United Kingdom · Corporate strategy · Principal/Manager (12-16 years)

Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

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Experience bandPrincipal/Manager (12-16 years)
Direct reports5-8 reports
Reports toDirector, Market Intelligence & Strategy
UK framework levelUsually a manager, or the deepest specialist in a team

Also advertised as Head of Market Intelligence · Senior Market Insights Manager · Competitive Intelligence Lead

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 2 of 3 standards

NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science NCC Education Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 3 standards

Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Digital Technologies Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 3 standards

NOCN Level 4 certificate for Data Analysts NOCN · Level 4 · covers 2 of 3 standards

OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science OTHM Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 2 of 3 standards

Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 4 · covers 2 of 3 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England

Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science

Data Analytics Primer NOCN Level 4 certificate for Data Analysts

Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision

Systems Fluency seeing the whole picture

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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 2 of 3 standards Level 5
Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Limited · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 5
Data Analytics Primer NOCN · covers 2 of 3 standards Level 4
Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Qualifications · covers 2 of 3 standards Level 7

These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skill this role is being asked for

Prompt Engineering & LLM Integration for MI

Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluencyworking with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluencyturning numbers into a decision
Systems Fluencyseeing the whole picture

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

This job leads research into the market, competitors and industry direction. You build and guide the team producing the insights that executive leaders use to make strategic decisions. You set the research agenda, manage the budget, and make sure the business stays ahead of the competition. It carries real influence and real accountability.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

S&P Capital IQ, PitchBook, Factiva, AlphaSense Strategic

You'll manage vendor relationships, evaluate and select new data platforms, and architect the enterprise intelligence data flow. You'll ensure your team can build complex screens, track M&A/funding triggers, and synthesise data from multiple platforms into a single, cohesive view.

Excel (Power Query, XLOOKUP, PivotTables, VBA) Architect

You'll design and audit the core financial and market models used by the entire strategy function. Your team will use Power Query for data integration, build dynamic multi-year forecast models from scratch, and automate reports with VBA, all under your guidance.

Tableau, Microsoft Power BI Strategic

You'll govern the BI environment for the strategy team, defining visualisation best practices and ensuring dashboards are executive-ready. Your team will design and build complex, interactive dashboards from raw data, using calculated fields and parameters to answer ad-hoc questions.

Salesforce (Reports & Dashboards), Snowflake Architect

You'll work with IT and Operations to define data warehousing requirements for strategic analysis (e.g., in Snowflake). Your team will create new custom reports, combining CRM data with external market data to identify trends and inform strategy.

Confluence, Notion, Microsoft PowerPoint Strategic

You'll set the knowledge management strategy for the entire corporate strategy function, ensuring our competitive intelligence repository is well-structured and accessible. You'll present directly to the Board, building compelling narratives and data stories in PowerPoint, and coach your team to do the same.

Anaplan, Diligent Boards Strategic

You'll oversee the use of Anaplan for long-range scenario planning and ensure your team prepares and uploads board materials using tools like Diligent. This is about ensuring our strategic planning and board communications are seamless and data-driven.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choice	Coming in	Where you are now	The step above
Research Project Scope & Prioritisation	Executes assigned research tasks within defined scope. Escalates any scope changes to supervisor.	Proposes scope for routine projects, gets manager approval. Manages minor scope adjustments with manager awareness.	Defines scope and prioritisation for multiple workstreams/programmes. Consults with Director and key stakeholders on major strategic research initiatives. Can re-prioritise within budget and resource constraints.
Methodology & Tool Selection	Uses established methodologies and tools as directed by supervisor.	Selects appropriate methodologies and tools for routine projects, with manager review. Proposes new tools for specific tasks.	Approves methodologies and tool selections for all team projects. Evaluates and recommends new enterprise-level data platforms and tools, managing vendor relationships and budget allocation up to £250K.
Team Management & Development	No direct reports. Focuses on personal learning and development.	Informally mentors new joiners, provides peer feedback. Participates in self-development programmes.	Full authority for hiring, performance reviews, and career development plans for 5-8 direct reports. Makes promotion recommendations and manages team structure. Accountable for team's overall performance and well-being.
Budget Allocation (Market Intelligence)	No budget authority. Requests resources from supervisor.	Manages project-specific expenses up to £5K, with manager approval.	Owns and manages the market intelligence budget (£500K-£2M). Approves spending on data subscriptions, expert networks, and software. Accountable for cost efficiency and ROI of intelligence investments.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Strategic Opportunity Identification

Identifying and validating new market opportunities or strategic pivots that lead to significant revenue pipeline generation.

Target · Identify at least one new market opportunity per year that results in a >£5M revenue pipeline within 24 months of validation.

