At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user research to shape impactful product decisions and drive innovation.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company that values user insights.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working hours, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with a focus on inclusivity and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by influencing product design through user research.
- Qualifications: PhD or Master's in relevant fields and extensive research experience required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
The Role: As Head of User Research, you must be familiar with every aspect of the product development lifecycle for software including up-front research and discovery, definition, and analysis of requirements.
What makes a good candidate? Someone who has exceptional research skills, but who also understands the trade-offs between rigor and being scrappy, and ultimately how research translates into design and product decisions. The role requires you to be an expert researcher with a proven track record of doing research that impacts a complex and diverse set of products and building and managing high-performing teams, preferably with researchers of varying specialisations (i.e. design research, human factors, UX research, etc.).
You will be required to articulate the vision of the team to design, engineering and product leadership and be a strong advocate for the role of research in product development. You must become a trusted, strategic partner to product stakeholders by communicating and demonstrating the value of user research, and by delivering insights that lead to demonstrable business value. You must be a qualitative and quantitative data expert. Your performance is measured by the impact of the products you and your team launch that solve real customer needs.
Skills & Qualifications (Essential):
- A / M. S or PH. D in Human Factors, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive or Experimental Psychology, Sociology or a related field
- Extensive professional research experience in both hardware and software and in all areas of research (including design research, market research and quantitative research).
- Previous experience leading / managing a research team
- Experience prioritising in-house research efforts and understanding when and how to leverage 3rd-party vendors.
- Research experience across different methods, with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
- Background implementing a variety of research methods (e.g. rapid ethnography, contextual inquiry, focus groups, surveys, concept testing, usability validation, experimentation, etc.).
- Track record of discovering, synthesising, and socialising actionable insights that have influenced real product decisions.
- Expert at Analysis and synthesis. You can help an organisation adopt a wide range of analysis and synthesis techniques. You know how to help an organisation continually assure, improve and innovate their practices to generate clear and valuable findings.
- Expert in Inclusive research. You can help the business understand the diversity of users. You know how to guide organisations to adopt inclusive practices and apply what they learn to design and deliver accessible services that work for all users.
- Strategic insight. You understand organisational strategy and objectives. You can align research activities across the organisation to create strategic insights. You can align wider research activities across different departments and different geographic locations.
Skills (Desirable):
- Society and technology. You can align user research activities to help the organisation understand changing user behaviour, and the challenges and opportunities that this insight might uncover, and a subject matter expert.
- Technical understanding. You know about the technologies used to build and operate digital services. You can collaborate closely with colleagues in different digital disciplines.
- Demonstrable expertise of User-centred and agile practices. You understand and have extensive experience of a range of user-centred and agile approaches. You help adopt user-centred practices and embed them into agile service design and delivery. You know how to advocate for user research across an organisation.
Head Of User Research in London employer: Enorth Staffing Limited
Contact Detail:
Enorth Staffing Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Of User Research in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even casual coffee chats. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your research chops! Prepare a portfolio that highlights your best work and the impact it had on product decisions. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to share these insights and how they align with their needs.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like us at StudySmarter, and express your interest in contributing to their user research efforts. A little initiative can go a long way!
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to user research. Think about how you can articulate your vision and the value of research in product development. And remember, apply through our website for a smoother process!
We think you need these skills to ace Head Of User Research in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Research Skills: Make sure to highlight your exceptional research skills in your application. We want to see how you've used both qualitative and quantitative methods to make a real impact on product decisions. Don't hold back on sharing specific examples!
Tailor Your Application: Take the time to tailor your application to our job description. We love candidates who can articulate their understanding of the product development lifecycle and how user research fits into it. Show us you get what we're all about!
Demonstrate Team Leadership: Since this role involves managing high-performing teams, be sure to mention your experience leading researchers with varying specialisations. We want to know how you've built and nurtured teams that deliver great results.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Enorth Staffing Limited
✨Know Your Research Methods
Make sure you’re well-versed in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Be ready to discuss specific techniques you've used, like rapid ethnography or usability testing, and how they’ve influenced product decisions. This shows you not only understand the theory but can apply it effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of User Research, you'll need to manage a diverse team. Prepare examples of how you've built and led high-performing teams in the past. Highlight your experience in mentoring researchers with different specialisations and how you’ve fostered collaboration across departments.
✨Articulate Your Vision
Be ready to communicate your vision for the user research team clearly. Think about how you would advocate for the role of research in product development and how you can align research activities with organisational strategy. This will demonstrate your strategic insight and ability to influence stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles, particularly around prioritising research efforts or leveraging third-party vendors. Use these scenarios to showcase your ability to balance rigor with being scrappy in your approach.