The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) stands at the center of one of the most dynamic, complex, and rapidly evolving industries in the world. For nearly 90 years, the ARF has been the trusted authority advancing the science, practice, and impact of advertising and marketing. Today, the organization is poised for its next era of leadership and transformation as it seeks its next President & CEO.

The Opportunity

The next President & CEO will not simply steward an institution—they will have a front seat at the table that leads the industry forward. This pivotal moment calls for a bold, forward-thinking leader who can inspire change, unify diverse stakeholders, and accelerate innovation across the marketing ecosystem. This leader will shape what comes and set a powerful direction for the field.

This is a defining moment for the ARF and for the advertising, marketing, media, and research/data industries more broadly. Media fragmentation, increased data capture, the rise of platforms, and new technologies like AI have created both unprecedented disruption and enormous opportunity. The next leader must bring vision, energy, and gravitas to help the industry navigate—and lead—through this transformation. The President & CEO serves as a key convener, champion, and catalyst, bringing together a diverse and influential set of stakeholders with differing priorities, and aligning them around shared progress in the industry.

The ARF brings together the leading minds across advertisers, agencies, media, ad tech, top universities, and research to advance the scientific practice of marketing through rigorous, unbiased insights and shared standards. Through its unique cross-industry network, the ARF transforms emerging challenges into actionable knowledge that drives better decision-making and measurable impact. Its portfolio includes the Marketing Science Institute (MSI), which connects top academics and practitioners to pioneer advances in marketing research, and the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM), which unites industry leaders to accelerate innovation and set standards in a rapidly evolving measurement landscape. The organization has an operating budget of $10.5 million and staffing with over 50 team members. For more information, please visit the ARF’s website at thearf.org

Near-term priorities include:

• Shaping the Future of the Industry in a Rapidly Changing Landscape: Boldly advance the ARF as the defining force in the future of the industry – shaping priorities, inspiring what comes next, and broadening its influence and impact across a transformative landscape.
• Driving Membership Expansion and Value: Broaden and deepen the ARF’s reach by expanding into new verticals and subject domains. Make the ARF an indispensable partner for its members.
• Transforming Insight Delivery to Maximize Strategic Value: Grow and innovate the ARF research delivery to increase engagement for members and the industry.
• Strengthening Financial Resilience and Strategic Flexibility: Architect a forward-looking, diversified business model that enables sustained investment and growth amid shifting dynamics.

The Position

The ARF President & CEO serves as an ex-officio member of the ARF Board and acts as a central force in shaping and advancing strategic direction and aligning governance with execution. Reporting to the role is a high-impact leadership team spanning finance, growth, research, digital marketing, and key initiatives, including DASH, MSI, and CIMM. Together, the President & CEO and leadership team amplify ARF’s influence across the industry—engaging leading organizations, cultivating new membership, and strengthening the partnerships and networks that drive innovation and progress.

Primary Responsibilities

Organizational Strategy & Growth

• Set and advance a bold strategic agenda that positions the ARF at the forefront of industry transformation.
• Expand reach, influence, and membership by accelerating growth across new sectors and audiences.
• Catalyze innovation across the enterprise, delivering cutting-edge approaches in research, programming, and delivery models.

Organizational & Financial Leadership

• Drive high performance operations at scale with rigor, accountability, and agility.
• Build a resilient, diversified financial business model that fuels long-term investment and impact.
• Cultivate a high-performing, world-class team aligned around performance, collaboration, and purpose.

Board & Stakeholder Engagement

• Activate strategic board partnership to advance mission and strategic priorities.
• Unify diverse stakeholders around a shared vision, building alignment and momentum across varied interests and constituencies.
• Leverage the full power of the ARF network to drive industry impact.

Industry Leadership & Communications

• Define and champion the future of the marketing research and measurement field.
• Elevate ARF as a premier thought partner and catalyst for industry progress.
• Serve as a visible, trusted spokesperson, representing the ARF with authority and credibility across key industry forums and conversations.

