Researchers moving up from RM or Account Manager level often start to take a step back from projects, leaving the simpler ones to their juniors day-to-day (and sometimes almost from start to finish) and focusing more on new business, proposal writing and higher-level client management. Whereas SREs are occasionally involved in winning business and RMs often, it is very unusual for an AD or Vice President not to be, and this is reflected in a wider range of salaries, in the main significantly higher than those for RM level. Many ADs / VPs appear on conference platforms, helping to boost the image and awareness of their firm - this perhaps ties in with the increased commercial focus, but also with having mastered the basics of designing and running projects and established their areas of specific interest. They will therefore move on to developing their own theories and methodologies, innovating and forming more opinions about the direction of their particular corner of the industry.
Not that everyone from JRE upwards isn't entitled to do that of course! Suffice to say that very often more junior executives have better things to think about than work all the time – the great majority of readers of Daily Research News are at AD / VP level and above.
We tend to look for anything from 6 to 9 years of experience when coding this level, although in larger US companies VP roles can ask for considerably more.
Other levels:
JRE / Entry Level
Research Exec
SRE / Analyst
Research or Project Manager
Director / SVP and above
Or jump to
Career Paths
Salaries and salary trends
Skills in the Sector
A comprehensive guide to what we do, how it's changing, and who else does similar stuff.
The supply side: revenues, rankings and company info, full listings.
An introduction to the career ladder, activities, salaries and choices.