Design Researcher (12 Month FTC)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Researcher (12 Month FTC)

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom / Manchester, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time, Temporary

Category: Design Research / User Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-08

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the research strategy for a key business area, driving the development of impactful product and service solutions.

• Manage comprehensive research roadmaps and plans, ensuring alignment with short-term objectives and strategic business direction.

• Deliver generative and evaluative research across the product development lifecycle to solve customer problems and uncover new opportunities.

• Champion evidence-led decision-making and customer-centered thinking by synthesizing and communicating research insights to diverse stakeholders.

• Collaborate closely with multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering teams to foster a shared understanding of user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input data doesn't explicitly state "Revenue Operations" or "Sales Operations," this role is crucial for understanding customer needs and guiding product development, which directly impacts customer acquisition, retention, and revenue generation. Therefore, it can be framed within a broader GTM operations context by emphasizing how research insights inform strategies that drive business growth. The "12 Month FTC" indicates a project-based need, suggesting a focus on specific strategic initiatives or product launches.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the research strategy for a specific product or service area, defining research questions and methodologies.

• Create and manage research roadmaps and plans, ensuring timely delivery of insights that inform product and service development.

• Conduct a variety of qualitative research methods, including moderated and unmoderated usability testing, concept testing, and in-depth interviews.

• Execute ethnographic research, such as contextual inquiries and diary studies, to gain deep understanding of user behaviors and environments.

• Synthesize research findings and data from multiple sources (qualitative and quantitative) into actionable recommendations and compelling customer stories.

• Present research findings, strategic implications, and recommendations clearly and concisely to senior and executive-level audiences.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Service Design, Product, and Engineering, to ensure a unified approach to understanding customer and colleague experiences.

• Champion the value of Design Research across the organization, fostering a culture of evidence-led decision-making and customer-centricity.

• Conduct accessibility research and research focused on vulnerable customer segments, ensuring inclusive product design.

• Operate effectively in developing research environments, building trust in insights and promoting the adoption of data-driven approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize strategic planning, execution of diverse research methodologies, and high-level stakeholder communication, indicating a mid-to-senior level role with significant autonomy and influence over product strategy. The focus on "solving customer problems" and "unlocking new opportunities" directly ties research outcomes to business objectives and potential revenue impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design, or a related field is typically preferred for Design Researcher roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in Design Research or User Experience (UX) research roles is expected, with a proven track record of leading research initiatives and influencing product strategy.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience working collaboratively with design and product teams to define and prioritize research questions.

• Demonstrated ability to create comprehensive research roadmaps and plans to guide strategic direction.

• Deep expertise in qualitative research methodologies, including usability testing (moderated/unmoderated), concept testing, and depth interviews.

• Strong skills in synthesizing complex qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and compelling narratives.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to present findings and strategic recommendations to senior and executive leadership.

• Experience combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide a holistic understanding of user needs.

• Practical experience with ethnographic research techniques (e.g., contextual inquiry, diary studies).

• Proficiency in triangulating research and data from diverse sources to build robust customer stories.

• Experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including Service Design, to map end-to-end customer journeys.

• Ability to foster trust and drive adoption of evidence-led approaches in evolving research environments.

• Passion for championing Design Research and embedding customer-centered thinking within teams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with accessibility research and/or research involving vulnerable customer segments.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and working within product development lifecycles.

• Experience in the financial services industry or a regulated environment.

• Mentoring or team leadership experience within a research function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements highlight a blend of technical research skills and strategic influence. The emphasis on synthesizing data, communicating with executives, and working in developing environments suggests a need for a researcher who can not only conduct studies but also act as a strategic partner and advocate for user-centered design. The "12 Month FTC" nature might mean they are looking for someone who can hit the ground running with minimal ramp-up time.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of design research projects, demonstrating your ability to tackle complex user problems.

• Case studies that clearly outline the research objectives, methodologies employed, key findings, and the impact of your insights on product or service outcomes.

• Examples of research roadmaps and plans developed to guide product development efforts.

• Demonstrations of how you have synthesized qualitative and quantitative data to create actionable recommendations.

• Evidence of presenting research findings and strategic implications to diverse audiences, including senior stakeholders. Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have documented research processes, from planning and execution to synthesis and reporting.

• Evidence of contributing to the development or refinement of research processes within a team or organization.

