User Researcher

Senior User Researcher (Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow)

Our client is a leading digital consultancy delivering high‐impact transformation programmes across the UK and is a Business Elite Awards Winner for Best Digital Service Designs in the UK.

As a Senior User Researcher, you will join a practice built on human‐centred design, evidence‐based decision‐making, and multidisciplinary Agile delivery. This role places you at the centre of user‐centred service design, working with teams to understand real user needs, shape meaningful digital services, and influence strategic design decisions for large and complex organisations.

As a Senior User Researcher, you will apply deep expertise in research methodologies, lead research across the service lifecycle, and champion inclusive, accessible design approaches. You will act as a trusted consultant, a mentor, and an advocate for user‐centred transformation.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead research for large‐scale, user‐centred digital services
• Guide multidisciplinary Agile teams through discovery, alpha, beta, and live phases
• Shape user‐centred design approaches rooted in real behavioural evidence
• Influence senior stakeholders and support evidence‐based decision‐making
• Promote inclusive, accessible research practices across teams
• Line manage and mentor user researchers, helping them grow and develop
• Represent user‐centred design thinking internally and externally
• Support recruitment, events, thought leadership, and new business activity

Your Responsibilities:

As a Senior User Researcher, you will:

• Advise clients on solving complex problems through research, design, and Agile methodologies
• Lead multidisciplinary teams in designing services that meet validated user needs
• Plan, design, and conduct research using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods
• Ensure research is accessible, inclusive, and reflective of diverse user groups
• Communicate findings clearly to shape service direction and influence design decisions
• Build supportive yet challenging relationships with clients and stakeholders
• Manage conflict and convey difficult messages with clarity and empathy
• Line manage user researchers and coach colleagues on research best practice
• Contribute to capability building through blogs, events, training, and proposals
• Advocate for user‐centred and service‐design approaches across the organisation

Key Requirements:

As a Senior User Researcher, you should have:

• Strong expertise applying user research methodologies across varied environments
• Experience delivering user‐centred services within multidisciplinary Agile teams
• Working knowledge of researching accessibility and assisted‐digital needs
• Proven ability to champion user research, user‐centred design, or service‐design practices
• Experience mentoring, training, or line managing other researchers
• Advanced communication and stakeholder‐management skills
• Ability to manage conflict and convey challenging insights with tact
• Understanding of Agile roles across design, product, and engineering
• Strong consulting skills and confidence exploring problem spaces with clients

You will gain exposure with:

As a Senior User Researcher, you’ll work within a consultancy environment that integrates:

• Human‐centred design
• Data‐informed decision‐making
• Agile delivery
• Modern engineering practices

You will collaborate with teams across:

• User research
• Interaction design
• Service design
• Product management
• Software engineering

You’ll help shape digital services that tackle complex real‐world problems, create meaningful impact, and improve outcomes for organisations and society.

Why Join?:

• Work on high‐impact digital services that improve lives and organisational performance
• Shape service design approaches across diverse sectors and contexts
• Be part of a collaborative, inclusive, human‐centred consulting culture
• Develop your career as a Senior User Researcher with strong leadership and development opportunities
• Flexible hybrid working with UK offices including Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, and Bristol
• Excellent benefits including:
• Contributory pension scheme
• 25 days’ holiday plus public holidays
• Critical illness cover
• Life assurance
• Flexible benefits including private health, private dental, additional holidays, wellbeing contributions, charity donations, and more

Interested? Apply Now!