Copy of Senior User Researcher, Consumer (m/f/d)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Researcher, Consumer (m/f/d)

Company: Riverty (part of Bertelsmann group)

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands (Hybrid); Heerenveen, Netherlands (Hybrid); Berlin, Germany (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Research

Date Posted: September 29, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (typically 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute comprehensive user research initiatives for consumer-facing financial services, driving a human-centric approach across product development.

• Uncover and articulate meaningful customer insights, unmet needs, and pain points to influence product strategy and long-term customer experiences.

• Integrate qualitative research findings with quantitative data and analytics to enable evidence-based decision-making.

• Collaborate closely with Product, Design, Engineering, and Data teams to embed research insights throughout the product lifecycle, from discovery to continuous improvement.

• Champion a customer-centric culture by advocating for user needs while balancing business objectives and technical feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as the first dedicated User Researcher within the design organization, indicating a significant opportunity to shape research practices and influence strategy. The "Consumer" focus suggests a B2C or B2B2C product environment within the FinTech sector.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Plan, conduct, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research using a diverse range of methodologies (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys, diary studies, contextual inquiry).

• Identify customer needs, behaviors, motivations, and pain points to inform product improvements and service enhancements.

• Translate research findings into clear, compelling insights and actionable recommendations for product strategy, service design, and customer experience.

• Partner with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, Data Analysts, Marketing, and Brand teams to integrate research into all phases of the product lifecycle.

• Combine qualitative insights with analytics, experimentation, and business metrics to create holistic customer understanding.

• Identify strategic opportunities by connecting customer insights, market trends, organizational priorities, and product goals.

• Design and execute evaluative research to validate concepts, prototypes, and live experiences, measuring customer outcomes.

• Contribute to and maintain research repositories, insight libraries, and research operations to foster organizational knowledge sharing.

• Advocate for customer needs and a human-centered, evidence-based culture, balancing user needs with business objectives and measurable outcomes.

• Coach and support the design community and other colleagues in applying research methods and developing customer-centric thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "first strictly User Researcher in the design organisation" implies a foundational role where establishing processes, repositories, and demonstrating the value of research will be critical. The responsibility to "coach and support" suggests a mentorship component.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design Research, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior User Researcher role.

Experience: Extensive experience (typically 5-10 years) in planning, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative user research throughout the product development lifecycle.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in planning, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative user research across the full product development lifecycle.

• Strong understanding and practical application of mixed-method research approaches, with the ability to select appropriate methodologies for diverse research questions.

• Demonstrated ability to apply a strategic design mindset, connecting customer insights with business goals to influence product vision, service design, and long-term direction.

• Proven experience collaborating closely with Product Analytics, Data Science, or Business Intelligence teams to integrate qualitative and quantitative data into comprehensive customer insights.

• Solid grasp of data and analytics, experimentation, customer metrics, and research triangulation for strategic product decision-making.

• Excellent synthesis and storytelling skills; ability to communicate complex research findings clearly and persuasively to varied stakeholders.

• Strong facilitation, stakeholder management, and influencing skills to align cross-functional teams around customer evidence.

• Experience designing and facilitating workshops for discovery, prioritization, and strategic decision-making.

• Strategic, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to identify opportunities beyond immediate customer issues.

• Familiarity with agile product development methodologies and experience in fast-paced, iterative environments.

• Experience with experimentation frameworks such as A/B testing and product analytics tools.

• Experience with AI-enabled research and the ability to shape AI-driven research practices. Preferred Skills:

• Experience building a research capability across multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience establishing research operations, repositories, or insight management practices.

• Experience shaping product strategy or design strategy through customer research and evidence synthesis.

• Experience partnering with multiple designers and stakeholders to achieve goals across complex product ecosystems.

• Experience within the financial services or FinTech industry.

• Familiarity with product frameworks and development technologies.

• Experience with B2C and/or B2B2C products.

• Familiarity with accessibility standards and guidelines (e.g., WCAG) and their application in design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "nice to haves" strongly suggest the company is looking for someone who can not only conduct research but also build the function and influence strategic direction. Experience in FinTech is a significant plus, indicating domain knowledge is valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of user research projects, demonstrating end-to-end research execution from planning to insight delivery.

• Include case studies that highlight the application of mixed-method research and the integration of qualitative and quantitative data.

• Present examples of how research insights directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, and business outcomes, ideally with measurable results.

• Demonstrate experience in synthesizing complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations for diverse stakeholders.

• Include examples of facilitating workshops or collaborative sessions to drive alignment and decision-making based on user insights. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of establishing or contributing to research repositories, insight libraries, or research operations processes.

• Documentation of how research findings were shared and embedded within product development workflows (e.g., within Agile sprints).

• Examples of how research was integrated with product analytics, experimentation, and business metrics.

• Demonstrated ability to articulate research methodologies and their rationale for different project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given this is the first dedicated researcher, a portfolio that demonstrates not only research execution but also the ability to establish processes and influence strategy will be highly impactful. Highlighting how research was used to drive business outcomes is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on typical Senior User Researcher roles with 5-10 years of experience in hybrid tech/finance hubs like Amsterdam, a competitive salary range can be estimated. For Amsterdam, this could range from €65,000 to €90,000 annually, depending on exact experience, specific skills, and the company's compensation philosophy.