Your team's analysis of a niche segment leads to a new product initiative, generating £6.5M in qualified pipeline within 18 months.

Competitive Win Rate Improvement

The demonstrable improvement in our sales win rate against key competitors, directly attributable to actionable competitive intelligence provided by your team.

Target · Contribute analysis that improves the sales win rate against two identified key competitors by 5% year-over-year.

After implementing your team's updated competitive battlecards and sales enablement, our win rate against Competitor X jumps from 30% to 35% in a specific segment.

Market Share Forecast Accuracy

The accuracy of your team's market share forecasts for our core product lines against actual performance.

Target · Achieve a market share forecast accuracy of +/- 10% variance on a quarterly basis for our top three product lines.

Your Q3 forecast predicted 15% market share, and we hit 14.2%, which is well within the 10% variance target.

Intelligence Budget & Vendor Optimisation

Effective management of the market intelligence budget, including negotiating with vendors and finding cost efficiencies without compromising quality.

Target · Manage a >£500K intelligence budget, achieving a 10% cost saving or re-allocation to higher-impact tools/services annually.

You renegotiate two key data vendor contracts, saving £75K, and re-invest £25K into a new expert network, resulting in a net 10% saving.

Executive Confidence & Consultation

How frequently and confidently senior leadership seeks out your team's insights before making major strategic decisions.

You're regularly invited to strategic planning sessions, your team's data is cited in board presentations, and executives proactively ask for your perspective on market shifts or competitive threats. They trust your judgment and the rigour of your team's work.

Team Development & Retention

The growth, engagement, and retention of your direct reports, indicating effective leadership and mentorship.

Your team members consistently meet or exceed performance goals, they're actively engaged in development plans, and you see low voluntary turnover. You've successfully mentored at least one analyst to a promotion or increased responsibility.

Strategic Influence & Adoption

The extent to which your team's intelligence directly informs and is adopted into key corporate strategies, product roadmaps, and go-to-market plans.

Your team's recommendations are explicitly referenced in strategic documents, new product features are directly linked to competitive teardowns, and sales enablement materials clearly reflect your battlecard insights. You're not just providing data
you're shaping strategy.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reputation

The effectiveness of your team in working with other departments (Product, Sales, Marketing, Finance) to gather data and disseminate insights.

Other departments actively seek out your team's input, feedback on your team's responsiveness and helpfulness is consistently positive, and you're seen as a trusted partner rather than just a data provider. You're bridging gaps, not creating silos.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy

Strategic Impact

You'll get a real buzz from seeing your team's insights directly influence major business decisions, whether it's a new product launch, a market entry strategy, or a key acquisition target. Knowing your work genuinely shapes the company's direction is a huge driver.

Your team's deep dive into a competitor's new pricing model directly leads to a strategic adjustment in our own pricing, preventing a potential market share loss.

Team Leadership & Development

You'll love seeing your direct reports grow, learn, and take on more complex challenges. Mentoring junior analysts, helping them refine their research skills, and watching them deliver high-impact work will be incredibly rewarding.

One of your analysts, after your coaching, successfully presents a complex competitive analysis to the VP of Product, earning their trust and a future project.

Solving Complex Puzzles

The market is a giant, ever-changing puzzle. You'll thrive on the challenge of piecing together disparate information, identifying subtle trends, and predicting future moves. Every new competitive threat or market shift is a new problem to solve.

A sudden, unexpected acquisition by a rival triggers a rapid 'war gaming' exercise led by your team to understand the strategic implications and recommend our counter-moves.

What frustrates people

The 'HiPPO Effect': Data-backed insights being ignored for gut feelings.
Data Quality: Constant battle with inconsistent or incomplete internal and external data sources.
Scope Creep: 'Quick asks' from leadership that balloon into significant projects.
Political Agendas: Different departments wanting the data to tell different stories.
Budget Constraints: Needing to justify every pound spent on data subscriptions and expert networks.
The Crystal Ball Problem: Being expected to predict black swan events.

What this role does not give you

A quiet, predictable environment where data is always clean and readily available.
A role where your analysis is always immediately adopted without challenge or debate.
A job where you're solely focused on individual contribution without the complexities of team management.
An environment free from internal politics or competing priorities.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes our company's understanding of its market position, competitive threats, and growth opportunities. You'll influence product roadmaps, sales strategies, and significant investment decisions by providing the foundational intelligence. Essentially, you're helping the business see around corners, making sure we're not just reacting, but actively driving our own destiny in the market.

