Research Director, SaaS Business Models and Monetization

 IDC is seeking a  Research Director, SaaS Business Models and Monetization for our software group. The Research Director is responsible for setting a research service area's overall course and direction.  This is a relatively public role with many client-facing and industry-facing responsibilities, but with primary responsibility for producing the research product.

The Research Director is responsible for building the reputation and the revenues of the services within their domain and is heavily involved in generating and delivering consulting and custom research.  Additional responsibilities include managing the research agenda, writing research reports, assisting with marketing activities to raise industry visibility, conducting business development, providing sales support, and acting effectively as a client advisor for industrial companies and technology suppliers

Why IDC?

IDC is the most respected global technology market research firm.  We are changing the way the world thinks about the impact of technology on business and society. Our people, data, and analytics create global technology insights that accelerate customer success.  IDC has been recognized for four consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) by the IIAR as the Analyst Firm of the Year which is one of the highest accolades for the technology market research industry.

Our collaborative, innovative and entrepreneurial culture is the perfect place for you to discover your future.

This position is based in IDC’s Needham, MA office. We will also consider remote candidates from an approved East Coast office location. 

Recruitment Fraud Notice: IDG/IDC/Foundry  would like to inform you that we conduct our formal communications via corporate email, our Applicant Tracking System iCIMS, LinkedIn messaging, or directly by phone. We do not use any other platform (including Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, text, instant message, etc.) to communicate with prospective candidates. If you receive any communication outside of our formal communications channels, please ignore it and block the sender or caller. In addition, we do not ask candidates to provide sensitive personally identifiable information such as bank account or social security numbers. If you have been contacted by someone claiming to represent a job offer, please report it as potential job fraud to law enforcement.

• Solid foundational understanding of business economics and how business is transacted, including revenue models (e.g., transactional, recurring, services, royalty, rev-share), channels (e.g., direct, partner, marketplace), and their respective pricing and discount models.
• Understanding of how business models are evolving, especially in the technology sector, including the drivers, inhibitors, and the pain of change.
• Understanding of the ecosystem of business applications that monetize an offer, including CPQ, subscription management, billing/invoicing, price optimization, provisioning, mediation/usage intelligence, revenue recognition, partner settlement, licensing, and entitlement management.
• Perspective on how data, with advanced analytics and AI, can improve the revenue management process (e.g., pricing, offers, automation, workflows, renewals).
• Understanding of how to manage the monetization process, including SaaS KPIs, Familiarity with public and private cloud infrastructure, applications, and suppliers.
• The ability to act as a consultant to IDC supplier clients, helping them through the business model transformation journey.
• Demonstrate thought leadership in this space and be able to communicate the importance of new ideas and trends that impact this market to senior management.

• Bachelor's degree required. MBA a plus.
• 10 + years of related work experience in the areas of  business management, business finance, commercial excellence, business consulting, or price management/consulting, and market research.
• Have the passion to understand the monetization process, the ecosystem of applications and suppliers and thoughts on innovative improvements that drive value.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Strong analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated public speaking and superior communication skills required.
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are required. SPSS skills a plus.
• Travel (approximately 10-20%) will be required as needed.

About IDC:  

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,300 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries worldwide. For 50 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company.

IDC US is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to mental or physical disability, handicap, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, ancestry, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or other categories protected by law.

At IDC we are committed to fair and equitable pay practices. We pay our employees equitably for their work, commensurate with their individual skills and experience. Salary range and additional compensation, including discretionary bonuses and incentive pay, are determined by a rigorous review process. This process considers the experience, education, certifications, and skills required for the specific role, equity with similarly situated employees, as well as employer-verified US region-specific market data provided by an independent 3rd party partner. The expected total annual compensation, depending on location and experience, is between $142,000 - $170,000 USD and is inclusive of base salary and variable compensation (if applicable).