Benefits:

• Hybrid working model with flexibility and occasional travel.

• Opportunity to shape and build a user research function within a growing FinTech company.

• Contribution to a mission-driven organization focused on sustainable financial services.

• Collaboration with an international, diverse team across multiple European locations.

• Access to tools and technologies for research and analytics.

• Potential for professional development and learning opportunities within the Bertelsmann group.

• Standard benefits package expected in the Netherlands (e.g., pension, health insurance contributions, holiday allowance).

Working Hours: Full-time employment, likely around 40 hours per week, with a hybrid work arrangement requiring approximately two days per week in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Senior User Researchers in the Netherlands, considering the FinTech sector and hybrid work model. Specific benefits will need to be confirmed with the employer.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech), part of the broader Financial Services and Digital Services sectors. Riverty focuses on enabling flexible payments and simplifying financial management.

Company Size: Over 4,000 employees globally, representing almost 80 nationalities across 11 countries. This indicates a large, established organization with significant international reach.

Founded: Riverty is part of the Bertelsmann group, a family-owned media, services, and education company established in 1835. This provides a foundation of stability and long-term vision.

Team Structure:

• The Senior User Researcher will report to the UX Design Lead, Consumer.

• They will be part of a diverse design team including UX designers, UI designers, service designers, and UX writers.

• The role requires extensive collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Engineers, Data Analysts, Product Operations, Marketing, and Brand teams across Europe. Methodology:

• Data-driven insights and human-centricity are core to Riverty's mission.

• Emphasis on combining empathy, advanced technology, and data-driven insights to create value.

• Agile product development methodologies are utilized.

• A hybrid working setup encourages idea exchange and learning.

Company Website: https://www.riverty.com/ (derived from company description context)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value diversity, international collaboration, and a blend of established stability (Bertelsmann) with FinTech agility. The hybrid workspaces are designed for collaboration and learning.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role, recognized for deep expertise in user research methodologies and strategic thinking. It offers the potential to become a subject matter expert and build out research capabilities.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to the UX Design Lead, Consumer, with a matrixed collaboration across various product and design teams. This structure allows for both functional guidance and project-specific impact.

Operations Impact: The Senior User Researcher will directly influence product strategy, service design, and customer experience by providing crucial user insights. This impact is vital for Riverty's mission of creating sustainable financial services and ensuring customer confidence, directly contributing to business objectives and market success in the competitive FinTech landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

• Research Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale the user research function, establish best practices, and mentor future researchers.

• Strategic Influence: Grow into a key advisor role for product strategy and long-term customer experience vision.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in FinTech, consumer financial services, and AI-enabled research practices.

• Cross-functional Development: Expand collaboration and influencing skills by working across diverse European teams and departments.

• Learning & Development: Access to professional development resources within the Bertelsmann group, potentially including conferences, training, and certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: As the first dedicated researcher, this role offers a unique opportunity for significant impact and career growth by shaping the future of user research at Riverty.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company utilizes "hybrid workspaces" designed for idea exchange and learning. The work arrangement is hybrid, with an expectation of being in the office twice a week.

Office Location(s): Amsterdam (Netherlands), Heerenveen (Netherlands), and Berlin (Germany) are listed as potential locations, offering flexibility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid setup and focus on idea exchange suggest a collaborative atmosphere, both in-person and remotely.

• Tools & Technology: Access to research and data management tools (e.g., Condens, TheyDo, Lyssna, Qualtrics, PowerBI, New Relic) will be provided.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for physical meetups for team huddles and cross-functional workshops, alongside regular virtual collaboration.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexibility inherent in the hybrid model, allowing for structured in-office collaboration and remote work focused on deep research tasks and analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration and team building with the flexibility and focus of remote work, which is well-suited for the analytical nature of user research.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience.

• Hiring Manager/UX Lead Interview: Discussion about your background, research philosophy, and how you approach user research challenges.

• Portfolio Presentation: A session where you present a selection of your work, showcasing your research process, insights, and impact. Be prepared to discuss specific case studies in detail.

• Cross-functional Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Designers, and potentially Data Analysts to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and strategic thinking.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss overall fit and strategic vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end research capabilities, mixed-method expertise, and strategic impact. Prioritize projects that show how you translated insights into tangible business or product outcomes.

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the methodologies used, the research process, key findings, actionable recommendations, and the impact of your work (quantify where possible).

• Highlight Collaboration: Showcase how you partnered with other teams (Product, Design, Engineering, Data) and how you influenced decision-making.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Explain how your research contributed to broader product strategy or identified new opportunities.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, how you handle challenging stakeholders, how you integrate qualitative and quantitative data, and how you would approach building a research function.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific research problem relevant to consumer FinTech.

• Prepare to articulate your vision for user research at Riverty, given it's a new role.

• Think about how you would balance user needs with business constraints and technical feasibility.

