competitive insights into annual planning, long-range strategy, product roadmaps, brand architecture, and go-to-market priorities.

·        Balance foundational research with rapid analysis that supports timely decisions in changing markets.

Research, Market Intelligence & Measurement

·        Direct qualitative and quantitative research, including segmentation, usage and attitudes studies, ethnography, brand and campaign measurement, global KPI and NPI tracking, and behavioral analysis.

·        Lead industry trend analysis, competitive assessments, market forecasting, and integrated research across the Americas, Europe, IMEA, APJ, and China.

·        Establish measurement systems and data standards that improve research quality, consistency, and cross-market comparability.

·        Own research methods, study design, vendor strategy, partner selection, data acquisition priorities, and budgets.

Advanced Analytics, AI & Forecasting

·        Build in-house analytics and AI models to forecast revenue, volume, industry growth, and new product and campaign performance.

·        Develop demand models, persona systems, market opportunity assessments, pricing analytics, and brand equity measures.

·        Combine varied data sources, reconcile conflicting market signals, and identify emerging consumer behaviors and growth opportunities.

·        Improve the accuracy and usability of sales forecasts, NPI volume forecasts, pricing models, and total addressable market assessments.

Insight Translation & Business Impact

·        Turn complex research and analytics into clear recommendations for executives and cross-functional teams.

·        Inform revenue-driving choices related to product features, portfolio priorities, pricing, channels, customers, target audiences, marketing, packaging, and nomenclature.

·        Create frameworks and tools that help leaders apply consumer insights consistently.

·        Build stakeholder data literacy and strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the company.

Cross-Functional & External Partnership

·        Partner with Product Management, Brand Marketing, Digital, Sales, and regional leaders to embed insights in strategy and execution.

·        Influence senior leaders and functional decisions through predictive models, forward-looking consumer analysis, and fact-based recommendations.

·        Manage research agencies, suppliers, data platforms, and strategic partners to deliver timely, high-quality, globally consistent work.

·        Help cross-functional teams apply insights to innovation, creative development, messaging, portfolio choices, market entry, and commercial strategy.

Organizational Leadership & Capability Building

·        Build, lead, and develop a high-performing global team of consumer insights professionals and data analysts.

·        Shape the organization, strengthen succession, and build expertise in research, analytics, segmentation, ethnography, behavioral science, and AI.

·        Set clear standards for how insights are produced, communicated, and applied across Sandisk.

·        Promote curiosity, rigor, collaboration, and sound judgment that balances analytics with commercial intuition.

 Qualifications

Experience

·        15+ years of progressive leadership in global consumer research, consumer insights, market intelligence, advanced analytics, or a related field within consumer technology, consumer goods, retail, or another complex global industry.

·        Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, segmentation, usage and attitudes studies, brand and campaign measurement, market forecasting, and competitive intelligence.

·        Demonstrated ability to convert complex data into clear recommendations that influence executive decisions, product roadmaps, brand strategy, pricing, and commercial priorities.

·        Proven experience developing predictive models, demand and revenue forecasts, market opportunity assessments, and advanced analytics; experience using AI for insight generation and forecasting is strongly preferred.

·        Experience leading geographically distributed teams and managing agencies, research partners, suppliers, and data platforms.

·        Strong knowledge of global consumer, retail, digital, and technology ecosystems, with the ability to work across cultures, regions, and market maturity levels.

·        Track record of building or transforming an insights and analytics function, setting enterprise standards, and improving organizational data literacy.

Leadership Capabilities

·        Strategic thinker who can turn vision into disciplined execution.

·        Skilled at building relationships and negotiating with global partners and senior stakeholders.

·        Able to influence and align cross-functional leaders in complex, matrixed organizations.

·        Strong executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to present a compelling commercial narrative.