CX Researcher (Customer Journey)

We are seeking an experienced and insight‑led CX Researcher to join a dedicated Customer Journey workstream supporting a high‑profile automotive client. This role focuses on understanding and improving the end‑to‑end customer journey across key automotive experiences — from initial brand discovery and vehicle research through to purchase, ownership, servicing, retention, and loyalty interactions.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative customer research focused on understanding end‑to‑end automotive customer journeys across multiple touchpoints and channels.
• Identify customer pain points, unmet needs, behavioural drivers, and moments of friction throughout the ownership and purchase lifecycle.
• Conduct a range of research methodologies including customer interviews, contextual research, surveys, usability testing, diary studies, journey reviews, ethnographic research, and stakeholder workshops.
• Synthesise complex research findings into clear, actionable insights that inform customer journey improvements and strategic recommendations.
• Support journey‑focused discovery initiatives across areas such as vehicle research, online and offline purchasing experiences, ownership journeys, servicing, aftersales, retention, and loyalty.
• Help establish a deeper understanding of evolving customer expectations within the automotive landscape.

Customer Journey Mapping & Experience Strategy

• Create and maintain customer journey maps, service blueprints, personas, behavioural frameworks, and ecosystem maps that help visualise and communicate customer experiences.
• Analyse interactions across digital and non‑digital touchpoints to identify opportunities for greater consistency, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Support the definition of customer‑centric strategies and recommendations aligned to business objectives and operational priorities.
• Collaborate with UX, Service Design, Product, Marketing, and Operational teams to ensure customer insight is embedded throughout design and delivery processes.
• Help prioritise journey improvements based on customer impact, feasibility, and commercial value.
• Collaborate with analytics and optimisation teams to combine behavioural data with qualitative customer insight.
• Use customer feedback, analytics, VOC data, operational insight, and performance reporting to identify emerging trends and opportunities.
• Support experience measurement frameworks and ongoing journey performance evaluation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by helping validate hypotheses, measure outcomes, and refine recommendations over time.
• Advocate for evidence‑based and customer‑centred decision making across the wider programme.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work collaboratively with CX Strategists, UX Designers, Service Designers, Analysts, Product Owners, Content Strategists, Developers, Program Managers, and client stakeholders.
• Facilitate workshops, collaborative working sessions, and playback presentations with both internal teams and client stakeholders.
• Present research findings and journey insights clearly and confidently to audiences ranging from delivery teams to senior leadership.
• Help align cross‑functional teams around customer needs, experience priorities, and strategic opportunity areas.
• Contribute positively to team culture, ways of working, and the ongoing maturity of customer journey thinking across the account.

What we want from you

• Strong experience in CX Research, UX Research, Service Design Research, Customer Insight, or related disciplines.
• Proven experience researching and analysing end‑to‑end customer journeys across digital and service ecosystems.
• Strong understanding of customer‑centred design principles, behavioural insight, and journey mapping methodologies.
• Experience conducting both qualitative and quantitative research using a variety of methodologies.
• Ability to synthesise large volumes of research and operational information into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Strong experience creating customer journey maps, service blueprints, personas, insight reports, and strategic frameworks.
• Experience working across complex, enterprise, or multi‑channel customer environments.
• Strong stakeholder management, workshop facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery within fast‑paced and evolving programmes.
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across CX, UX, product, analytics, content, and operational teams.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills with the ability to make complex customer insight accessible and impactful.
• Automotive, retail, mobility, travel, financial services, or other customer experience‑led industry experience is advantageous but not essential.
• A proactive, curious, and empathetic mindset with a passion for improving customer experiences through insight‑led thinking.
• A strong portfolio showcasing customer research approaches, journey mapping, and measurable experience improvements is essential.

What we can offer you

Alongside the opportunity to work with some of the most exciting brands around the world, we’ll also prioritise your career development and help you grow your skills. We’ll empower you to make a difference, allow you to be yourself, and respect who you are.

Benefits

We offer a great benefits package including a discretionary bonus scheme, training opportunities, competitive pension, medical insurance, life assurance, social events, opportunities to buy and sell holidays, family friendly policies, discounts with hundreds of retailers and much more.

WPP (VML Enterprise Solutions) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.