Lead Design Researcher

Role Overview

We are seeking a Lead Design Researcher to join our diverse team of 39 professionals, including product and visual designers, researchers, and content strategists. In this 12-month contract role, you will play a pivotal part in shaping the wealth management experience for financial advisors and clients. Specifically, you will focus on the portfolio management experience, driving the creation of a new tool for reporting solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Go beyond executing studies to shape the overarching research strategy, aligning insights with product and portfolio priorities to influence roadmaps.
• Discovery & Visioning: Lead discovery phases, prioritize features, and facilitate workshops to drive the long-term vision of the portfolio management tool.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with design and product teams, using storytelling to translate complex research findings into actionable insights.
• Mentorship: Provide guidance and mentorship to other designers on the team, fostering a culture of research excellence and systems thinking.
• Complex Problem Solving: Navigate highly regulated environments and complex workflows to identify and solve the right user problems.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in Design Research.
• Expertise in a variety of research methodologies and design research theory.
• Proficiency in Figma, Mural/Miro, and standard research tools like UserTesting.com.
• Proven ability to lead research in complex, cross-functional, and agile environments.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MA/MS) in HCI, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, or a related field.
• Experience with AI solutions in complex systems or large-scale digital product launches.