Lead Design Researcher

AnaVation LLC; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading software company in the UK is seeking a Lead UX Researcher to shape impactful research programs. You'll leverage qualitative and quantitative methods to deliver insights that influence product strategy and improve user experiences. Applicants should have a degree in Design Research or equivalent experience, excellent communication skills, and a passion for user-centered design. This role offers generous benefits, including paid leave and wellness programs.

Benefits

Generous paid leave

Private medical insurance

Gym passes

Paid parental leave

Flexible working

Qualifications

• Experience in qualitative methods and designing effective interviews.
• Proven experience in crafting insightful surveys and data trends.
• Strong planning skills and ability to manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Lead qualitative and quantitative research programs.
• Deliver actionable insights and recommendations.
• Craft presentations that influence senior stakeholders.

Skills

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Coaching and mentoring

Education

Degree in Design Research or equivalent work experience

Job description

Our Purpose

At Xero, we’re here to help you supercharge your business. We do this by automating routine tasks, surfacing actionable insights and connecting businesses with the right data, advisors and apps. When that happens, we’re not only making life better for small business, we’ll be building a stronger economy that can change the world.

As a Lead UX Researcher, you’ll shape and lead impactful qualitative and quantitative research programs that connect cross‑functional & senior stakeholders to key customer challenges.

Through understanding Xero’s competitive landscape and weaving together connections across studies and customer journey stages, you’ll deliver clear insights and recommendations that inspire change and ensure Xero’s strategies are grounded in a deep understanding of our customers.

What you’ll do

• Qualitative research — You'll make use of a broad range of qualitative methods on large and complex projects. You’ll design and conduct effective interviews to uncover rich, meaningful insights and generate informative data.
• Quantitative research — Bringing years of experience on complex quantitative studies, you’re confident crafting insightful surveys and harnessing data to recognise trends.
• Process & planning — Leveraging your strong planning skills, you’ll prioritise tasks, manage constraints, communicate progress, proactively manage change, and mitigate issues.
• Scoping work — You’ll proactively seek to understand the business context and interrogate research requests in order to pragmatically apply the appropriate research approach.
• Data analysis and interpretation — You’re skilled in identifying patterns, interpreting findings and generating new hypotheses. Collaborating across teams, you'll connect data and draw holistic conclusions.
• Communicate and influence — You'll craft concise, compelling presentations and confidently deliver clear, actionable recommendations that influence senior stakeholders and shape roadmaps and strategy.
• Practice improvement — You'll lead initiatives to improve the research practice. Advocating for research across the organisation, you’ll build capability beyond the team, and champion ethical and inclusive research.

What you’ll bring with you

• A degree or training in a Design Research course — or equivalent work experience.
• A portfolio of work that demonstrates high‑quality and influential communication of insights, highlighting the business impact and taking ownership of reaching business outcomes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and influence product strategy.
• A deep understanding of user‑centred design principles and a passion for creating intuitive and engaging experiences.
• Proven experience coaching and mentoring design teams, fostering a collaborative and high‑performing environment.
• Ideally, experience working in a fast‑paced, agile product environment.

Why Xero?

Offering very generous paid leave to use however you’d like (plus statutory holidays!), dedicated paid leave to care for your physical and mental wellbeing as well as an Employee Assistance Program to access mental health care for you and your family, private medical insurance, gym passes, employee resource groups, 26 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers, an Employee Share Plan, beautiful offices, flexible working, and many other benefits that reflect our human value, you’ll do the best work of your life at Xero.

Research has shown that women and underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single competency or experience . If you are excited about this role, but your past experience doesn't align perfectly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be just the right person for this role and Xero. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at time of application and throughout the interview process.