• Consider how you would measure the success of your research initiatives and their impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "first strictly User Researcher" means interviewers will likely probe your ability to establish processes, influence others, and define the scope of research. Your portfolio should reflect this proactive and strategic capability.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research & Data Management: Condens, TheyDo, Lyssna, Qualtrics (or similar platforms for qualitative data management, survey design, and analysis).

• Analytics & Reporting: PowerBI (or similar BI tools for data visualization and dashboarding), New Relic (or similar for performance monitoring/analytics), and general product analytics platforms.

• Experimentation: Familiarity with A/B testing frameworks and platforms.

• Collaboration: Standard collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Proficiency in analyzing data from product analytics platforms to complement qualitative findings.

• Experience creating dashboards and reports to communicate insights and track customer metrics. CRM & Automation:

• While not core to the researcher role, understanding how CRM data or automated customer journeys might inform research questions or be a subject of research is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of tools like Condens, TheyDo, Lyssna, Qualtrics, PowerBI, and New Relic indicates the company's current or desired technology stack for research and analytics. Familiarity with these, or similar, is highly advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centricity: Placing the customer at the heart of all product development and decision-making.

• Data-Driven Insights: Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data to inform strategy and validate assumptions.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across diverse, international teams to achieve shared goals.

• Empathy: Understanding and advocating for the needs and perspectives of users.

• Continuous Improvement: Embracing iterative development and a mindset of ongoing learning and optimization.

• Efficiency: Streamlining processes and leveraging technology (including AI) to enhance effectiveness.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively partnering with Product, Design, Engineering, and Data to embed research insights.

• Evidence-Based Decision Making: Facilitating discussions and decisions grounded in user research and data.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to shared repositories and fostering a culture of learning about customers.

• Proactive Advocacy: Championing customer needs while balancing business and technical considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated mission ("Combining empathy, advanced technology and data-driven insights") directly reflects the values expected of a Senior User Researcher.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing Research Maturity: As the first dedicated researcher, building foundational research processes, tools, and demonstrating ROI will be a key initial challenge.

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Navigating the complexities of aligning customer needs with business objectives, technical constraints, and evolving market trends in the FinTech space.

• Global Collaboration: Effectively conducting research and influencing stakeholders across different European locations and cultures.

• Integrating AI: Staying ahead of and integrating AI-enabled research practices into the workflow.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Research Operations Development: Opportunity to define and implement best practices for research operations, repositories, and insight management.

• Strategic Product Influence: Grow expertise in shaping product strategy and long-term vision through research.

• FinTech Domain Expertise: Deepen understanding of consumer financial services, regulations, and user behaviors in this sector.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or product team members in user research methods.

• Bertelsmann Network: Access to a broad network for learning and development within a large, established corporation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly linked to the growth opportunities, particularly the chance to build and shape the research function from the ground up.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach establishing a user research practice at Riverty, given you're the first dedicated researcher?" (Focus on phased approach, key deliverables, stakeholder buy-in.)

• "Describe a time you had to influence a product team or stakeholder who was resistant to user feedback. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight communication, data-driven persuasion, and compromise.)

• "How do you balance the need for deep, qualitative insights with the demands for quick, iterative feedback in an Agile environment?" (Discuss hybrid methods, efficiency, and prioritization.)

• "Walk us through a research project where you combined qualitative and quantitative data. How did you synthesize these findings, and what strategic impact did it have?" (Prepare a detailed case study emphasizing data triangulation and business outcomes.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Riverty and the FinTech industry, specifically consumer financial services?" (Research Riverty's mission, products, and challenges.)

• "How do you see yourself contributing to a human-centric culture within our organization?" (Discuss your advocacy approach and how you'd embed user understanding.)

• "How would you collaborate with our Data Analytics and Product teams to ensure a holistic understanding of our users?" (Focus on partnership, data sharing, and integrated insights.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your research objectives, the actions you took, the key insights, and the quantifiable impact on the product or business.

• Showcase Methodology Breadth: Demonstrate your command of various qualitative and quantitative methods and explain why you chose specific approaches for different research questions.

• Tell a Story: Structure your presentation like a narrative, guiding the interviewers through your process and decision-making.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, analysis, and the rationale behind your recommendations.

• Enthusiasm for Building: Given the role's nature, convey excitement about building out the research function and establishing best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect questions that test your ability to operate independently, build processes, and strategically influence product direction in a new role. Your portfolio presentation should highlight these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior User Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful user research projects. For each, clearly articulate the problem, your research process (including mixed methods), key insights, actionable recommendations, and the resulting impact on product or business metrics. Quantify outcomes where possible.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative research, strategic design thinking, stakeholder management, and any experience in FinTech or related industries. Use keywords from the job description like "user research," "product strategy," "mixed-method research," "customer insights," and "agile."

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your research process, how you influence stakeholders, and your vision for building a user research function. Be ready to discuss your experience with tools like Condens, Qualtrics, or PowerBI.

• Research Riverty: Understand Riverty's mission, its place within Bertelsmann, its focus on consumer financial services, and its commitment to human-centricity and data-driven insights. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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