Reports to: Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Location: Princeton, NJ
Website: www.ets.org
POSITION OVERVIEW
Given ETS’ high priority on business innovation and monetizing their core assets, this position
with responsibility for the gathering and dissemination of global competitive intelligence is a
highly strategic role. With the increase in international competition facing ETS, this position
has the potential to impact revenue and future growth. Focused on proactively planning, organizing
and leading competitive intelligence activities, this Director will influence strategic decision-making with high quality, actionable analysis and recommendations.
The Director, Competitive Intelligence will work closely with the Chief Strategic Officer and
senior management to identify intelligence needs, ensuring that the output supports strategy
directions and ongoing strategic and business planning. Serving as an internal consultant, the
Director will provide counsel on global business intelligence issues and communicate insights
to senior management and key stakeholders.
Opportunity Overview, ETS2
The director will manage a staff of at least four.
THE COMPANY
Educational Testing Service (ETS) is a world leader in educational assessment, with more than
50 years of experience in promoting effective teaching and learning. With revenues
approaching $1B and a staff of 2,600 professionals---including educators, researchers,
psychometricians, statisticians, and policy specialists---the organization is dedicated to serving
individuals, educators, businesses, and government bodies around the world.
Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually —
including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® General and Subject Tests and The Praxis
Series™ assessments — in more than 180 countries, and at over 9,000 locations worldwide. In
2010, for the second year in a row, the TOEIC program had a record-breaking year, with more
score users and test takers than ever before.
In addition to assessments, the organization conducts educational research, analysis and policy
studies, and develops a variety of customized services and products for
Teacher certification
English-language learning
Elementary, secondary and post-secondary education.
English-language learning
Elementary, secondary and post-secondary education.
THE CHALLENGE
In conjunction with the Executive Director of Market Research (division of Marketing and Public
Affairs) and in partnership with the Chief Strategic Officer and business unit staff, the Director,
Competitive Intelligence will oversee competitive intelligence staff and deliverables, as well
as drive professionalization of the function’s process and optimization of its networks. Because
this is a role responsible for competitive intelligence on a global basis, the focus is on collaboration
with key stakeholders and delivering intelligence output that supports strategic and business
planning.
In conjunction with the Executive Director of Market Research (division of Marketing and Public
Affairs) and in partnership with the Chief Strategic Officer and business unit staff, the Director,
Competitive Intelligence will oversee competitive intelligence staff and deliverables, as well
as drive professionalization of the function’s process and optimization of its networks. Because
this is a role responsible for competitive intelligence on a global basis, the focus is on collaboration
with key stakeholders and delivering intelligence output that supports strategic and business
planning.
Specifically, this individual will—
Hire, manage and develop competitive intelligence staff, ensuring skill sets address the
changing intelligence needs of the organization
Hire, manage and develop competitive intelligence staff, ensuring skill sets address the
changing intelligence needs of the organization
Opportunity Overview, ETS3
Direct the work of the competitive intelligence staff, ensuring that deliverables are comprehensive,
insightful, actionable, and timely and address internal client needs
Direct the work of the competitive intelligence staff, ensuring that deliverables are comprehensive,
insightful, actionable, and timely and address internal client needs
Establish internal and external business intelligence networks on a global basis
Lead the development, implementation and consistent utilization of tools and processes to
capture, analyze and communicate business intelligence with actionable recommendations.
Includes early warning system, tracking of key trends, briefing documents and tracking system
to monitor progress against recommended actions
capture, analyze and communicate business intelligence with actionable recommendations.
Includes early warning system, tracking of key trends, briefing documents and tracking system
to monitor progress against recommended actions
Serve as competitive intelligence champion – collaborating to determine intelligence needs,
advocating for action and promoting allocation of resources mindful of competitive landscape
advocating for action and promoting allocation of resources mindful of competitive landscape
Working with the Chief Strategic Officer, develop corporate intelligence analysis assessment
process to support long-range, strategic and operational planning
process to support long-range, strategic and operational planning
Identify and evaluate business opportunities in US and global markets
Solicit cost-effective proposals from external competitive intelligence consultants
Provide competitive intelligence training to staff attending conferences.
