Affiliate User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Affiliate User Researcher
Company: AND Digital
Location: Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: User Experience / Design Operations
Date Posted: August 05, 2025
Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on leveraging user research methodologies to inform the development of digital products and services, particularly within the public sector.
• The User Researcher will be responsible for defining and executing research activities that align with strategic objectives and GDS standards.
• A key aspect of this position involves translating complex research findings into engaging and actionable insights for diverse stakeholder audiences.
• The role demands a strong understanding of agile methodologies and experience working collaboratively within agile delivery teams.
• This position is part of a growing tech company that emphasizes closing the digital skills gap through client-focused delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Affiliate User Researcher," the description strongly suggests a full-time, integrated role within AND Digital's client delivery model, rather than a typical external affiliate or contractor position. The emphasis on "Clubs" and "career scrum teams" points to an employee status. The role's focus on public sector experience and GDS standards indicates a specialized niche within user research.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute user research plans, employing a range of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather insights relevant to client needs and project objectives.
• Conduct user interviews, usability testing, surveys, and other research activities throughout the product development lifecycle, from discovery to iteration.
• Analyze research data to identify user needs, pain points, and behavioral patterns, translating these into clear and actionable recommendations for product and service improvement.
• Develop and deliver compelling presentations of research findings, tailored to various audiences including clients, development teams, and leadership.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including designers, developers, product managers, and business analysts, to ensure user insights are integrated into the product strategy and design process.
• Ensure all research activities and outputs adhere to Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and best practices for public sector digital service delivery.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of user research processes and methodologies within AND Digital's agile delivery framework.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and innovative approaches in user research and digital service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities are inferred from the "What you’ll bring to the table" section, rephrased to emphasize active contribution and operational impact. The responsibility to "define appropriate research activities" is interpreted as a core duty of a user researcher, linking research to strategic goals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Information Science, or a related field is typically expected for user researcher roles, though equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience:

• Demonstrable experience working as a user researcher, with a significant portion of this experience focused on the public sector.
• Proven track record of defining and executing user research strategies that align with strategic objectives and deliver tangible product/service improvements.
• Experience working within agile development environments and collaborating effectively with agile teams.
• Familiarity with the Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and applying them across different stages of the digital service delivery lifecycle.

Required Skills:

• User Research Methodologies: Proficiency in a broad spectrum of user research techniques, including interviews, usability testing, surveys, contextual inquiry, and diary studies.
• Public Sector Experience: Specific experience conducting user research within government or public sector organizations, understanding their unique constraints and user bases.
• Inclusive Research Practices: A strong commitment to and demonstrable experience in conducting inclusive and ethical user research, ensuring diverse user groups are represented.
• Research Planning & Strategy: Ability to define appropriate research activities that directly support strategic objectives and inform product/service development roadmaps.
• Presentation & Communication: Creative and engaging approach to presenting research findings to diverse audiences, translating complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Digital Service Technologies: Knowledge of the technologies used to build and operate digital services, including an awareness of innovative and emergent technologies.
• Agile Methodologies: Deep understanding of agile approaches (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) and proven experience working effectively within agile teams.
• GDS Standards: Familiarity with and experience working to the GDS standards across multiple stages of the delivery lifecycle.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with data analysis tools and techniques for synthesizing qualitative and quantitative research data.
• Familiarity with design thinking principles and their application in user-centered design processes.
• Experience in mentoring junior researchers or contributing to the growth of a user research community of practice.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and best practices in digital design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The AI-identified key skills are expanded into more detailed descriptions of what proficiency means in a user research context. The "Public Sector Experience" and "GDS Standards" are highlighted as critical requirements given the job description's emphasis. "Agile Methodologies" is expanded to include specific frameworks.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of user research projects, with a clear emphasis on public sector engagements.
• Demonstrated ability to define research objectives that align with client business goals and strategic imperatives.
• Evidence of applying diverse research methods to uncover user needs and pain points effectively.
• Case studies that clearly articulate the research process, the insights generated, and the impact those insights had on product or service improvements.
• Examples of how research findings were communicated and utilized by cross-functional teams to drive decision-making.
• Documentation of adherence to ethical research practices and data privacy standards.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of research plans, including methodology selection, participant recruitment strategies, and ethical considerations.
• Templates or examples of research synthesis documents, such as affinity diagrams, user journey maps, usability reports, and personas.
• Demonstrations of how research findings were integrated into product backlogs, design iterations, or strategic planning documents.
• Evidence of iterative research processes, showing how feedback loops were established and utilized for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section infers portfolio requirements based on typical expectations for mid-level user researchers, especially those with public sector experience and GDS familiarity. The focus is on showcasing the process of research and its impact, not just the final deliverables.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• £40,000 - £60,000 per annum.

