Head of Product Research - Experience Foresight

This is an exciting opportunity for a visionary leader to shape the future of product development at Sky, Europe's leading entertainment company. The role focuses on establishing and leading a brand-new function dedicated to Experience Foresight within the Product Hub. This is a chance to make a significant impact on how millions of customers experience Sky's innovative products and services across multiple countries.

Advantages for Candidates:

• Pioneering Role: You will be instrumental in building and leading a world-class function from its inception, defining its strategy and operational playbook. This offers a unique opportunity for significant personal and professional growth.
• Strategic Impact: Your work will directly influence Sky's product pipeline, ensuring it remains competitive and compelling. You'll be at the forefront of understanding and anticipating market trends to guide the development of groundbreaking products like Sky Glass and Sky Live, as well as evolving existing offerings.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: This position requires extensive collaboration with Product, Design, and other teams across Sky and the wider Comcast organization. This provides unparalleled exposure and networking opportunities with talented professionals.
• Team Leadership & Development: You will have the opportunity to build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of specialists. A strong emphasis is placed on nurturing talent and creating an industry-leading career growth program.
• Industry Influence: As a trusted source of Experience Foresight expertise, you will contribute to maintaining and enhancing the reputation of the Global Consumer Research & Strategy (GCS&R) team, solidifying its position as an essential new capability.
• Comprehensive Rewards Package: Sky offers a generous package including exclusive access to Sky Glass, a strong pension, private healthcare, discounted services, and a wide range of Sky VIP rewards and experiences, underscoring their commitment to employee well-being.
• Flexible Working: Sky champions a hybrid working approach, balancing collaborative time in their impressive Osterley Campus with the flexibility of working from home, promoting a healthy work-life integration.

Key Considerations for Candidates:

• Building from Scratch: This role involves establishing a new function. Candidates should be comfortable with ambiguity, proactive in defining processes, and adept at driving change in a large organization.
• Foresight and Strategy Expertise: A strong foundation in foresight, strategy, and innovation methodologies is crucial. Experience with tools like horizon scanning, scenario planning, and trend analysis, and their practical application to product development, will be highly valued.
• Leadership and Influence: The ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, engage and influence senior leadership (up to Executive level), and facilitate effective workshops is paramount. This role requires strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Product Evaluation Acumen: Proven expertise in product evaluation and competitive benchmarking, including the ability to design and lead structured evaluation frameworks, is essential for assessing competitor offerings and informing product decisions.
• Entertainment & Technology Sector Knowledge: While not strictly mandatory, experience within the media, technology, or entertainment sectors, particularly with knowledge of business models, monetization, and market trends, will be a significant advantage.
• Talent Management: Demonstrated experience in managing and developing high-performing teams, including direct line management, is a key requirement for fostering a thriving Experience Foresight function.

This role is ideal for a strategic and forward-thinking leader who is passionate about the entertainment industry and thrives on building innovative capabilities. If you are motivated by the prospect of shaping the future of a leading global entertainment company and have a proven track record in foresight, strategy, and team leadership, this is an exceptional opportunity to advance your career.