Senior User Research Manager – Metasearch (12-Month FTC)

This job is with Skyscanner, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.

About Skyscanner

Everyone loves travelling, but planning is not without its challenges. That's why we've spent 20 years building tools that turn travel‑planning chaos into a breeze. Today, around 100 million travellers count on us every month to skip the whole "47 browser tabs open" phase and find flights, cars, and hotels quickly and easily. Joining Skyscanner means becoming part of a global brand that's striving to become the planet's go‑to travel hack accessible for all. Our vision is to be the world's number one travel ally.

About The Role (Hybrid)

You’ll lead our Metasearch Research team which focuses on understanding how travellers choose, compare, and book the best options across Flights, Hotels, Packages, and Cars. This role is about elevating insight, shaping strategy, enabling great decision‑making, and championing the traveller at every turn. You’ll report directly to the Director of Research within our CX team and partner closely with Product and Design leaders to shape the future of decision‑making across our marketplace.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading strategic research initiatives by designing forward‑looking, mixed‑method research that unlocks long‑term business opportunities.
• Guiding core product development by providing hands‑on direction across the Flights, Hotels, Packages, and Cars workstreams, ensuring insights glide effortlessly into product decisions.
• Deepening mixed‑method expertise by directing sophisticated frameworks and championing robust, actionable research that solves real business problems.
• Managing the team by mentoring and empowering researchers, helping them refine their craft while adopting new tools and technology that boost both quality and scale.
• Cross‑disciplinary collaboration by partnering with CX, Product, Design, and Analytics to shape questions, uncover truths, and craft narratives that inspire genuine action.
• Being the voice of the user by making sure travellers’ needs echo through every decision with evidence, insight, and a learning mindset to cut through complexity.
• Integrating data and reporting by working with Analytics to weave behavioural data and research findings into a single, powerful decision‑making engine for the business.

About You

• Extensive mixed‑methods research expertise: you’ve led impactful research programmes blending qualitative depth with quantitative confidence—including running in‑depth interviews, concept evaluations, synthesising behavioural data, usability metrics, and large‑scale survey results.
• Comprehensive research methodology knowledge: you know when to use what, tailoring methodologies to fit diverse product and business challenges (bonus points for brand and marketing experience).
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills: you thrive on coaching researchers, levelling up capability, and fostering a culture of curiosity and growth.
• Clear, impactful storytelling: you turn complex findings into sharp, compelling narratives that motivate teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Growth‑oriented mindset: you navigate ambiguity with creativity, balancing user needs, business value, and strategic context with finesse.
• Experience in dynamic environments: you’re energized by pace, able to juggle multiple projects, and confident steering research through shifting priorities.
• Deep analytical and data‑driven approach: you connect qualitative nuance with quantitative validation, making decisions grounded, empathetic, and strategically sound.
• Autonomous self‑starter and influencer: you partner confidently with senior leaders, shaping strategy rather than simply responding to requests.

EEO and Diversity Statement

We believe travel makes the world better, and that the same is true for our diverse teams. We are proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer and are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and products that are accessible to all.

Application Process & Accessibility

We are committed to ensuring our application and recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments or accommodations for interviews, or wish to apply under the Disability Confident scheme, please let the recruitment team know. If you need information about our hybrid working or parental leave policies (typically we pay a minimum of 24 weeks birth parent/maternity leave globally), the recruitment team can provide more information.