RICHA SARAF
Email : **********@*****.***, DOB – *1.03.86, Contact - +1-773-***-****
I have work experience of more than 9 years; 1+ year in Deloitte Consulting, Germany in Project Management and 8+years in Kantar IMRB (India) in Market Research. I worked for multiple clients on plethora of categories.
I have a valid work authorization to work in US.
I am Master’s in Economics and have worked in one of India's largest market research firm, Kantar IMRB as Insights Director. I have experience working with some of the best FMCG clients in India on market research. I have experience of multiple consumer product categories and analyzed numerable projects across the oral care, personal care, tobacco & jewelry categories. I have worked on variety of research methodology and various research techniques Hence, I bring to the table a sound understanding of the FMCG business, consumer insights and research methodologies.
In my work profile I had the responsibility of client handling. It included understanding client’s marketing issues, translating it to research problem, suggesting a research methodology and hence finding a solution. I have experience of managing a team of four including training a new member. I am hard working and knows to handle tight timelines and difficult situations. I take responsibility of my work.
WORK EXPERIENCE IN GERMANY 1+year (Sept’18 – Oct’19)
Deloitte Consulting, Germany Project Management (Analyst)
Role Summary
Running PMO services like staffing with team capacity of 200+ from multiple member firms.
Central SharePoint solution for staffing and timesheet to prepare budget and track actuals
Enable project teams to consolidate weekly timesheets and get approvals from client counterparts
Learning
Leveraging Sharepoint to automate day to day PMO tasks
Highlight
Streamlined and reduced invoice generation time
Made the process of onboarding more structured
WORK EXPERIENCE IN INDIA 8+ years (May’09 – Aug’17)
Kantar IMRB, Kolkata Insights Director (Personal & Oral Care)
Role Summary
Research - Understanding the marketing problem to propose an appropriate research design & methodology
Team management: Provide training & guidance to team members and motivate them in doing better
Manage & Build Client relationship: brief discussion and refinement, sharing regular updates, presenting research findings & recommendations, discussing way-forward – thus managing client expectations and ensuring overall client satisfaction in the process
Independently responsible for new business development
Learning
Design of innovative & optimal research design for each decision problem
Adept at driver analysis of product preference – Regression, Factor analysis Structural Equation Modeling
Highlight
Working on Pricing research in 4 African countries for a large soft drink MNC client
Developed new business from a large MNC oral care client (Mumbai based) & a big regional jewelry client
Led a large study on oral care usage and attitude in Bangladesh (Jan’16)
Appreciated by client for the report delivered on a strategic activation study in rural Bihar (2016)
Kantar IMRB, Kolkata Senior Research Manager (Tobacco category, Personal, Oral Care & SME Businesses)
Role Summary
Facilitate Research – Guide and oversee execution of research from beginning to end – Proposal (with cost and timeline), Questionnaire, Fieldwork, Data Processing, Data Analysis, Report
Ensure Quality Outputs: Deliver actionable, insightful reports around client objectives
Categories
Personal Care (Soaps, Facewash, Deodorant, Body Lotion, Premium Fragrances, Shampoo etc.)
Oral Care (Toothbrush, Toothpaste, toothpowder, Dentists’ touchpoints etc.)
Key Projects
Toothpaste: Concept test for line extension of the growing segment – Sep’15
Toothbrush: Pricing strategy for toothbrush portfolio for a large global client – Nov’2014
Soap: Single-handedly worked on an innovative short-listing technique through clustering - July’14
Deodorant: Pricing decision study for leading deo brand (Choice-based Conjoint methodology) – Dec 2013
Premium Perfume: Product test to ascertain the lasting effect of fine fragrances – Oct 2013
Body lotion: Pricing study for brand in competitive scenario (Price Sensitivity Measure Model) – June 2013
Facewash: Consumer need segmentation study – Jan 2013
Learning
Sound knowledge of widely used quantitative research techniques
Ability to work within tight deadlines, a self-motivator
Highlights
BEST REPORT AWARD twice (at IMRB): Facewash Segmentation & Body Lotion Pricing Reports
Through detailed consumer need segmentation, helped client target a suitable consumer segment in Facewash (by identifying a need gap) to create suitable marketing positioning for their offer
Kantar IMRB, Kolkata Research Manager (Tobacco Category)
Role Summary
Execution of standardized ad-hoc researches – Product Test, Pack Test, Concept Test, Post Launch Tracks etc.
End to end research project management
oBriefing and coordination with the field data collection team
oPreparation of analysis plan & coordination with data analytics experts to facilitate quantitative analysis
Reporting of analytical findings & actionable business pointers for client decision making
Learning
Strong understanding of advanced research methods like:
oSimulated Test Marketing (STMs) to estimate volumes/share in situation of new launches or price change
oMaxDiff to determine hierarchy of various unmet needs of consumers in a category
Highlights
Used Product Space Mapping (PSM) technique to comprehensively map relative positions of various products on a multi-dimensional sensorial plane – enabled client differentiate portfolio offers in terms of product sensorial and cater to various consumer segments
INTERNSHIP
Kantar IMRB, Kolkata
May – June 2008
Description
Analysis of the attitudinal behavior and usage pattern of Fabric Wash market in India across zones & various pop strata using primary & secondary sources of data
Output
Created a detailed report on the Fabric Wash market. This served as the input to design a large scale quantitative study on the Fabric Care Market in India.
Achievement
Awarded a Pre-Placement Offer (PPO) for excellent performance during internship.
EXTRA CURRICULAR
Won silver medal in intra-IMRB table tennis tournament (Sep 2014)
Submitted a paper on ‘Narrowing by Scaling out’ in MRSI’s 24th Annual Research Seminar (Aug 2014)
Member of Prayaas (Social Service Society of the Delhi School of Economics)
oSuccessfully organized blood donation camps
oContributed regularly to the club newsletter with the objective of encouraging students to keep the campus clean & save energy
TOOLS & ANALYSES
Worked extensively on:
Sharepoint in Deloitte
In IMRB for Market Research:
oMulti-Dimensional Scaling (clustering analysis)
oSawtooth (Maxdiff model for deriving driver hierarchies – e.g.: Product preference drivers for Facewash category)
oSPSS (Regression analysis, Factor analysis, binomial regression)
oMagic (Cross-tabbed data visualization and analysis)
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Master in Economics (2007 - 2009) from Delhi School of Economics
Bachelors in Economics (2004 – 2007) from Presidency College