Director of Research at William Blair in Chicago, IL

Job description

Solutions for Today’s Challenges. Vision for Tomorrow’s Opportunities. Join William Blair, the Premier Global Partnership. The Director of Research is responsible for setting the strategic direction, overseeing the performance, and driving the continued growth of William Blair’s research franchise. This role leads a large, complex research organization by developing a strong leadership team, establishing clear performance expectations, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The Director provides strategic oversight of research quality, product differentiation, coverage priorities, talent management, compensation, and resource allocation to ensure alignment with the firm’s business objectives. A key priority is maintaining and strengthening the franchise’s differentiated SMID-focused research offering, complemented by coverage of leading large-cap companies, while evolving the research product to meet changing investor needs and market dynamics. Working closely with Institutional Sales & Trading and other senior business leaders, the Director drives the franchise’s competitive positioning, strengthens institutional client engagement, and supports its long-term growth and success. Responsibilities include but may not be limited to: Set the strategic direction of William Blair’s research franchise, ensuring research quality, differentiation, investor relevance, and alignment with the firm’s business objectives. Lead a research organization of more than 120 professionals, including ~40 publishing analysts, by establishing an effective leadership structure with clear accountability, decision-making authority, and performance expectations. Oversee the research product and coverage strategy, maintaining a differentiated SMID-focused offering complemented by coverage of leading large-cap companies. Establish standards for rigorous, high-quality investment research and continuously evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of the research offering. Uphold research integrity and valuation discipline by emphasizing analytical rigor, differentiated insights, and investor value over publication volume. Represent William Blair’s research franchise externally, building and maintaining relationships with institutional investors and industry participants to strengthen market positioning, client engagement, and research relevance. Attract, develop, and retain high-performing research professionals and leaders across key sectors. Strengthen leadership capabilities, build a pipeline of emerging talent, and foster independent thinking, sound judgment, and collaboration. Establish clear performance expectations, evaluate individual and team contributions, and make informed compensation decisions using a balanced assessment of research quality, client feedback, commercial engagement, and other relevant performance measures. Oversee resource allocation and departmental priorities, translating strategic objectives into actionable initiatives with clear ownership, accountability, and measurable outcomes. Drive innovation through the responsible adoption of technology, data, and artificial intelligence to enhance research capabilities, improve delivery, and respond to evolving investor needs and market opportunities. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Model sound judgment, transparency, and effective decision-making while building strong partnerships across the firm. Perform additional responsibilities as requested. Qualifications: Demonstrated experience leading an institutional equity research organization of meaningful scale, with direct accountability for strategic direction, research coverage, talent management, compensation, and resource allocation. Extensive experience leading complex, multi-sector institutional equity research organizations, including managing senior leaders and overseeing departmental strategy, operations, and performance. Demonstrated abi