Inside the business

SVP, Corporate Strategy
VP Product Management
VP Sales
VP Marketing
CFO and Finance Leadership
Heads of Business Units

Outside the business

Industry Analysts (e.g., Gartner, Forrester)
Expert Networks (e.g., AlphaSense, GLG)
Data Vendors (e.g., S&P Capital IQ, PitchBook)
Strategic Partners (for joint market analysis)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

Demonstrable experience leading and managing a team of at least 3-5 analysts in a market intelligence, strategy, or research function.
Proven track record of designing, executing, and delivering high-impact market and competitive intelligence projects that have directly influenced strategic decisions.
Expert-level proficiency in at least two major market intelligence data platforms (e.g., S&P Capital IQ, PitchBook, AlphaSense).
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including advanced Excel modelling and data visualisation capabilities.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting complex insights to executive audiences.
A deep, nuanced understanding of our industry sector and competitive landscape.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Predictive Analytics & AI Strategy

Simply reporting what happened or even predicting the near future isn't enough anymore. The business needs to know what actions to take. This means moving beyond descriptive analysis to prescriptive recommendations, often powered by more sophisticated AI models. As a manager, you'll be setting the strategy for how your team builds and uses these models.

Machine Learning for Market Forecasting · Causal Inference & A/B Testing Design · Ethical AI & Bias Detection · Data Governance for AI · AI Model Interpretability (Explainable AI)

This quarter: Identify one routine forecast your team produces and explore how a simple ML model could improve its accuracy.
Next quarter: Sponsor one of your senior analysts to take an online course in machine learning for business applications.
Within 6 months: Develop a clear 'AI strategy' for the MI function, outlining how we'll integrate advanced analytics over the next 12-18 months.
Within 12 months: Oversee the deployment of at least one predictive model that directly informs a strategic decision.

Quick win: Start by using existing AI-powered tools (like those in our AI Productivity Hub) to automate data cleaning and feature engineering for existing models. This frees up your team's time to learn more advanced techniques.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up

Regularly attending industry conferences and webinars focused on market intelligence, corporate strategy, and specific industry trends.
Engaging with expert networks and industry analysts to stay abreast of emerging insights and best practices.
Participating in leadership development programmes, particularly those focused on coaching, team building, and executive presence.
Staying current with new data analysis tools, AI applications, and visualisation techniques through online courses or workshops.
Reading widely on strategy, economics, and business leadership (e.g., Harvard Business Review, McKinsey Quarterly, The Economist).

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Prompt Engineering & LLM Integration for MI

Honestly, competitors are already using large language models (LLMs) to draft reports in 10 minutes that used to take 2 hours. Analysts who figure this out will outproduce peers 3:1. As a manager, you need to understand this to set expectations, guide your team, and ensure quality control.

Context Windows & Token Limits
Temperature Settings for Tasks
RAG Architectures
Output Validation & Hallucination Detection
Prompt Chaining for Complex Analysis

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

Competitive Analysis Frameworks
Market Sizing & Forecasting (TAM/SAM/SOM)
Primary & Secondary Research Design
Win/Loss Analysis Programme Management
Financial Statement Analysis (Competitors)
Scenario & Simulation Planning (War Gaming)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

1
Senior Market Intelligence Analyst (Internal Promotion)
3-5 years as a Senior Analyst
Skills to master
- Leading complex workstreams, mentoring junior colleagues, presenting to mid-level management, designing new analytical approaches, managing project budgets up to £50K.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivers high-quality, impactful intelligence on complex topics.
- Demonstrates strong leadership potential and a desire to manage a team.
- Successfully mentors junior analysts, helping them grow and develop.
- Proactively identifies strategic gaps and proposes new research initiatives.
- Trusted by senior leadership for independent judgment and recommendations.
2
Strategy Consultant (from a Top Tier Firm)
5-8 years in a consulting role (e.g., Engagement Manager, Project Leader)
Skills to master
- Client management, structured problem-solving, executive communication, team leadership on project basis, broad industry exposure, rapid learning.
You're ready to move on when
- Experience leading project teams and managing client relationships.
- Proven ability to synthesise complex information into actionable strategic recommendations.
- Strong presentation skills and comfort engaging with senior executives.
- Adaptability to new industries and business challenges.
- Desire to move from project-based consulting to building and owning a function within a company.
3
Product Marketing Lead / Business Analyst (from a Tech Company)
7-10 years in product marketing or senior business analysis roles
Skills to master
- Deep product knowledge, market positioning, go-to-market strategy, customer segmentation, competitive positioning, data-driven decision-making.
You're ready to move on when
- Strong understanding of product lifecycle and market dynamics.
- Experience conducting competitive analysis and market research to inform product strategy.
- Ability to translate technical features into market benefits and strategic implications.
- Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional projects, influencing product and sales teams.
- A clear passion for competitive intelligence and strategic insights, beyond just product marketing.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to wider strategic leadership, such as VP of Corporate Strategy & Intelligence, Chief Strategy Officer, or a move into Head of Product or Head of Sales.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Data Analytics, worked against Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence.

