The Role

The Research Director - Management Lead (RD-ML) located in one of our Greater China office is a member of the global research team and an integral part of the search team. The Research Team in China covers all activities for Southeast Asia. The RD-ML also serves on the Regional Research Committee together with the regional COE Leads and the Regional Heads of Research. This role holds two primary responsibilities:

• Supporting the entire search lifecycle, as both an individual contributor and in particular as a team manager, by demonstrating and driving quality and efficiency in others, leading by example delivering excellence in assignments execution.
• Managing Researchers within his/her geography or sector, including coordinating workload and activities of this team and managing overall performance.
• The RD-ML reports directly to the Regional Head of Research and Operations Asia Pacific and in a dotted line to the Office Managing Director. The role is designed as a full-time role, however, can be adjusted to cater for a part-time commitment. Russell Reynolds operates on a flexible office work model allowing balancing on-site/off-site work.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Enhance and Represent the Research Community

• Promote a strong research community and serve as a culture carrier, including promoting and institutionalizing communication and engagement across their organization to share updates, ideas, and candidate information.
• Manage capacity in partnership within relevant sector/practice/geography, and the Center of Excellence for the region.
• Serve on a Regional Research Committee tasked with achieving the following:
• Shaping and delivering the strategic research agenda.
• Identifying appropriate Training & Development activities including curriculum, content development and delivery.
• Developing and evangelizing best practices and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Be a key agent of Employee engagement through direct interaction and influencing
• Identifying and recruiting talent and onboarding new hires.
• Be a member and case officer of the Asia Pacific Promotion committee

Hire, Develop & Lead Teams

• Cultivate a collaborative, equitable, inclusive an high-performance culture that inspires quality work and high-touch service to consultants and their clients.
• Partner with the Head of Research to address with local and/or sector leaders, along with regional business leaders to determine resource needs for the Research organization.
• Coordinate work allocation and ensure balanced and appropriate workloads among the team.
• Participate in the assessment and selection of new employees to the Research organization; coordinate on-boarding and training new hires.
• Manage performance of team including collecting feedback, delivering performance reviews, and partnering with local and regional leaders on compensation recommendations and discussions.
• Facilitate professional development opportunities for research colleagues, in partnership with the head of research, Human Capital, sector, regional and country leadership.
• Support, develop, and mentor/sponsor more junior members of the team.
• Represent the team at the local management table.

Formulate and Execute on Search Strategy, and Manage Search Pipeline & Process

• Use experience and expertise to independently formulate a compelling search strategy and lead in its execution.
• Balance multiple projects within agreed-upon time frames, and effectively adjust priorities and strategies as necessary for both himself/herself and the team.
• Produce comprehensive reports which detail relevant target companies, potential market sources and candidates for each assignment. Appropriately prioritize approaches for each search.
• Consistently identify and develop best-in-class, high quality, diverse candidate slates (both obvious and non-obvious) and support the team to do so by:
• Utilizing online and proprietary database searches to identify qualified candidates.
• Demonstrating consistent judgement and accuracy in assessing prospects against required experience, competencies and culture fit.
• Rigorously maintaining the highest quality information in the RRA database.
• Ensuring candidates are market-validated, capturing and sharing market insights internally and with clients.
• Approaching and sourcing key industry players to develop a comprehensive market overview to better inform our clients.
• Collaborating with administrative support in the creation of content-rich, insight-driven client status reports.
• Leverage both local researchers and COE resources, and effectively coach and mentor those individuals on search strategy and building candidate pipeline. Serve as mentor to senior researchers on best practices in utilizing the COE.

Contribute to Business Development and the Firm’s Knowledge Base

• Closely monitor market trends, relevant industry news and RRA network to highlight potential opportunities for consultants to develop and strengthen existing relationships.
• Conduct background research and generate market insights to drive content for pitches and client presentations. Work closely with Knowledge teams in developing insights and content.
• Attend and contribute expertise to pitches and client meetings, when appropriate.
• Ensure that both search and non-search related information in the RRA database by their team.
• Work closely with knowledge tams to create and execute innovative approaches to access insights of specific market and emerging trends in leadership.
• Demonstrate real domain knowledge, insight and an informed view to support Consultants and enhance our standing in the market.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will bring considerable business experience within a commercial or business-related role with a focus on data gathering and insight analysis, or experience from the research function of a relevant practice within a top-tier executive search firm. In addition, the ideal candidate should have demonstrated exceptional people skills as a mentor/sponsor or as a line manager.

Key competencies and experiences required for this role include:

• Strategic thinker with a high-level of intellectual curiosity. Ability to synthesize large amounts of data and quickly synthesize the salient points and insights. Strong judgement and intuition. Can develop a defend a point of view. Knows when to question the status quo.
• Results-oriented with strong project management capabilities. Self-starter with drive and tenacity to excel. Highly organized and adept at multi-tasking, meeting multiple deadlines and managing several stakeholders. Forensic attention to detail.
• Collaborative team builder and leader. Demonstrated ability to engage, lead and develop teams, manage resources and evaluate performance in an inclusive environment. Brings strong team orientation and collaborative instincts, providing learning and developing opportunities while delivering at the highest level of productivity and quality. Recognized as role model who can represent his/her peer group.
• Relationship-builder and influencer. Excellent communication and interpersonal relationship skills, particularly the ability to credibly influence all levels of an organization.Excellent writing skills and ability to produce quality, well-structured documentation for clients.
• Courageous and dependable manager. Helps the unit achieve its goals and enable excellence in client delivery using proven methods but also embracing innovative approaches. Will challenge the team to the next level by constantly improving processes and critically reviewing established approaches.

A university degree from a respected institution is preferred. Strong proficiency in MS Office, Excel and PowerPoint are expected entry tickets.

About Russell Reynolds

Russell Reynolds Associates is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Our mission as a firm is to improve the way the world is led, by offering our clients a proven leadership advisory approach to executive succession, leadership search and assessment, organizational performance, culture, transformation, sustainable leadership and diversity.

RRA developed a Global knowledge function to contribute to business development by driving the creation of new insights and perspectives and maintaining the firm’s knowledge assets. By aggregating and analysing the collective experience of our consultants and conducting market research we position our consultants to effectively advise current and prospective clients. Knowledge manager role require individuals to be intellectually highly astute, with a business, analytical and strategic mindset, and who are comfortable interacting confidently at senior levels.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, equity and inclusion and respect for individuality are at the core of our firm’s culture and are essential to the success of our executive search and assessment business. Both for ourselves and for our clients, we strive to attract the best people from the broadest pool of candidates. We embrace differences in race, religion, culture, gender, nationality, age, sexual orientation, thinking style, background and perspectives, with the goal of providing a positive work environment for our employees and exemplary service to our clients.

For more information about our firm please visit https://www.russellreynolds.com