• Documentation illustrating how research insights have been translated into tangible product or service improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Researcher role, the portfolio is paramount. It should not just present past work but articulate the "why" and "how" behind each project. For this role, emphasize projects that demonstrate strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and a clear impact on business objectives, especially those related to customer satisfaction and product adoption. Given the company's focus on transformation, showcasing adaptability and contributions to evolving research practices would be highly beneficial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £61,344 - £68,160 GBP per annum.

This range reflects the experience and responsibilities of a Design Researcher at a leading financial institution in the UK. The specific salary within this range will be determined by the candidate's qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements.

Benefits:

• Pension: Generous contribution of up to 15% from the employer.

• Bonus: Annual performance-related bonus.

• Share Schemes: Access to share schemes, including free shares, offering long-term financial participation.

• Discounts: Benefits adaptable to lifestyle, including discounted shopping and potentially other financial services.

• Holiday: 30 days of annual leave, in addition to bank holidays.

• Wellbeing: A range of wellbeing initiatives to support employee health and work-life balance.

• Parental Leave: Generous parental leave policies.

• Flexible Working: Support for hybrid working (minimum 2 days/40% in office) and job sharing.

Working Hours: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The company supports flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Design Researcher with 5-10 years of experience in the UK market, particularly within a large financial services organization. The benefits package is comprehensive, highlighting Lloyds Banking Group's commitment to employee well-being and financial security. The explicit mention of hybrid working and flexibility is a significant draw for many professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking and financial services. This context means the Design Researcher will operate within a highly regulated environment, with a strong emphasis on customer trust, security, and compliance.

Company Size: Large, established enterprise (part of Lloyds Banking Group). This implies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for significant impact due to the scale of operations and customer base. The presence of a large, experienced Design Research team (40+ members) suggests a mature approach to user-centered design and a supportive community for researchers.

Founded: The historical roots of Lloyds Banking Group trace back to the late 18th century, indicating a long-standing presence and deep understanding of the UK financial landscape.

Team Structure:

• The Design Researcher will be part of a large, dedicated Design Research team (40+ members), fostering a strong community of practice.

• They will work within a multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering team, collaborating with peers from various specializations.

• The role involves managing research plans and roadmaps for a specific service or product area, indicating a degree of autonomy within a larger framework.

• Mentoring and collaboration are actively encouraged, suggesting a supportive and knowledge-sharing team environment. Methodology:

• Emphasis on evidence-led decision making and customer-centered thinking.

• Integration of research findings into product and service development lifecycles, from generative to evaluative stages.

• Encouragement to test and learn new research methods.

• Collaboration with Service Design and Analytics communities to build a holistic understanding of customer experiences.

Company Website: https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Lloyds Banking Group appears to be a blend of established corporate structure and a forward-thinking approach to innovation and customer experience, particularly within the Design Research function. The large research team provides a strong support network, while the multi-disciplinary team collaboration ensures research findings are integrated into product development. The emphasis on "helping Britain prosper" suggests a mission-driven organization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Senior to Senior Design Researcher. This role involves leading research strategy for a key business area, managing roadmaps, and influencing executive-level stakeholders. It requires a high degree of autonomy and strategic input, positioning it beyond a junior or entry-level research position. The "12 Month FTC" suggests a focus on delivering specific project outcomes rather than long-term foundational development, though the skills gained are highly transferable.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, the role likely reports into a Head of Design Research, a Senior Design Research Manager, or a Product/Design Lead within a specific business unit. The researcher will also collaborate closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers.

Operations Impact: The Design Researcher's impact is directly tied to shaping product and service development, solving customer problems, and identifying new opportunities. By providing critical user insights, the role influences strategic decisions, product roadmaps, and ultimately, customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue generation for key business areas. Their work directly supports the transformation goals of the Group.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific research areas like accessibility, quantitative methods, or ethnographic studies, as encouraged by the team.

• Strategic Influence: Develop skills in influencing senior leadership and shaping strategic product direction through impactful research.

• Mentorship: Gain experience through mentoring junior researchers or being mentored by senior leaders within the large Design Research community.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Lead research initiatives within multi-disciplinary teams, honing project management and stakeholder collaboration skills.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience within the financial services sector, a highly regulated and impactful industry.