Data Analytics Level 5

Applied to your work in Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to understand and apply data analytics techniques for decision-making. Learners will be able to apply descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytic methods, utilising statistical methods, to convert raw data into actionable insights and determine the best course of action.

How the thinking builds

1 Remember
2 Understand
3 Apply
4 Analyse
5 Evaluate
6 Create

An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my plan, free

See Your Progress Grow Illustration

Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence

Competitive Analysis Frameworks
Market Sizing & Forecasting (TAM/SAM/SOM)
Primary & Secondary Research Design
Win/Loss Analysis Programme Management
Financial Statement Analysis (Competitors)
Scenario & Simulation Planning (War Gaming)

This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

Director, Market Intelligence & Strategy (L6)
3-5 years in the Manager role

This is a significant step up, moving from managing a team to shaping the strategic direction of a major business unit or the entire Corporate Strategy function.
- Designing and implementing multi-year intelligence roadmaps.
- Overseeing M&A due diligence from an intelligence perspective.
- Strategic vendor management and ecosystem partnerships.
- Developing talent pipelines for the entire MI function.
- Influencing organisational structure and resource allocation at a higher level.

Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, a big part of market intelligence can feel like a grind: sifting through mountains of data, summarising endless reports, and drafting different versions of the same message. But what if your team could cut through that noise and focus on the real strategic thinking? That's where AI comes in.

We're not talking about replacing your brilliant analysts; we're talking about giving them superpowers. By intelligently automating the tedious, repetitive parts of market research and communication, your team can spend more time on deep analysis, strategic recommendations, and proactive insights. As a Manager, you'll be guiding your team to use these tools, transforming how we gather, analyse, and disseminate market intelligence.

Automated Intelligence Briefing

Imagine AI tools scraping, summarising, and categorising daily news, press releases, and earnings call transcripts for 15+ competitors. Your team oversees the system that drafts a daily 'market pulse' email, highlighting the top 3 most critical updates for leadership, all before they've had their first coffee. This saves your team hours of manual sifting and summarising, letting them focus on deeper dives.

Sentiment Analysis at Scale

Instead of manually reading thousands of customer reviews or social media mentions, your team can point an NLP model at them for your product and key competitors. Instantly, you'll get a dashboard showing sentiment trends and key themes (e.g., 'Competitor X is consistently praised for ease of use but criticised for poor support'). This frees up significant time, roughly 10-15 hours per quarter, allowing your analysts to focus on why these trends exist.

AI Research Assistant

Your team can use generative AI assistants (like Perplexity AI or specialised GPTs) as a powerful starting point for any research project. Ask it to 'Summarise the key drivers of the cybersecurity market in EMEA' or 'Identify the top 5 experts on quantum computing' to accelerate the initial discovery phase. This isn't about letting AI do the thinking, but about giving your analysts a massive head start, saving them 3-5 hours per new research project.

Audience-Specific Draft Generation

After completing a complex analysis, your team can feed the key findings and data points into an AI model. Prompt it to 'Write a 3-bullet-point executive summary for the CEO' and then 'Write a 2-page detailed brief for the Product Management team.' This creates tailored first drafts instantly, saving roughly 2 hours per major presentation and ensuring the message is always on point for the audience.

Common questions

How do you become a Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence?

Common routes in include Senior Market Intelligence Analyst (Internal Promotion) (3-5 years as a Senior Analyst), Strategy Consultant (from a Top Tier Firm) (5-8 years in a consulting role (e.g., Engagement Manager, Project Leader)) and Product Marketing Lead / Business Analyst (from a Tech Company) (7-10 years in product marketing or senior business analysis roles). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence progress to?

This role can lead on to Director, Market Intelligence & Strategy (3-5 years in the Manager role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence?

Increasingly, Prompt Engineering & LLM Integration for MI. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.

Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence

Where should we send it?

Two short quizzes about you

Will AI change your work as a Manager, Market & Competitive Intelligence?

What's rising in its place

Prompt Engineering & LLM Integration for MI

Skills this role draws on

Technical

How you actually get there, here

Senior Market Intelligence Analyst (Internal Promotion)

Strategy Consultant (from a Top Tier Firm)

Product Marketing Lead / Business Analyst (from a Tech Company)

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

Roles this leads to

One to one, on the work you already do

Everything else the record holds

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Market Intelligence & Strategy (L6)

Where AI is starting to help

Automated Intelligence Briefing

Sentiment Analysis at Scale

AI Research Assistant

Audience-Specific Draft Generation

Common questions

Want a read on where you stand?