Benefits:

• Blended Working Model: Flexibility to work from home, AND Digital's "Clubhouses," client sites, or other chosen locations, offering a dynamic work environment.
• Career Development: Access to a dedicated "career scrum team" to support career goals and skill development, fostering continuous learning and growth.
• Meaningful Work: Opportunities to engage with significant clients and contribute to projects that have a real-world impact on people's lives.
• Company Culture: A supportive and collaborative environment that encourages curiosity, ambition, and fun, fostering innovation and effective problem-solving.
• Small Company Feel, Large Organisation Benefits: Experience the agility and close-knit community of an autonomous Club while leveraging the resources and stability of a larger, expanding organization.
• Safe Environment: A workplace culture that prioritizes psychological safety, allowing individuals to be themselves and challenge themselves professionally.
• Equal Opportunities: Commitment to diversity and inclusion, actively encouraging applications from all qualified candidates, including women, ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, likely aligned with typical UK business hours (e.g., 9 AM - 5 PM), with flexibility offered through the blended working model. The role is described as FULL_TIME.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on the mid-level experience (2-5 years) for a User Researcher in the UK, specifically in a major city like Birmingham, and considering the company's tech focus. The benefits are directly extracted and elaborated upon from the provided description, highlighting their relevance to operations and career growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting / Digital Transformation / Software Development. AND Digital operates within the tech services sector, focusing on accelerating digital delivery and addressing the digital skills gap for its clients. This industry context means the company is dynamic, client-project driven, and focused on innovation and efficient delivery. Company Size: Over 1,300 people globally, with a presence across the UK, Europe, and the USA, and plans for further global expansion. This size indicates a stable, growing company with established processes but also a culture that aims to retain a "small company feel" within its regional "Clubs." Founded: 2014. The company has experienced significant organic growth since its inception, suggesting a strong business model and effective client engagement strategies.

Team Structure:

• Club-Based Model: Employees are organized into regional "Clubs," fostering a sense of local community and client proximity.
• Cross-Functional Teams: User Researchers will likely work within client-facing project teams, collaborating with roles such as developers, designers, product managers, and business analysts.
• Dedicated Support: Employees benefit from a "dedicated career scrum team" which acts as an internal support system for professional development and career progression.

Methodology:

• Agile Delivery: AND Digital operates with agile approaches, requiring team members to be comfortable and experienced in agile environments.
• Client-Centric: The company's model emphasizes building strong relationships with clients and delivering remarkable impact.
• Data-Driven Insights: User research is a core component, indicating a commitment to using data and user feedback to inform decisions.
• Continuous Improvement: The culture encourages curiosity and a willingness to experiment and learn, supporting the iterative nature of digital product development.