THE CAREER OPPORTUNITY
To an experienced global competitive intelligence professional, this opportunity offers several
attractive features:
To an experienced global competitive intelligence professional, this opportunity offers several
attractive features:
The opportunity to participate in an exciting mission – delivering competitive intelligence
to develop ETS’ market strength in international markets
to develop ETS’ market strength in international markets
The opportunity to work for an industry leader in a strategically vital role
The opportunity to work at the attractive ETS campus in the culturally diverse city of Princeton,
NJ.
NJ.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate currently is in a competitive intelligence role for a global B2B company targeting the
corporate sector and possibly also the government and education sectors. (Most likely not an individual
who has spent most of their career in consumer packaged goods or pharmaceutical or other company
where detailed competitive information is readily available for purchase.) S/he has ten years of relevant
experience, including development and management of corporate-wide competitive/business intelligence
programs, system and processes, and global intelligence networks.
The ideal candidate currently is in a competitive intelligence role for a global B2B company targeting the
corporate sector and possibly also the government and education sectors. (Most likely not an individual
who has spent most of their career in consumer packaged goods or pharmaceutical or other company
where detailed competitive information is readily available for purchase.) S/he has ten years of relevant
experience, including development and management of corporate-wide competitive/business intelligence
programs, system and processes, and global intelligence networks.
This executive has excellent working knowledge of primary and secondary research methodologies
and techniques used to acquire market and competitive intelligence. Ideal would be an
Opportunity Overview, ETS4
and techniques used to acquire market and competitive intelligence. Ideal would be an
Opportunity Overview, ETS4
Individual with: (1) high degree of proficiency in identifying intelligence sources, (2) experience
developing and implementing processes to acquire global market and competitor intelligence
in a fast moving environment and (3) ability to turn business intelligence into concise, executive-level briefings. S/he is able to forge good working relationships – with internal clients
at all levels, with industry experts/analysts and with service providers.
developing and implementing processes to acquire global market and competitor intelligence
in a fast moving environment and (3) ability to turn business intelligence into concise, executive-level briefings. S/he is able to forge good working relationships – with internal clients
at all levels, with industry experts/analysts and with service providers.
An MBA is required.
The role also calls for a range of personal attributes—forward-thinking competitive intelligence
leadership and excellent influencing and interpersonal skills. Other requirements include: excellent
oral, written and presentation skills; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;
ability to work well under pressure with heavy deadlines and strong problem-solving skills.
The successful candidate is able to plan, initiate actions and establish and meet deadlines, working
independently to complete projects. Finally, s/he is able to maintain a flexible work style,
accommodating uncertainty/partial information as well as changing directives and priorities.
leadership and excellent influencing and interpersonal skills. Other requirements include: excellent
oral, written and presentation skills; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously;
ability to work well under pressure with heavy deadlines and strong problem-solving skills.
The successful candidate is able to plan, initiate actions and establish and meet deadlines, working
independently to complete projects. Finally, s/he is able to maintain a flexible work style,
accommodating uncertainty/partial information as well as changing directives and priorities.
COMPENSATION
Compensation will include salary and bonus in line with the individual’s experience.
Compensation will include salary and bonus in line with the individual’s experience.
TRAVEL
Travel up to 15%.
Travel up to 15%.
CONTACT
Resume should be sent as a Word document to Ardith Myers, Principal, BSG Team Ventures/Boston Search Group, amyers@bsgtv.com, and also posted on the BSG website,
www.bsgtv.com.
Resume should be sent as a Word document to Ardith Myers, Principal, BSG Team Ventures/Boston Search Group, amyers@bsgtv.com, and also posted on the BSG website,
www.bsgtv.com.