• Potential for Extension/Permanent Role: While a 12-month FTC, successful candidates may be considered for other opportunities within Lloyds Banking Group depending on business needs and performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers substantial growth in strategic research leadership and cross-functional influence. For someone looking to deepen their expertise in a large, established financial institution and contribute to significant transformation efforts, this FTC provides a strong platform. The emphasis on influencing strategy and working with senior leaders is key for career advancement in operations-adjacent roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, requiring at least two days per week (or 40% of time) in one of the designated office sites (Edinburgh Princes Exchange or Manchester). This model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration and team cohesion with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s):

• Edinburgh Princes Exchange: A key office location for Lloyds Banking Group in Scotland.

• Manchester: Another significant office presence for the bank in England. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster collaboration, allowing for in-person workshops, team meetings, and spontaneous interactions.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, collaboration tools, and potentially specialized research software, though specific tools are not detailed. The emphasis is on the research process and insight generation rather than specific tool mastery.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with a large Design Research community, as well as immediate multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering teams.

Work Schedule: Full-time (approx. 40 hours/week). The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility in how and where the remaining time is spent, supporting work-life balance while ensuring team presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment is a key feature, offering a structured approach to flexibility. For a Design Researcher, this likely means dedicated days for in-office collaboration, ideation, and team syncs, while other days can be used for focused work, analysis, and remote collaboration. The office locations are major hubs, suggesting well-equipped workspaces.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, potentially followed by a brief screening call to assess basic qualifications and interest.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth discussion focusing on experience, research philosophy, and alignment with the team's needs. This may include behavioral questions.

• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A critical stage where candidates present their work. This often involves showcasing 2-3 key projects, detailing the problem, methodology, insights, impact, and learnings. A specific case study or a hypothetical challenge might also be presented.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with members of the design, product, or engineering teams to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into a multi-disciplinary setting.

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

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around key projects. For each, clearly articulate: The Business/Customer Problem, Your Role & Responsibilities, Research Methodology, Key Insights, Recommendations, and the Impact/Outcome (quantify where possible).

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Showcase how your research informed strategic decisions or product roadmaps, not just tactical usability improvements.

• Highlight Cross-Functional Collaboration: Provide examples of how you worked with designers, product managers, engineers, or other stakeholders to translate insights into action.

• Showcase Diverse Methodologies: Include examples of both generative and evaluative research, as well as qualitative and quantitative approaches, and ideally, ethnographic or accessibility work.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to talk through your process, your rationale for methodology choices, how you handled challenges, and what you learned.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research Lloyds Banking Group's current strategic priorities, particularly around digital transformation, customer experience, and any recent product launches or initiatives.

• Anticipate Research Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would approach research for a specific banking product or service, or how you would address a particular customer pain point.

• Focus on Actionability: For any hypothetical challenge, emphasize how you would ensure research is actionable and drives tangible business outcomes.

• Prepare Questions: Have thoughtful questions ready for the interviewers about the team, the challenges, the research culture, and the impact of the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role will heavily rely on the candidate's ability to articulate their research process and demonstrate tangible impact. The portfolio presentation is a key opportunity to showcase strategic thinking and collaborative skills. Given the FTC nature, candidates who can quickly demonstrate value and integrate into existing teams will be highly regarded.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Qualitative Research Platforms: Tools for conducting moderated and unmoderated usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze), and potentially tools for remote interviews and focus groups.

• Ethnographic Tools: While often low-tech, tools for note-taking, audio/video recording, and subsequent analysis will be important.

• Survey Tools: For concept testing and quantitative data collection (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Potentially tools for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R, Python for more advanced analysis).

• Visualization Tools: For presenting data and insights, such as Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced PowerPoint/Keynote skills.

• Customer Feedback Platforms: Systems that aggregate customer feedback from various channels.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how research insights can feed into customer segmentation and personalization strategies within CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, though not specified) would be beneficial.

• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello) for managing research plans and collaborating with development teams.

• Integration tools are less likely to be a direct responsibility but understanding how data flows between systems is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools are less critical than the researcher's ability to select and apply the appropriate methodology and tools for a given research question. The role emphasizes deep qualitative and ethnographic work, suggesting proficiency in tools that support rich data collection and analysis. Familiarity with how research insights integrate into broader product development and customer management systems is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value, driving all research and product development efforts to meet customer needs.

• Evidence-Led Decision Making: A commitment to using data and insights to inform strategic choices, rather than relying on assumptions.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working together across disciplines to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement: Encouragement to test new methods, learn from experiences, and evolve research practices.

• Integrity & Trust: Essential within a financial institution, extending to how research is conducted and insights are shared.