Company Website: https://www.and.digital/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture and structure are inferred from the provided text, emphasizing the "Club" model and the blend of autonomy with corporate backing. The industry context is crucial for understanding the pace and nature of the work, which will heavily involve client projects and agile delivery.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-level (Affiliate User Researcher, with 2-5 years of experience inferred). It involves executing research plans and contributing to strategic decisions, but likely under the guidance of more senior researchers or product leads. It's a key contributor role within client project teams. Reporting Structure: The User Researcher will likely report to a Lead User Researcher, a Head of UX/Design within a specific "Club," or a Project/Delivery Lead on client engagements. They will also work closely with Product Owners and client stakeholders. Operations Impact: The User Researcher's insights directly influence the design and functionality of digital products and services, impacting user satisfaction, adoption rates, and ultimately, the success of client digital transformation initiatives. By ensuring products are user-centered and meet user needs, they contribute to client ROI and AND Digital's reputation for delivering impactful solutions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies, public sector UX, or particular technology domains.
• Leadership: Progress to Senior User Researcher, Lead User Researcher, or UX Research Manager roles, taking on more strategic responsibilities and mentoring junior team members.
• Client Engagement: Develop strong client-facing skills, becoming a trusted advisor on user research and UX strategy.
• Internal Development: Contribute to AND Digital's internal knowledge base, potentially leading workshops or developing best practices for user research.
• Skill Expansion: Broaden skills into adjacent areas like service design, UX strategy, or product management through project experience and internal training.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path analysis is based on standard progression for user researchers in consulting or tech firms. The emphasis on "career scrum team" suggests a structured approach to career development within AND Digital. The "operations impact" is framed in terms of how user research contributes to client success and the company's core mission.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: AND Digital operates with a "Blended Working" model, which implies a mix of remote work, client site work, and utilizing AND Digital's own "Clubhouse" offices. The Clubhouses are designed to foster collaboration and provide a professional working environment. Office Location(s): The primary advertised location is Birmingham, England. AND Digital has multiple Clubs across the UK and internationally, offering flexibility in work location within the blended model. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Clubhouse offices likely serve as hubs for team meetings, client workshops, and informal collaboration, fostering a strong sense of community.
• Technology-Enabled: Access to necessary technology and tools for user research, data analysis, and communication will be provided, supporting both remote and in-office work.
• Agile Team Integration: The environment is geared towards agile team collaboration, with opportunities for regular interaction with designers, developers, and product managers.
• Client-Facing: Significant time may be spent working directly with clients, either on their premises or remotely, requiring adaptability and strong professional presence.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours are expected, but the "Blended Working" model offers flexibility in terms of where and potentially when work is performed, allowing researchers to balance client needs with personal commitments. This flexibility is crucial for conducting user research at various times to capture diverse user behaviors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the work environment is pieced together from the "Blended Working" model and the concept of "Clubhouses." The emphasis is on the flexibility and collaborative nature, which are key selling points for tech roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with an AND Digital recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and company.
• Hiring Manager/Club Lead Interview: A more in-depth discussion focusing on experience, approach to user research, and understanding of the public sector and GDS standards. This may include behavioral questions.
• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A key stage will involve presenting a portfolio of past work, likely focusing on 1-2 relevant projects (ideally public sector). Candidates may be asked to walk through their research process, insights, and impact. A specific case study or a hypothetical research challenge might be given.
• Team/Cross-Functional Interview: An opportunity to meet potential colleagues (designers, developers, product managers) to assess collaboration style and team fit.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or partner to discuss career aspirations, alignment with AND Digital's values, and final suitability.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your skills, particularly those in the public sector or demonstrating rigorous research methodologies.
• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your research process from problem definition to insight generation and impact. Use visual aids like journey maps, affinity diagrams, or wireframes where appropriate.
• Highlight Impact: Quantify the impact of your research whenever possible. Did it lead to increased user satisfaction, reduced task completion times, or improved conversion rates? Use metrics to support your claims.
• Showcase GDS Understanding: If possible, include examples where you applied GDS principles or worked within GDS standards.
• Tailor Your Narrative: Frame your experience to align with AND Digital's values (wonder, share, delight) and their mission to close the digital skills gap.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your research choices, how you handled challenging stakeholders, and how you ensured inclusivity in your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Scenarios: Be prepared for scenario-based questions or a take-home exercise that simulates a common user research challenge in a public sector digital service context.
• Problem-Solving: Think about how you would approach a vague problem statement, identify key research questions, and select appropriate methodologies.
• Stakeholder Management: Consider how you would communicate research findings and advocate for user needs to diverse stakeholders with potentially conflicting priorities.
• Agile Context: Demonstrate an understanding of how user research fits into an agile workflow and how to provide timely, actionable insights to development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and preparation tips are standard for UX/User Researcher roles, with a specific emphasis on the public sector, GDS standards, and AND Digital's collaborative culture. The portfolio advice is tailored to demonstrating process, impact, and alignment with the company's values.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or Hotjar for remote usability testing and feedback collection.
• Survey Tools: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Google Forms for quantitative data collection.
• Collaboration & Whiteboarding: Miro, Mural for remote collaboration, brainstorming, and synthesizing research data.
• Prototyping Tools (for testing): Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision for creating and testing prototypes.
• Data Analysis Tools: NVivo, Dovetail, or even advanced spreadsheet functions (Excel/Google Sheets) for qualitative data analysis and thematic coding.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics for understanding user behavior on live digital services.