Program & Research Leadership

• Deliver distinctive, high-impact insights and experiences that set the standards for excellence in research, content, and member value.
• Reimagine programs and convenings to deepen engagement.
• Advance understanding of emerging forces to equip the industry to navigate and harness transformative technologies, including AI.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Champions the Power of Research and Data Analytics: Deep commitment to and grounding in rigorous, science-based approaches.
• Strategic and Innovative Thinker: Proactively identifies emerging trends and shapes strategic innovations that impact the ecosystem and advance the industry.
• Navigates Complexity with Vision: Forward-looking perspective on a rapidly evolving landscape.
• Proven Enterprise Leader: 10+ years of executive leadership in marketing, media, or research.
• Leads with Impact and Inclusivity: Collaborative, action-oriented leadership style.
• Decisive Leader: Leads with an enterprise- and industry-wide perspective, exercising sound judgment with clarity and authority.
• Develops High-Performing Teams: Experience building and empowering top-tier talent with excellent team management skills.
• Financially and Operationally Astute: Drives disciplined growth and performance.
• Credible Industry Voice: Recognized and respected across research, advertising, and marketing sciences.
• Convenes and Aligns Stakeholders: Ability to unify diverse leaders around shared goals.
• Builder of Strategic Partnerships: Track record of high-impact collaboration.
• Influential Communicator: Strong communication skills with the ability to persuade and inspire.

The role requires regular access to New York City, where much of the industry’s leadership and engagement is concentrated. The ARF’s new office location in the Empire State Building reflects its commitment to visibility, connectivity, and leadership at the heart of the industry.

Application Process

To apply, upload your cover letter detailing your interest in this position and resume here President & CEO - The ARF; please include ARF President & CEO Application in the Subject line. For other inquiries, contact Karen Schuler at karen.schuler@cbiz.com. Resume reviews begin immediately.

The ARF is an equal opportunity employer and considers all employees and job applicants without regard to race, religion, color, gender, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status, or any other status protected by the law.

About CBIZ Talent Solutions’ Nonprofit Practice  

On behalf of the ARF, CBIZ’s Talent Solutions – Nonprofit & Social Impact Practice, is working with the organization to advance the search. Founded in 1984, we are, and always have been, a mission-driven professional services firm seeking to do more for nonprofits and socially conscious companies like the ARF.

About the Organization

Founded in 1936, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of advertising and marketing through rigorous, unbiased research.

Today, the ARF brings together more than 400 corporate members across advertisers, agencies, media companies, research firms, and technology providers. Through its Knowledge Center, premier events, peer communities, and research initiatives, the ARF delivers insights grounded in empirical evidence and real-world application—helping members navigate the most pressing challenges in marketing effectiveness, measurement, and innovation.

The organization has expanded significantly in recent years, integrating complementary platforms that strengthen its leadership position:

• Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM):
  A leader in advancing cross-platform and convergent video measurement, CIMM drives industry collaboration and innovation. Current initiatives include work on cross-platform audience measurement standards and accelerating interoperability across measurement currencies—critical priorities as the media ecosystem evolves.
• Marketing Science Institute (MSI):
  A globally respected bridge between academia and industry, MSI brings leading marketers and scholars together to tackle high-impact business challenges. Its current research priorities include topics such as AI in marketing, customer-centric growth, and the evolving role of data and analytics in decision-making.
• Recent Integrations and Successes:
  • ARF WIDE: Launched in 2020, ARF WIDE enhances the caliber and diversity of young entrants into media, advertising, and marketing research/analytics by focusing on undergraduates from low-income backgrounds. WIDE Scholars attend ARF conferences, receive mentorship, and access internships and entry-level roles. To date, WIDE has raised over $2 million and named 139 Scholars.
  • DASH: In 2022, the ARF partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago to launch ARF DASH, a syndicated universe study that calibrates studies combining big data with probability samples. In 2025, DASH received Media Rating Council accreditation.
  • NYU/ARF Certificate: During the pandemic, the ARF Trustees mobilized to create a pragmatic training curriculum on research organization, insights, testing, media planning/buying, and effectiveness measurement. The result was the NYU/ARF Certificate in Marketing Optimization and Insights, now offering nine NYU courses and awarding more than 125 certificates.

Together, these platforms position the ARF as a central engine for research, collaboration, and standards-setting across the global marketing ecosystem.

The ARF is governed by a 14-member board of directors and 38-member board of trustees comprised of industry leaders that reflect all ARF constituencies, ensuring representation of diverse interests and sources of knowledge. The organization’s 2026 budget is $10.5 million. Staffing includes over 50 team members. For more information, please visit the ARF’s website at thearf.org.