UX Researcher

AJ Bell plc; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial services organization based in Manchester is seeking a midweight UX Researcher to lead research initiatives that shape product direction. In this hands-on role, you will conduct qualitative and quantitative studies, synthesize findings into actionable insights, and effectively communicate with stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have proven UX research experience and an ability to work collaboratively within agile teams. The role promotes a hybrid working model enabling a balance of in-office and remote work.

Benefits

Starting holiday entitlement of 25 days, increasing up to 31 days

Discretionary bonus scheme

Health Cash Plan

Discounted private healthcare scheme

Free gym membership

Personal development programmes

Casual dress code

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a UX Researcher, leading studies independently.
• Strong grounding in qualitative research with quantitative methods experience.
• Ability to synthesize complex findings into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery research end-to-end.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research including interviews, surveys, and observations.
• Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders.

Skills

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Problem framing

Stakeholder communication

Collaboration with designers

Job description

We’rebuilding a centralised UX Research capability within a FTSE 250 financial services organisation — and this role is a key part of that foundation.

As a midweight UX Researcher,you’lllead meaningful research that shapes product direction, builds shared confidence, and helps teams make better decisions earlier.You’llbe aligned to a specific business area (either Direct to Consumer or Advised) while sitting within a growing central UX Research team, giving you both focus and community.

This is a hands-on role for a confident researcher who can independently plan and deliver high-quality discovery research, work closely with designers and product teams, and clearly communicate insight to influence outcomes.

Whatyou’llbe doing

Leadgenerative and tactical discovery researchend-to-end — from framing the problem through to insight and recommendations.

Select and applyappropriate researchmethods to meet research goals, with autonomy and confidence

Partner closely with UX Designers on tactical discovery, supporting early exploration and shaping ideas before evaluative testing

Conduct a mix of qualitative and quantitative research, including:

Moderated discovery interviews

Unmoderated think-aloud studies

Surveys

In-person observation where appropriate

Synthesise research into clear, actionable insights that teams can useimmediately

Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders, tailoring the message to different audiences

Providestrong evidenceto support decision-making, helping teams move forward with confidence

Contribute to the development of research practices, ways of working, and tooling as the function matures

What “good” looks like in this role

You can run discovery research independently and know how to adapt when things change

You’recomfortable making methodological decisions and explainingwhyyou’vetaken a particular approach

Stakeholders trust your work and understand the value of research because you communicate it clearly

Designers see you as a partner, not a handover point

You’reconfident speaking up when evidence challenges assumptions — and you do it constructively

You helpestablishthoughtful, pragmatic research practices rather than over-engineering process

Proven experience working as a UX Researcher, leading studies independently

Strong grounding in qualitative research, with experience applying quantitative methods where appropriate

Confidence choosing and applying research methods to answer real product questions

Experience collaborating with designers and product teams in an agile or iterative environment

Ability to synthesise complex findings into clear, compelling insight

Comfortable presenting research outputs to a range of stakeholders

Experience working in regulated environments or financial services ishelpful but not essential

How we work

We’reestablishinga research culture that valuesthoughtful execution— doing just enough research to make confident decisions, without slowing teams down.You’llbe encouraged to challenge norms gently, bringstrong evidenceto the table, and help embed research as a strategic partner rather than a gatekeeper.

Youwon’tbe expected to line-manage in this role, but you will be expected to take ownership of your work and contribute to shaping how research shows up across the organisation.

About AJ Bell

AJ Bell is one of the fastest-growing investment platform businesses in the UK offering an award-winning range of solutions that caters for everyone, from professional financial advisers to DIY investors with little to no experience. We have over 644,000 customers using our award-winning platform propositions to manage assets totalling more than £103.3 billion. Our customers trust us with their investments, and by continuously striving to make investing easier, we aim to help even more people take control of their financial futures.

Having listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2018, AJ Bell is now a FTSE 250 company.

Headquartered in Manchester with offices in central London and Bristol, we now have over 1,500 employees and have been named one of the UK's 'Best 100 Companies to Work For’ forsix consecutive yearsand in 2025 named a Great Place to Work®.

At AJ Bell you can expect a friendly working environment with a strong sense of teamwork, we have a great sense of pride in what we do, and this is reflected in our guiding principles.

Our perks and benefits

• Starting holiday entitlement of 25days, increasing up to 31 days with length of service
• Holiday buy and sell scheme
• A choice of pension schemes with matched contributions up to 6%
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Annual free share awards scheme
• Buy As You Earn (BAYE) Scheme
• Health Cash Plan – provided by Medicash
• Discounted private healthcare scheme and dental plan
• Free gym membership, with an on-site gym providing a wide range of free classes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Sick pay+ pledge
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave
• Discounted nursery fees at Kids Planet on Exchange Quay
• Loans for travel season tickets
• Dedicated time for proof-of-concepts and assessing new tech
• Support to attend conferences, events, and meet-ups
• Charitable giving opportunities through salary sacrifice
• Calendar of social events, including monthly payday drinks, annual Christmas party, summer party and much more
• Parking at Exchange Quay
• Personal development programmes built around you and your career goals, including access to personal skills workshops
• Ongoing technical training
• Peer recognition scheme, with rewards including restaurant and shopping vouchers or time off
• Monthly leadership breakfasts and lunches
• Casual dress code
• Access to a range of benefits from our sponsorship deals

At AJ Bell, our people are the heart of our culture. We believe in building strong connections by working together. That's why we offer a hybrid working model, where you’ll spend a minimum of 50% of your working time per month in the office. For new team members, an initial period will be full-time in the office to help you immerse yourself in our business and build valuable relationships with your colleagues.

AJ Bell is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and all employees are empowered to bring their whole self to work.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, religion, physical and mental disability, marital status and any other characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010. All decisions to hire are based on qualifications, merit and business need.

If you like the sound of the above, or just want to know more about the company and the role, we'd love to speak to you.