Research Strategy Lead - Pre Sales

About this role

Outset invented a better way to do research: AI-powered user interviews.

Global brands like Hubspot, Microsoft, Uber and Nestle use Outset to achieve deeper, qualitative insights about their users at unprecedented speed and scale.

The research industry is massive (>$140B and growing) and ripe for disruption. Incumbents are outdated, slow, and burdened by high-cost services. That's our opportunity.

Outset is backed by top Silicon Valley investors and raised a $30M Series B in December 2025—less than six months after our Series A—led by Radical Ventures with participation from M12 (Microsoft’s venture arm), 8VC, Y Combinator, and Adverb Ventures.

The raise follows a breakout year, with our business growing 8x as enterprise customers across industries adopt our category, AI‑moderated research, as the new standard for understanding people.

We’re a tight-knit team serving some of the world’s largest enterprises

Market research buyers care about insight quality, methodological rigor, and the credibility of who’s delivering it. Winning VP-level insights leaders at CPG, healthcare, and financial services firms takes someone who has sat on their side of the table.

As a Research Strategy Lead, you’re the research authority in our most important deals. You join early conversations with research-native buyers, lead the methodological discussion, and help them picture what their practice looks like with Outset and AI moderation. You’re the human credibility layer that earns the technology the right to be evaluated on its merits.

Responsibilities

- Partner with Account Executives in early-stage meetings as the research expert, leading the methodology conversation and building trust with senior insights buyers.

- Run demos and discovery that show, credibly, how rigorous research gets done with AI moderation — and where Outset fits a buyer’s real workflow.

- Scope and shepherd pilots from kickoff to delivery, owning output quality to a standard that holds up in front of the buyer’s stakeholders.

- Tell the “future research state” story in a way that resonates with practitioners, not just procurement.

- Support proposals and RFP responses where methodological credibility is the deciding factor.

- Carry the voice of the research buyer back to product, sales, and marketing — and help the team speak more credibly to this audience.

Qualifications

- 10+ years in market research or UX research, with hands-on methodological depth — you’ve personally designed, moderated, and delivered studies.

- Credible in front of senior insights leaders at large CPG, financial services, or healthcare organizations.

- Experience in a solutions, pre-sales, client services, or senior practitioner role at a research technology company or agency.

- A strong storyteller who is equally fluent in research language and business language.

- Comfortable scoping work, managing timelines, and holding quality under pressure.

- Energized by ambiguity and building in a startup environment, with an active network in the insights community.

Bonus

- Time on the brand or client side as a researcher or insights leader.

- Experience evaluating or introducing a research platform from either side of the table.

- Familiarity with AI-moderated research or emerging qualitative methods.

Benefits

- Daily collaboration with founders, shaping the core product vision.

- Exposure to and collaboration with design and research leaders at top global brands.

- Competitive cash and equity compensation. Actual compensation packages are based on various factors unique to each candidate, including skill set, depth of experience, and certifications.

Outset is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, free from discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

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