Director, Business Insights

Why Valvoline Global Operations?
 
At Valvoline Global Operations, we’re proud to be The Original Motor Oil, but we’ve never rested on being first. Founded in 1866, we introduced the world’s first branded motor oil, staking our claim as a pioneer in the automotive and industrial solutions industry. Today, as an affiliate of Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies, we are driven by innovation and committed to creating sustainable solutions for a better future.

With a global presence, we develop future-ready products and provide best-in-class services for our partners around the world. For us, originality isn’t just about where we began; it’s about where we’re headed and how we’ll lead the way. We are originality in motion.

Our corporate values—Care, Integrity, Passion, Unity, and Excellence—are at the heart of everything we do. These values define how we operate, how we treat one another, and how we engage with our partners, customers, and the communities we serve. At Valvoline Global, we are united in our commitment to:

•    Treating everyone with care.
•    Acting with unwavering integrity.
•    Striving for excellence in all endeavors.
•    Delivering on our commitments with passion.
•    Collaborating as one unified team.

When you join Valvoline Global, you’ll become part of a culture that celebrates creativity, innovation, and excellence. Together, we’re shaping the future of automotive and industrial solutions.

Valvoline Global Operations Headquarters is located in Lexington, KY.  *We’re also open to candidates working remotely, provided they are located within the Eastern Time Zone. 

How You Make An Impact

The Director, Business Insights leads Valvoline Global Operations’ (VGO) global market and consumer insights function, delivering enterprise-level intelligence that informs strategy, accelerates growth, and strengthens competitive advantage. This role is responsible for defining and executing a best-in-class insights vision that elevates decision-making across marketing, product, strategy, and sales.

With deep expertise in customer behavior, market dynamics, and research methodologies, the Director translates complex data into compelling, actionable narratives for senior leadership. This role oversees a team of two, manages a significant research investment, and partners closely with cross-functional leaders to shape future-forward strategies in a dynamic, fast-paced global environment.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Lead Global Insights Strategy
  • Define and execute a cohesive, multi-year global insights roadmap aligned with enterprise strategy, brand priorities, and innovation pipelines.
  • Establish clear learning agendas that address critical business questions across regions, brands, and channels.
  • Ensure insights are proactively embedded into strategic planning, portfolio decisions, product development and go-to-market execution.
• Champion Data-Driven Decision Making
  • Act as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leadership, distilling complex data into clear, persuasive insights that influence high-impact decisions across marketing, product development, channel strategy, and customer experience.
  • Drive adoption of advanced analytics, next-generation insight platforms, and emerging research methodologies to improve decision speed and quality.
  • Elevate insight storytelling standards to ensure clarity, relevance, and business impact.
• Oversee Research Operations and Vendor Management
  • Own and optimize a $2M+ global research budget, prioritizing initiatives to maximize ROI and business value.
  • Lead and manage relationships with best-in-class external research partners (e.g., Nielsen, Kantar, Ipsos), ensuring methodological rigor, quality execution, and actionable outputs.
  • Balance syndicated, custom, and agile research approaches to meet evolving business needs.
• Develop and Lead a High-Performing Global Team
  • Recruit, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of insights professionals across geographies, fostering a culture of curiosity, accountability, and continuous learning.
  • Serve as a core leader within the Brand Center of Excellence (COE), driving capability building, best-practice sharing, and functional integration.
  • Enable team members to operate as strategic partners to the business, not just research executors.
• Drive Innovation in Insights and Market Intelligence
  • Identify, pilot, and scale new tools, data sources, and methodologies to enhance market understanding and accelerate insight generation.
  • Continuously monitor external trends, competitive dynamics, and evolving consumer expectations to proactively inform strategic choices.
  • Position the insights function as a forward-looking catalyst for innovation and growth.

What You'll Need

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred in Market Research, Business, Economics, Psychology, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in market research, consumer insights, or business intelligence, ideally within a global, matrixed organization.
• Demonstrated success in influencing senior leaders and shaping business strategy through insights.
• Deep expertise across quantitative and qualitative research methodologies (e.g., segmentation, brand health, U&A, conjoint).
• Strong proficiency with insights platforms and tools (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS, Nielsen, Kantar, GRIP).
• Exceptional communication and storytelling capabilities, with the ability to translate complexity into clear, compelling executive narratives.
• Proven people leadership experience, including developing talent and leading teams in cross-functional environments.
• Flexibility required to collaborate across time zones.
• Domestic and international travel may be required up to 10-15% annually for key meetings, vendor engagement, and team development.

What Will Set You Apart

• MBA preferred

Benefits That Drive Themselves

• Health insurance plans (medical, dental, vision)
• Health Savings Account (with employer-based deposit and match)
• Flexible spending accounts
• Competitive 401(k) with generous employer base deposit and match
• Incentive opportunity*
• Life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Paid vacation and holidays*
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee discounts
• PTO Buy/Sell Options*
• Tuition reimbursement*
• Adoption assistance*
• Terms and conditions apply, and benefits may differ depending on position or tenure.

(Compensation range: $137,300- $185,000 base, plus bonus eligible)

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Valvoline Global is an equal opportunity employer. We are dedicated to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and skills. We strictly prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind, regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected characteristic.

We are committed to ensuring accessibility throughout our recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any stage of the recruitment or selection process, please contact us at:.

•    Email: Valvolineglobalcareers@valvolineglobal.com

This contact information is solely for accommodation requests. For inquiries about application status, please use the appropriate channels listed in your application materials.

Are You Ready to Make an Impact?

At Valvoline Global, we’re looking for passionate and talented individuals to join our journey of innovation and excellence. Are you ready to shape the future with us? Apply today.

Requisition ID: 2305