Collaboration Style:

• Multi-disciplinary Integration: Working closely with product, design, and engineering teams, acting as a bridge between user needs and technical/business implementation.

• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in the Design Research community, sharing learnings, and mentoring peers.

• Influential Communication: Proactively communicating insights and recommendations to stakeholders at all levels, fostering a shared understanding and driving action.

• Feedback Culture: Openness to feedback on research approaches and findings, contributing to a culture of continuous learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture values a blend of user advocacy, data-driven rigor, and collaborative teamwork. For a Design Researcher, success will depend on their ability to integrate seamlessly into cross-functional teams and effectively champion the user's voice while respecting business and technical constraints. The emphasis on "helping Britain prosper" suggests a purpose-driven culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Large Organization: Working within a large enterprise like Lloyds Banking Group can present challenges in driving change, gaining buy-in, and integrating insights across various departments.

• Evolving Research Practices: The role involves operating in environments where research practices may still be developing, requiring the researcher to build trust and evangelize evidence-led approaches.

• Balancing Generative and Evaluative Research: Managing a diverse research agenda that spans discovery (generative) and validation (evaluative) phases within project timelines.

• Communicating Complex Insights: Translating nuanced qualitative findings into clear, concise, and actionable recommendations for diverse audiences, including senior executives.

• Data Triangulation Complexity: Effectively integrating various data sources (qualitative, quantitative, behavioral, attitudinal) to form a cohesive and compelling customer narrative.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Expertise: Opportunity to gain specialized experience in areas like accessibility research, financial services user behavior, or advanced qualitative/quantitative methods.

• Strategic Impact: Develop skills in influencing product strategy and contributing to major business transformations within a leading financial institution.

• Mentorship & Community: Benefit from a large, experienced Design Research team, offering opportunities for formal and informal mentorship and peer learning.

• Industry Exposure: Gain in-depth knowledge of the financial services industry, its regulatory landscape, and customer needs.

• Networking: Build a strong professional network within Lloyds Banking Group and the broader UX/Design Research community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior researcher in a large, transforming organization. Successfully navigating these will require strong stakeholder management, communication, and the ability to demonstrate clear value. The growth opportunities are significant, particularly for developing strategic influence and specialized domain expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the research strategy for a complex product or service. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on roadmap development, prioritization, and strategic alignment.)

• "How do you approach synthesizing insights from multiple research studies (qualitative and quantitative) to create a compelling customer story?" (Highlight data triangulation skills and narrative building.)

• "Tell me about a time you had to influence senior stakeholders with research findings that were unexpected or challenged existing assumptions. How did you approach it?" (Emphasize communication, persuasion, and building trust.)

• "How would you approach conducting research for a new digital banking feature designed for vulnerable customers?" (Assess understanding of specific research needs and ethical considerations.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Lloyds Banking Group and our mission to help Britain prosper?" (Research company values, recent news, and connect it to your own motivations.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to our hybrid working model and fostering collaboration within a multi-disciplinary team?" (Demonstrate understanding of hybrid work dynamics and cross-functional teamwork.)

• "How do you champion the value of Design Research within an organization, especially in areas where research practices may be developing?" (Showcase evangelism and change management skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentation around narratives. For each project, clearly define the problem, your approach, the key insights, and the tangible impact on the product or business.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your research (e.g., "recommendations led to a X% increase in task completion," or "identified issues that, when resolved, reduced customer support calls by Y%").

• Showcase Collaboration: Be ready to discuss how you partnered with designers, product managers, engineers, or other stakeholders. Use "we" when describing team efforts but "I" when describing your specific contributions.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Interviewers may ask detailed questions about your methodology choices, challenges faced, and how you handled trade-offs. Have specific examples ready.

• Focus on Actionability: Ensure your recommendations are clear, concise, and actionable for the team you'd be working with.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just research skills but also strategic thinking, communication prowess, and the ability to drive impact within a large, evolving organization. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-adjacent design research position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in qualitative research, strategic roadmap development, cross-functional collaboration, and influencing senior stakeholders, using keywords from the job description.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your achievements and responsibilities in previous design research roles, quantifying impact where possible and aligning with the "5-10 years experience" expectation.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of impact, and demonstrating your strategic thinking and collaboration skills. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Lloyds Banking Group's current business objectives, digital transformation initiatives, and their commitment to customer experience and inclusive design. Understand their hybrid working model and company values.

⚠️ 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.