We are Black Swan Data
In a turbulent and fast-changing marketplace, the old world of traditional consumer research is no longer enough. Where there was slow and pre-emptive questionnaires and surveys, now there's big data, machine learning and predictive analytics. For some, it's unknown territory. For Black Swan Data, it's unprecedented possibilities.
Black Swan Data is on a mission to revolutionise Insights & Innovation through the power of Social Prediction. Using sophisticated data science and AI techniques, we unlock social data's potential to understand, connect and predict consumer behaviour more accurately and further ahead than before.
Our TRENDSCOPE SaaS platform enables brands to apply Social Prediction to their business and deliver faster, better, more successful new product innovation launches. It puts the power of trend prediction at our user's fingertips and is central to how we turn trend intelligence into a competitive advantage for global giants like PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Danone and Coty.
We're fast movers. Since 2011, we've spread our wings across the UK, Hungary, USA and South Africa. Today our team of around 150 Swans (and counting) includes data scientists, developers, insights consultants, analysts, designers, engineers and marketeers.
But first, we're entrepreneurs and champions of change who thrive on moving fast and breaking new ground. In 2015 we were awarded the Sunday Times #1 Fastest Growing Start-Up. In 2016 we were named the UK's Fastest Growing Exporter. And in both 2017 and 2018 we ranked high in the Financial Times 1000 Europe's Fastest Growing Companies. Since, we've been recognised by Deloitte Fast 50 and the London Stock Exchange for our cutting-edge technology and innovative approach.
Now is a great opportunity to join our rapidly growing data and technology SaaS business which is led by an experienced and inspiring management team. We're passionate about what we do and committed to disrupt and drive industry change, so if you're an enthusiastic team player and go-getter we want to hear from you.
"The best way to predict your future is to invent it."
Peter Drucker
The Role:
Working with & managing talented & emerging Swans across our London, Cape Town & New York hubs, you'll primarily partner with world class fast-paced CPG clients to determine where & how they can innovate and position to stay relevant and accelerate growth.
You'll achieve this by leveraging our big data led consumer insight & predictive capabilities, SaaS product and consulting frameworks. You'll also be deploying your insight building & storytelling skills, inspiring & equipping your team or project partners to deliver world class insight, guidance & content along the way.
You'll be addressing an exciting range of business questions such as:
- surfacing the trends, future facing growth drivers and opportunity territories within a category, and how that should drive portfolio strategy & innovation pipelines ii) determining how a brand can position benefits in a more relevant, distinct & compelling way
- providing clarity as to what innovation levers (product platforms, ingredients, benefits etc) are best suited to activating new & existing opportunity spaces today, tomorrow and into the future. You'll also inspire clients as to how they can leverage their SaaS subscription to fuel their front-end-innovation process.
You'll be motivated and committed to finding new & scalable ways to deliver improved client outcomes via Insights, championing those ideas within the business and collaborating within and across functions to bring those to life.
What you will be doing:
- Scope & lead multiple projects simultaneously, from the client or strategist briefing, to solution development and through to delivery of inspiring presentations and workshops that move the client to action.
- Inspire clients by demonstrating how their SaaS subscription can fuel their front-end-innovation process, and how our consulting services work connects to and further enables that.
- Contribute thought leadership working with cross-functional teams in evolving, designing and piloting insight led consulting & SaaS products.
- Manage and develop a small but high performing team, empowering, supporting and directing as needed
About you:
We are looking for enthusiastic, very curious and optimistic team players with the following skills and experience:
- Desire to forge the future for clients, the MR industry and Black Swan – combining big data led services and SaaS capabilities to help clients stay relevant
- Experience in developing & energising others and helping & inspiring them to perform at their best in fast-paced environment
- Exceptional communication skills; the ability to understand & articulate a problem and solution, both in verbal and written forms, and influence others.
- Strategic agility – capability to reframe a question or brief, or set of insights, to ensure the pivotal business and research question is understood and addressed.
- Desire to deepen understanding of the application of data science/AI techniques to drive insight and prediction from big data sets (albeit we are not expecting you to be a Data Scientist!)
- Demonstrable evidence of being a team player & leader, open and adaptable, assertive but fair
Technical proficiencies needed are:
- Proven agency experience deploying qualitative & quantitative research methods in order to form insight-based strategies & tactics to fuel brand growth, innovation & relevance, for world class FMCG clients.
- Experience in delivering needs-based segmentations and translating that into brand or category growth consulting client deliverables, focused on innovation & communication, would be a distinct advantage
- Experience in innovation platform & concept development, or use of social analytics in the method mix would be an advantage
- Superior report writing and client presentation skills, including the ability to boil down a complex project to key visual PowerPoint slides that tell a compelling story and provide recommendations & inspiration.
- Excellent knowledge of the MS office suite – Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- High levels of comfort with research tools (Black Swan deploy some unique tools, but we need to see evidence of working with tools to generate and manipulate data e.g. survey tools, social query platforms, database query/BI tools, data visualisations, SPSS etc)
- Degree educated or equivalent experience
What makes a Swan?
We want people fanatical about creating innovative solutions inspired by data. We know Black Swan's DNA is different, it's what helps us find new perspectives on our clients' problems. Working in a fast paced, energized environment, our bar is set high, and an ability to build long lasting partnerships both internally and externally is vital.
We have made a difference at our core and that is embedded in our values.
- We believe in long-term partnerships through transparency and honesty
- We believe in leaving the world in a better place than we found it
- We believe anyone can achieve great things. We do not put people in boxes
- We listen more than we talk
- We think 10% crazy is just about right!
- Most importantly, and because you spend 60% of your waking time at work, we believe you should enjoy it
What We Offer?
Hybrid Working – up to 60% of your working hours every month can be done remotely and the other 40% in our Cape Town Hub.
Exciting Clients and Projects - Working with Black Swan Data we promise to provide an exciting and ever-changing industry within Data Science and Predictive Analysis innovative and challenging projects with some of the leading Brands using the industries latest technologies.
Talented Teams - We ensure we have the best talent in the market – We are hire the best of the best as a swan you are exposed to highly skilled and multi-disciplined teams over the world. We have 8 offices across 4 countries!
Career Development - Regardless of which area of the business you work in you can expect to collaborate on all aspects of Black Swan Data's projects gaining the exposure you need to develop your expertise. No matter what stage you are in your career your development is our priority.
Working environment - Because you spend 60% of your time at work, we try to make it enjoyable! You will benefit from our global benefits: Share options, staff referral scheme, wellness day, flexible and remote working, internal and online training initiatives, volunteering opportunities at white swan, birthday lie in, Christmas gift cards, quarterly staff events, sunshine hours and Flexible Leave Policy.
As well as the benefits unique to our Cape Town office - Pension & Risk benefits, medical aid contribution, enhanced maternity & paternity leave, parking, breakfast, drinks & snacks, fun Fridays, yoga and meditation sessions.
We want to positively change the future through technology and the power of prediction. How about you?
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