• Business Intelligence Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for creating dashboards and reporting on user engagement metrics and research impact.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly used by the researcher, understanding how CRM systems (like Salesforce) or marketing automation platforms (like HubSpot) might be used by clients to track user engagement or gather feedback could be beneficial context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools listed are standard for user researchers. The emphasis is on tools that support data collection, analysis, collaboration, and reporting, all critical for operationalizing research insights. Understanding client-side analytics tools is also a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Wonder: Encourages curiosity, exploration, and a desire to understand users and technology deeply. This translates to asking "why" and seeking innovative solutions.
• Share: Promotes knowledge sharing, collaboration, and transparency within teams and across the organization. User researchers are expected to actively share their findings and learnings.
• Delight: Focuses on delivering exceptional experiences for both clients and end-users, aiming to exceed expectations through thoughtful design and effective research.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A core operational value, where user research findings are treated as critical data points to inform strategy and product development.
• Efficiency & Impact: A drive to deliver work efficiently and with measurable impact, ensuring that research efforts contribute directly to client success and business objectives.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: User researchers are expected to integrate seamlessly with design, development, and product teams, fostering a collaborative environment where user needs are a shared responsibility.
• Agile Cadence: Collaboration aligns with agile ceremonies (stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives), ensuring continuous communication and feedback loops.
• Open Communication: An environment that encourages open dialogue, constructive feedback, and the sharing of diverse perspectives to achieve the best outcomes.
• Client-Centric Collaboration: Working closely with clients to understand their challenges and co-create solutions, ensuring research is relevant and actionable within their context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values (wonder, share, delight) are directly from the job description and are interpreted through an operations lens, emphasizing how they translate into daily work and decision-making for a User Researcher. The collaboration style is inferred to be highly integrated and agile.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Client Needs with Research Rigor: Clients may have tight deadlines or specific priorities that require careful negotiation to ensure robust and ethical research practices are maintained.
• Navigating Public Sector Environments: Understanding and adhering to the specific procurement processes, stakeholder landscapes, and compliance requirements of public sector clients can be complex.
• Synthesizing Diverse Data: Effectively consolidating and making sense of mixed-methods research data from various sources to produce clear, actionable insights can be challenging.
• Driving Change with Insights: Translating research findings into tangible product or service improvements requires strong communication and stakeholder management skills to influence decision-making.
• Adapting to Evolving Technologies: Keeping pace with new research tools, methodologies, and emerging digital technologies requires continuous learning.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Methodology Mastery: Opportunities to deepen expertise in advanced qualitative and quantitative research techniques, including experimental design and statistical analysis.
• Public Sector Specialization: Gaining in-depth knowledge of specific government digital service standards, policies, and user demographics.
• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Working alongside experts in design, development, data science, and product management to broaden understanding of the end-to-end digital product lifecycle.
• Mentorship & Coaching: Access to career scrum teams and senior researchers for guidance, feedback, and development planning.
• Industry Conferences & Training: Potential for participation in relevant UX, research, and public sector digital transformation events and training programs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed from the perspective of a user researcher in a consulting environment, focusing on the practical difficulties of project delivery, client management, and technical execution. Growth opportunities are tied to specialization and skill expansion within the UX and digital transformation fields.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you conducted user research for a public sector client. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?": Focus on your process, stakeholder management, and how you adapted to the public sector context. Highlight adherence to GDS standards if applicable.
• "How do you determine the most appropriate research methods for a given project goal? Can you provide an example?": Demonstrate your understanding of different methodologies and your ability to select them based on project objectives, timelines, and resources.
• "How do you ensure your research is inclusive and representative of diverse user groups?": Discuss your approach to participant recruitment, accessibility considerations, and ethical research practices.
• "How do you present research findings to stakeholders who may not be familiar with user research?": Emphasize your storytelling skills, use of visuals, and ability to translate complex data into actionable insights tailored to the audience.
• "Describe your experience working in an agile environment. How do you integrate user research into agile sprints?": Explain your understanding of agile ceremonies and how you provide timely, relevant insights to development teams.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about AND Digital's mission and our 'Club' model?": Research the company's values (wonder, share, delight) and their focus on closing the digital skills gap. Connect your aspirations to their mission.
• "How do you embody our values of wonder, share, and delight in your work?": Prepare specific examples of how you've demonstrated curiosity, shared knowledge, and aimed to exceed expectations in previous roles.
• "How do you handle feedback, both giving and receiving, particularly within a cross-functional team?": Discuss your approach to constructive criticism and collaboration, especially concerning agile team dynamics.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the research process, key findings, recommendations, and the eventual impact.
• Visual Storytelling: Use visuals (photos of whiteboards, example personas, user journey maps, key quotes) to make your presentation engaging and illustrative of your process.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your research. If direct metrics aren't available, articulate the qualitative impact and how it informed decisions.
• Demonstrate GDS Understanding: If a project involved public sector work, explicitly mention how GDS standards were considered or applied.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your specific research choices, participant recruitment, ethical considerations, and how you handled any unexpected challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation focuses on common user researcher questions, with specific tailoring to the public sector context, GDS standards, and AND Digital's unique company culture and values. Portfolio presentation advice emphasizes demonstrating process and impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key user research projects that best highlight your public sector experience, research methodologies, and ability to drive impact. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your approach, key insights, and the resulting product/service improvements.
• Tailor Your CV: Update your resume to emphasize your experience with user research, public sector projects, agile methodologies, and GDS standards. Use action verbs and quantify your achievements wherever possible.
• Prepare for Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear communication, storytelling, and demonstrating your understanding of how research informs product strategy and user experience.
• Research AND Digital: Familiarize yourself with AND Digital's "Club" model, their values (wonder, share, delight), and their mission to close the digital skills gap. Understand how your role contributes to these objectives.

⚠️ 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.