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- Tasks: Lead user research strategies to enhance product design and user experience.
- Company: Join Openreach, a key player in connecting homes and businesses across the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid work options, and a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Be part of a transformative journey in user-centred design with real impact.
- Qualifications: Strong user research experience and a collaborative mindset are essential.
- Other info: Open to flexible working arrangements and committed to diversity and inclusion.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
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Specialist User Researcher (Openreach Design Practice)
Posting Date: 8 Aug 2025
Function: Design
Unit: Digital
Location:
Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, United Kingdom
Salary: Competitive, with great BT benefits!
Hybrid 3 days a week together out of Ipswich Adastral Park site (flexible 2 days remote wherever).
About Openreach
Openreach Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group. We look after the copper wires and fibre cables that connect homes and businesses to phone and broadband. Our customers are the 650+ communications providers who sell phone and broadband services to these households and businesses.
We’re on an exciting journey to embed user-centred design at the heart of Openreach Technology. As a relatively new function, our User Experience team is playing a pivotal role in shifting the organisation from business-led to user-led design practices. This is where you come in.
As aUser Research Specialist, you’ll be instrumental in shaping and evolving our UX research capability. You’ll lead the development of our research practices and processes, working closely with UX Designers and key stakeholders across a variety of projects and programmes. Your work will help demonstrate the value of UX through robust, multi-method research that uncovers real user needs and drives better product decisions.
You’ll translate complex business and design questions into clear research strategies, delivering actionable insights that shape product direction and enhance the end-user experience. Along the way, you’ll build strong, collaborative relationships across the Technology team and wider business, championing the voice of the user at every step.
What you’ll be doing
As aSpecialist User Researcher, you’ll:
- Shape and deliver user research strategies across multiple product areas, working closely with design and product teams.
- Lead complex discovery and research activities to uncover user needs and inform experience improvements.
- Connect insights across research and business contexts to build a deep understanding of our users.
- Champion a range of research methods, helping teams scale their approach to evidence-based design.
- Support stakeholder learning and alignment through inclusive, mixed-method research – from interviews and usability testing to surveys and journey mapping.
- Keep the team informed on emerging trends in UX and continuously improve how we work.
- Build strong relationships across the business, advocating for user-centred design at every opportunity.
The skills you’ll need to succeed
We’re looking for aSpecialist User Researcherwho brings a thoughtful, curious, and collaborative mindset to their work. You’ll thrive in this role if you have:
- Strong experience in user research and/or UX design, with a user-centred mindset.
- Confidence in applying both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
- The ability to translate complex problems into clear research strategies and actionable insights.
- A service design mindset – connecting user needs with practical solutions in a complex tech environment.
- Familiarity with digital technologies and comfort working alongside technical teams.
- A knack for reading between the lines – understanding what users really need, not just what they say.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- Confidence working with ambiguity and managing multiple projects at once.
- Motivation to overcome challenges – from accessing users to navigating organisational complexity.
- Experience with tools and techniques such as journey mapping, persona development, usability testing, content testing, and accessibility best practices.
Desirable (but not essential)
- A qualification in UX Design, UX Research, or a related field.
Looking in:
Leading inclusively and Safely
I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity.
Owning outcomes
I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation.
Looking out:
Delivering for the customer
I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business.
Commercially savvy
I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making.
Looking to the future:
Growth mindset
I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.
Building for the future
I build diverse future-ready teams where all individuals can be at their best.
About Openreach
We employ more than 35,091 people who install, support and maintain the wiring, fibres and connections which link tens of millions of homes and businesses in the UK to our customers’ networks.
Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch.
We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.
Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We\’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you\’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn\’t align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway – you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.
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Specialist User Researcher (Openreach Design Practice) employer: BT Group
Contact Detail:
BT Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Specialist User Researcher (Openreach Design Practice)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in user research and UX design. This will not only help you understand the current landscape but also allow you to speak confidently about how you can contribute to Openreach's mission of embedding user-centred design.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the UX field, especially those who have experience in telecommunications or similar industries. Engaging with them can provide insights into the role and may even lead to referrals that could boost your application.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific methodologies you've used in past projects. Be ready to share examples of how you've translated complex problems into actionable insights, as this aligns closely with what Openreach is looking for in a Specialist User Researcher.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your ability to build relationships by preparing to discuss how you've collaborated with cross-functional teams in the past. Highlighting your communication skills and teamwork will resonate well with Openreach's emphasis on collaboration.
We think you need these skills to ace Specialist User Researcher (Openreach Design Practice)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before you start writing your application, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Specialist User Researcher position. Tailor your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the job description.
Highlight Relevant Experience: Focus on showcasing your experience in user research and UX design. Provide specific examples of projects where you've successfully applied qualitative and quantitative research methods, and how these have led to actionable insights.
Showcase Your Skills: Emphasise your communication and relationship-building skills, as well as your ability to work with ambiguity. Mention any tools and techniques you are familiar with, such as journey mapping or usability testing, to demonstrate your technical proficiency.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that not only summarises your CV but also conveys your passion for user-centred design. Explain why you want to work at Openreach and how you can contribute to their mission of embedding user-centred design within their technology.
How to prepare for a job interview at BT Group
✨Understand User-Centred Design
Make sure you have a solid grasp of user-centred design principles. Be prepared to discuss how you've applied these in your previous roles, and think about examples where your research directly influenced product decisions.
✨Showcase Your Research Methods
Familiarise yourself with both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Be ready to explain how you've used techniques like usability testing, journey mapping, and persona development to uncover user needs and inform design.
✨Communicate Clearly
Strong communication skills are essential for this role. Practice articulating complex ideas simply and clearly, as you'll need to convey insights to stakeholders who may not have a research background.
✨Build Relationships
Demonstrate your ability to build collaborative relationships. Think of examples where you've worked closely with design and product teams, and be ready to discuss how you advocate for user needs within those collaborations.
