Senior Research Manager

Designation: Senior Research Manager

Category: MultiChoice Group

Level: Executive

Closing date: 03-Sep-2026

Position Type: Permanent

Location: MultiChoice City

Job Description:

The Organisation

MultiChoice Group (MCG), a subsidiary of Groupe CANAL+, is a leading provider of entertainment and related consumer services. The company has an expanding ecosystem, underpinned by scalable technologies, and track record now spans almost 40 years. MCG provides video entertainment products and services through its linear and streaming platforms to millions of households across 50 countries on the African continent. Continues to grow by producing and acquiring the best local, sport and international content, offering tiered subscription packages and aggregated streaming services to its customer base. MCG’s superior technology capabilities enable it to continue innovating around distribution, digital, payment solutions and content security to offer the best customer experience across the continent. Reaching up to 100million individuals daily, the MultiChoice Group is using its scale and distribution to expand its platform to include sports betting and interactive entertainment, fin-tech services, household services (focused on internet connectivity with emergency response services) and ed-tech. Irdeto which is MCG’s technology business, provides platform cybersecurity services which protect over 6 billion devices and applications globally for some of the world’s best media and technology brands, as well as clients in the connected industries.

Purpose of the Position:

To define and manage the research strategy and annual research agenda for the Africa Clusters, ensuring delivery of high-quality market intelligence, customer insights, and research outputs that support business decision-making, product development, marketing effectiveness, and customer experience objectives. The role leads the research function, capabilities, and team to ensure robust and actionable research outcomes.

Key Performance Objectives Tasks

Strategy Development and Implementation

• Develop and maintain the annual research strategy and roadmap.
• Align research initiatives to business and customer objectives.
• Drive implementation of agreed strategic research priorities.
• Foster collaboration and alignment across regional and global research teams.
• Provide management with regular updates on research priorities, progress and outcomes.

Research Management

• Establish and oversee research priorities across relevant territories.
• Ensure the application of appropriate research methodologies and quality standards.
• Deliver audience, market and customer insights to support business decision-making.
• Oversee strategic research programmes, trackers and measurement frameworks.
• Manage research partners and suppliers to ensure quality, value and delivery.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage the departmental research budget.
• Monitor expenditure and address budget variances.
• Recommend investment priorities within approved budgets.
• Ensure cost-effective utilisation of research resources and suppliers.
• Authorise expenditure in accordance with governance requirements.

Project Management

• Lead the planning and execution of complex research projects.
• Monitor project progress and delivery against agreed objectives.
• Manage project risks, dependencies and resource requirements.
• Ensure delivery of quality outputs within agreed timelines.
• Support the implementation of research findings into business initiatives.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with business leaders to identify research and insight requirements.
• Provide specialist research advice and recommendations.
• Present findings and insights to stakeholders in an actionable manner.
• Manage expectations and engagement of key stakeholders.
• Maintain effective relationships with external research partners and suppliers.

People Management

• Lead, coach, and mentor team members to build capability, and drive performance
• Plan workforce requirements, support recruitment, onboarding, and resourcing in partnership with Human Resources.
• Identify development needs and related training and capability-building initiatives.
• Set clear performance expectations, provide ongoing feedback and recognition, and address underperformance through formal processes.
• Manage grievances and disciplinary issues, in line with company policies.

Qualifications

• Post Graduate Degree in Business, Economics, Data Analytics, Consumer Science, Psychology, or a related field.

Experience

• 8-10 years' experience in market research, audience measurement, customer insights, business intelligence, or a related analytical environment.
• Minimum 3 years' experience leading and developing teams within a research or insights function.
• Proven experience designing, managing and delivering qualitative and quantitative research programmes.
• Experience managing complex research projects and multiple stakeholder requirements across diverse markets.
• Experience working within the media, broadcasting, telecommunications, technology, or related industries.
• Demonstrated experience translating research findings into actionable business recommendations that support commercial, customer, product, and marketing decisions.
• Experience managing external research agencies, suppliers, and service providers.
• Experience managing departmental budgets, resources, and project expenditure.