Role Overview

ADAPT is seeking a Head of Research to define and drive our research agenda, thought leadership, and executive insights across Australia’s enterprise and government community.

This is a rare opportunity to own and shape the intellectual direction of one of Australia’s fastest-growing research and advisory platforms. You will set the themes, frameworks, and points of view that influence CIOs, CISOs, CFOs, CTOs, CDOs and senior enterprise leaders shaping business transformation.

In this highly visible and autonomous leadership role, you will be accountable for the quality, relevance, and impact of ADAPT’s research. You’ll operate at the intersection of research, events, advisory and go-to-market — ensuring our insights cut through, resonate, and help leaders make better decisions.

ADAPT connects proprietary surveys, benchmarking data, CXO insights and executive events into a unified research and advisory platform. The Head of Research steers the themes and narratives that power this ecosystem.

 

Key Focus Areas

1. Research Agenda & Thought Leadership

  • Your research directly shapes ADAPT’s product, events, advisory and commercial priorities.
  • Own and evolve ADAPT’s research agenda, focused on the “burning platforms” facing Australian enterprises.
  • Define flagship themes, frameworks and viewpoints that differentiate ADAPT in a crowded market.
  • Establish ADAPT as a trusted authority through high-impact, evidence-based and actionable thought leadership.

2. Research Quality, Content Strategy & Output

  • Set and uphold standards for analytical rigour, insight density, and executive relevance.
  • Act as player-coach to develop, mentor and guide the research content team & analysts.
  • Align research outputs to commercial priorities, EDGE event programming and client needs.

3. Executive Engagement & Industry Presence

  • Access to Australia’s CXO communities across all ADAPT event platforms
  • Moderate roundtables, lead peer discussions and facilitate boardroom workshops.
  • Present research through keynote sessions, event panels and executive briefings.
  • Build trusted relationships with enterprise leaders through credible, insight-led engagement.

4. Commercial & Advisory Impact

  • Act as a senior analyst in client and prospect interactions, shaping problem statements and value narratives.
  • Produce client-facing research deliverables including tailored perspectives, benchmarking insights and industry briefings.
  • Translate research into compelling commercial outcomes and advisory recommendations.

5. Benchmarking & Maturity Assessments

  • Lead benchmarking programs, maturity models, and advisory engagements for enterprise and vendor clients.
  • Convert data and insights into practical, outcome-driven recommendations.
  • Deliver results through executive workshops, advisory sessions and strategic briefings.

 

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate brings intellectual credibility, structured thinking and market presence — with the confidence to lead from the front.

You will likely bring:

  • Experience shaping research agendas or thought leadership in a consulting, advisory or analyst environment.
  • Strong understanding of enterprise technology, digital transformation and operating models.
  • Stakeholder leadership skills and the ability to build trust with senior executive audiences.
  • Experience developing research or insight teams.
  • Commercial awareness and the ability to support GTM, advisory and client delivery.
  • Curiosity, adaptability and a bias for taking ownership in a high-impact role.

About ADAPT

Working with over 3,000 C-level executives from Australia and New Zealand annually, ADAPT has cemented itself as a market-leading Research, Advisory & Multi-Channel Events company in Australia.

Our vision is to make Australia and New Zealand more commercially competitive, differentiated, and productive on the global stage. We do this by working closely with the business and technology executive leaders of local enterprise and government organisations and equipping them with the knowledge, relationships, inspiration, and tools they need to gain advantage.