Project Director Healthcare Market Research | M3 UK in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
This is a senior individual contributor/management hybrid role within a well-established, NIKKEI 225-listed global healthcare technology company. For market research professionals looking to step into or consolidate a director-level position, this offers meaningful leadership scope — managing a full client service team and influencing process and billing strategy.
Compensation signals: No salary is listed, which is a minor yellow flag for a director-level role. UK Project Director salaries in healthcare market research typically range £55,000–£80,000 depending on team size. The annual bonus scheme adds upside, but candidates should probe the bonus structure in interviews.
Skills developed in this role:
- Qualitative research project management at scale
- Client relationship management in the life sciences/healthcare sector
- Cross-functional leadership (sales, operations, senior management)
- P&L awareness via billing and profitability oversight
These skills are highly transferable within the CRO, MedTech, pharma, and healthcare consultancy sectors — all of which are growing.
Green flags: Global company with multi-market exposure; remote-first role; strong brand in healthcare research; clear focus on process improvement and mentoring culture. Amber flags: The role description inconsistently references both "Qualitative" and "Quantitative" Project Director, suggesting either a copy-paste error or a blended scope — worth clarifying at interview stage. No mention of team size or direct reports, making it harder to gauge seniority level upfront.
Company Description
About M3: A Japanese global leader in the provision of ground-breaking and innovative technological and research solutions to the healthcare industry. The M3 Group operates in the US, Asia, and Europe with over 5.8 million physician members globally via its physician websites which include mdlinx.com, m3.com, research.m3.com, Doctors.net.uk, medigate.net, and medlive.cn. M3 Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (jp:2413, NIKKEI 225) with subsidiaries in major markets including the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, and China, and in 2020 was ranked in Forbes' Global 2000 list.
The M3 Group provides services to healthcare and the life science industry. In addition to market research, these services include medical education, ethical drug promotion, clinical development, job recruitment, and clinic appointment services. M3 has offices in Japan, UK, France, Germany, Brazil, Sweden, China, USA, and South Korea, as well as India.
Job Description
The mission of the Project Director of Qualitative Research is to manage and oversee a Client Service Team. The individual will be a leader for their team by directly coaching and mentoring staff, building relationships with M3 clients, and working with the team to ensure projects complete on time and within budget. The Project Director will also assist with updating processes and internal systems to ensure the team is working efficiently and collaboratively. This is the ideal role for someone who has management experience in market research, specifically focused on online healthcare research.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Including, but not limited to the following:
- Providing guidance and mentoring to members of the operations team.
- Managing project escalations to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget, partnering with internal stakeholders to address issues and improve performance.
- Working closely with senior management to adapt, develop, and initiate processes, procedures, and system enhancements.
- Investigating and managing project escalations, ensuring projects are completed to the satisfaction of the client.
- Monitoring productivity and quality of data collection across the team's projects.
- Overseeing the billing process of the team and ensuring projects end with expected profitability.
- Supporting the development and implementation of best practices and policies for client service.
- Executing client service improvement plans on allocated accounts, ensuring collaboration with sales and other team members, and providing a consistent, solution-oriented approach across each touchpoint of the client journey.
Qualifications
Education and Training Required:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience preferred
Minimum Experience:
- 5+ years of experience in Qualitative Market Research
- 3+ years of project management experience
- Experience in healthcare-focused Market Research preferred
- Experience with complex market research projects which could include programming, intricate sampling, international, translations, patients, or patient referrals (preferred)
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Self-motivated with exceptional time management, organisational skills, and attention to detail
- Able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Strong Microsoft Office skills including Excel, Outlook, and Word
- Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work autonomously and within a team environment to successfully meet departmental objectives
Additional Information
Benefits:
- 25 days annual leave
- Participation in an annual bonus scheme
- Pension: 4%/4% employee/employer contributions of qualifying earnings
- Company medical cash plan, including access to subsidised gym membership and a staff discount scheme
- Cycle scheme
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Frequently Asked Questions
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