Principal, Research Programs and Market Insights Manager

About the Position

NetApp is looking for a Principal, Research Programs and Market Insights Manager to lead our primary research program. As a senior individual contributor, you will set the research agenda, direct a network of research partners, and ensure our studies are rigorous and tied to real business decisions. Your work will give us an evidence-based understanding of what customers are trying to accomplish, how they make decisions, and how they view the market. This is a strategic, high-visibility role for someone who shapes the questions, oversees the work, and communicates what it means. You will brief senior leaders, lead through influence, and operate with autonomy in a fast-changing environment.

Locations

• Morrisville, NC, US
• San Jose, CA, US, 95128

Responsibilities

• Lead Research Programs: Lead the primary research program for Product Marketing and Product, setting priorities and quality standards.
• Lead Through Partners: Direct research agencies and panel providers to execute studies end to end, managing scope, methodology, and budget. Oversee workstreams and review design and findings for rigor and quality.
• Understand Customers and Buyers: Lead research on customer needs, jobs to be done, buyer journeys, and decision-making, and bring findings together into a clear, customer-centered view of the market.
• Market Sizing and Segmentation: Lead market sizing and segmentation research to inform how we understand the markets we serve and new developing markets.
• Customer Decision Dynamics: Direct structured research, including win/loss, to understand how customers evaluate and choose, and turn the findings into insight for go-to-market and product teams.
• Brief Senior Leaders: Present findings to senior and executive management in Product Marketing and Product Management with clear, decision-ready insight.
• Drive Thought Leadership: Develop research perspectives on customer and market trends that inform strategy and messaging.
• Lead Through Influence: Guide cross-functional initiatives, apply modern tools and AI to improve how research is done, and mentor colleagues.

Requirements

• 12+ years in market or customer research, strategic insights, or product marketing within an enterprise technology, cloud, or data infrastructure company.
• Demonstrated expertise in primary research methodology (qualitative and quantitative), including jobs to be done, segmentation, buyer journey, and win/loss research.
• Experience with market sizing and segmentation analysis.
• Proven experience directing external research agencies and partners to high standards of quality.
• Proven experience briefing and influencing senior and executive leaders, with strong executive presence.
• Understanding of B2B data, AI, and cloud infrastructure technologies and go-to-market models.
• Record of leading large, cross-functional programs through influence and operating effectively in ambiguity.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, with the ability to present findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Nice to Have

• Advanced degree in a research, measurement, or quantitative discipline.
• Experience leading research programs at scale.
• Experience applying AI to research and synthesis.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Economics, or a related field.
• Advanced degree preferred.

We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Opportunity to work in a dynamic and innovative environment
• Professional development opportunities

About the Company

NetApp is a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company that helps organizations take full advantage of their data. We are committed to delivering innovative solutions that empower our customers to transform their data into actionable insights.

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