Innovation Research Specialist

At BBH, Partnership is more than a form of ownership—it’s our approach to business and relationships.  We know that supporting your professional and personal goals is the best way to help our clients and advance our business. We take that responsibility seriously. With a 200-year legacy and a shared passion for what’s next, this is the right place to build a fulfilling career.

Role Overview 

Brown Brothers Harriman is currently recruiting an Innovation Research Specialist to join our fast-paced Innovation team. We are seeking a highly skilled, creative and innovative professional to join our multi-disciplinary team in the 0-1 phase of product development. The ideal candidate will be comfortable with ambiguity, have a strong background in research design methodologies and be able to apply those to a future back idea generation approach.

The Innovation Research Specialist will use research tools and techniques to identify problem spaces ripe for innovation, discover and synthesize market feedback and determine value propositions across the broad financial services/technology space. They also have a track record of networking within the industry in order to support ecosystem development and bringing relevant market facing/external research into the team.  

If you are a highly motivated and Innovative  Researcher with a passion for 0-1 concept generation and product development, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity to join our team and make a significant impact on our company's growth and success. 

The successful candidate will...

• Have deep intellectual curiosity in the financial services industry. The ability to be relentlessness in finding facts and sorting through noise to identify what’s critical.  

• Excellent communicator who knows how to articulate complex messages and create a compelling narrative. 

• Execute both primary and secondary research, with a focus on secondary methods (desk research) and drawing insights and opportunities from market signals 

• Open to feedback, input and challenges from others. Able to pivot based on new information. 

• Participate in the collaborative definition and value proposition of the vision for new products, services or businesses. 

• Have strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to help make data-driven recommendations. 

• Be at ease with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and marketing, to design and develop innovative product concepts and solutions. 

How might we... 

• "dive deep” into a problem space and generate insights that lead to potential opportunities for the Firm? 

• learn about new spaces/topics on the fly and through independent reading/research? 

• translate research inputs into weighted evidence that will enable the team to make decisions? 

Job Requirements 

• Conduct market research and analysis to identify opportunities for new product development in the 0-1 space, featuring initial TAM (total addressable market) calculations. 

• Experience with design thinking methodologies and application to concept ideation and definition. 

• Participate in future back research of the financial services industry and analyze results with the goal of identifying opportunities for future growth/innovation. 

• Develop and execute research plans, including qualitative and quantitative methods, to gather data and insights on target markets, customer needs, and competitive landscapes. 

• Stellar communication skills and fluency in pitching creative concepts confidently to a range of stakeholders, both internal and external. 

• Curious nature leading to continuously evaluating both developments in the financial services industry as well as the frameworks and techniques being shared in the innovation, research, design and product ecosystems, ensuring our work remains cutting-edge and relevant. 

• Experience with AI tools (e.g., Copilot) and the ability to write effective prompts to conduct market research, competitive analysis, and ideation.

Desired Experience 

• 4-5+ years of professional experience in a Management and Strategy Consultancy as a Senior Associate or equivalent experience as a Market Researcher or Product Researcher.  

• Proven ability to work in environments characterized by rapid change, ambiguity, and high expectations. E.g., Consulting Agencies focused on Innovation and Strategy, Founders or Founding contributors in venture-backed companies, Innovation departments from market leaders in their industries. 

• Track record of innovation work, and a portfolio showcasing both the work done and the processes followed 

Other

• Location: Boston 
• Hybrid model (3 days per week in the office)

   

Salary Range

$80,000 - $120,000 base salary + bonus

BBH’s compensation program includes base salary, discretionary bonuses, and profit-sharing. The anticipated base salary range(s) shown above are only for the indicated location(s) and may differ in other locations due to cost of living and labor considerations. Base salaries may vary based on factors such as skill, experience and qualification for the role. BBH's total rewards package recognizes your contributions with more than just a paycheck—providing you with benefits that enhance your experience at BBH from long-term savings, healthcare, and income protection to professional development opportunities and time off, our programs support your overall well-being. 

 

We value diverse experiences. We value diverse experiences and transferrable skillsets. If your career hasn’t followed a traditional path, includes alternative experiences, or doesn’t meet every qualification or skill listed in the job description, please do go ahead and apply.

About BBH:

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is a premier global financial services firm, known for premium service, specialist expertise, technology solutions and partnership approach to client management. Across Investor Services and Capital Partners, we work with an enviable roster of sophisticated clients who make BBH their first call when they are tackling their hardest challenges. Delivering for our clients and each other energizes us.

We believe that how we do our work is just as important as what we do. We are relentless problem solvers who know our best ideas come from collective debate and development—so we are never possessive about our ideas. Every day we come together as a diverse community of smart and caring people to deliver exceptional service and expert advice—creating success that lasts. No matter where you sit in the organization, everyone is empowered to contribute their ideas. BBHers can pick up the phone and call any colleague, and they are happy to help. Expanding your impact beyond your daily role is part of how we operate as trusted partners to one another. 

We believe stability is a competitive advantage, but being stable means having the knowledge, skill, and discipline to evolve, often—pushing the boundaries of innovation.  As a private partnership, every investment we make is in the relationships, technologies, products and development we believe are in the long-term interests of our clients and our people. Our long-tenured leaders are experts in their areas and are actively involved in the day-to day business, taking the time to provide guidance and mentoring to build the next generation of BBHers. Because we know, our success begins with yours.

Go to BBH.com to learn more about our rewards and benefits, philanthropy, approach to sustainability or how we support you to thrive personally, physically and financially.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law.