Design Researcher (12-Month FTC)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Researcher (12-Month Fixed-Term Contract)
Company: Lloyds Banking Group
Location: Bristol or Manchester, United Kingdom
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: User Research / Design Research / Innovation
Date Posted: 2025-10-03
Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial within Group Technology & Innovation (GTI), acting as the strategic innovation engine for Lloyds Banking Group, focusing on identifying and validating new growth opportunities.
• You will be instrumental in shaping venture direction by conducting end-to-end research, from initial problem framing and deep customer insight discovery to solution validation and informing strategic decisions.
• The position requires a proactive approach to research operations, including managing customer panels and leveraging various research tools to support agile, ongoing research initiatives.
• You will collaborate closely with designers, technologists, and business leads to reduce uncertainty, clarify complex challenges, and ensure all developed solutions are user-centric and evidence-based.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is framed as a "Design Researcher" but the responsibilities and required skills strongly align with a "User Researcher" or "Product Researcher" within an innovation or product development context. The emphasis on "venture teams," "startup mindset," and "shaping solutions" indicates a focus on bringing new products or services to market, rather than purely foundational design research. The fixed-term contract nature suggests a project-based need within a specific innovation initiative.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute comprehensive research programs across the entire innovation funnel, from early-stage Ideation and Problem Fit to solution validation and scaling.
• Manage and maintain reusable, segmented customer panels, overseeing recruitment pipelines, consent, ethics, and documentation to enable agile, ongoing research.
• Conduct in-depth qualitative research, including interviews, ethnography, diary studies, and contextual inquiries, to uncover latent user needs, behaviours, and pain points.
• Synthesize qualitative insights into actionable opportunity areas that clearly define the problem space for venture teams.
• Design and conduct structured testing of product or service concepts using tools like Gorilla, UsabilityHub, or Maze to assess usability, desirability, clarity, and value.
• Collaborate closely with UX/UI Designers and Product Owners to ensure research findings directly inform product development decisions and iterations.
• Employ robust quantitative research methods such as surveys, conjoint analysis, card sorting, and benchmarking studies to understand user preferences and estimate demand.
• Triangulate qualitative and quantitative insights with behavioural data to support confident decision-making.
• Synthesize complex research data, identifying clear behavioural patterns and opportunity areas, and translating them into compelling narratives, personas, and user needs.
• Communicate research findings effectively through visual and verbal presentations to inspire, align, and influence stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Apply inclusive and ethical research practices, ensuring studies consider diverse abilities, perspectives, and contexts, and embedding ethical standards into all research processes.
• Actively contribute to a growing knowledge base by documenting findings in accessible, searchable formats and mastering research tooling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a full-stack research capability, moving beyond just qualitative insights to include quantitative validation and operational management of research resources (customer panels, tooling). The role is deeply embedded within an innovation context, requiring agility and the ability to work at pace within lean, startup-like venture teams.

🎓 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 advantageous for roles requiring deep user understanding and research methodologies.

Experience: 2-5 years of direct experience in user research, design research, or a similar role focused on understanding user needs and validating product/service concepts. Experience within an innovation lab, startup, or fast-paced product development environment is highly beneficial.

Required Skills:

• Full-funnel Research Strategy and Planning: Ability to design research programs tailored to different stages of the innovation lifecycle, aligning methods with specific learning goals and risk assumptions.
• Research Operations and Customer Panel Management: Experience establishing and managing customer panels, including recruitment, consent, ethics, documentation, and utilizing research tooling.
• Generative Research: Proficiency in conducting qualitative research methods like interviews, ethnography, diary studies, and contextual inquiry to uncover deep user needs and pain points.
• Evaluative Research: Experience designing and executing tests for product/service concepts, including usability testing, concept testing, and A/B comparisons, often using remote testing platforms.
• Quantitative Research Techniques: Familiarity with surveys, conjoint analysis, card sorting, and benchmarking to gather and analyze quantitative user data.
• Insight Synthesis and Storytelling: Strong ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights and communicate them effectively through compelling narratives, personas, and presentations.
• Collaboration and Influence: Proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams (designers, product managers, engineers) and influence decision-making through research insights.
• Tooling Mastery: Proficiency with research tools such as Dovetail, Gorilla, Optimal Workshop, Lookback, or Maze for data collection, analysis, and synthesis.

Preferred Skills:

• Mixed-Method Research Design: Experience designing and executing studies that combine qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a holistic understanding.
• Inclusive and Ethical Research Practice: Demonstrated commitment to designing and conducting research ethically, with a focus on diversity, accessibility, and participant well-being.
• Data-Driven Decision Support: Ability to integrate research findings with other data sources (e.g., behavioural analytics, market data) to provide robust recommendations.
• Agile Research Methodologies: Experience implementing research within agile development cycles, delivering insights at pace.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Core Skills" listed are very specific and comprehensive, covering the entire research lifecycle. The "Desirable Skills" add depth, particularly around mixed-methods, ethical practice, and collaborative influence, which are key for impactful research within a large organization. The experience level is inferred from the depth and breadth of the required skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies Demonstrating Full-Funnel Research: Showcase projects that illustrate your ability to plan and execute research across multiple stages of a product or service lifecycle, from initial discovery to optimization.
• Examples of Insight Synthesis and Actionability: Present clear examples of how you have synthesized complex qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights that directly influenced product strategy or design decisions.
• Demonstration of Research Operations: Include examples or descriptions of how you have managed customer panels, recruitment processes, or utilized research tooling (e.g., Dovetail, Maze, Gorilla) to streamline research operations.
• Evidence of Collaboration and Influence: Highlight projects where you successfully collaborated with designers, product managers, or engineers, and how your research insights led to tangible outcomes or strategic shifts.

Process Documentation:

• Research Plan Examples: Showcase well-structured research plans detailing objectives, methodologies, participant criteria, timelines, and expected deliverables.
• Synthesis and Reporting Templates: Provide examples of your synthesis frameworks, persona development, user journey maps, and reporting formats that effectively communicate findings to diverse stakeholders.
• Ethical Research Protocols: Demonstrate an understanding and application of ethical research practices, including consent forms, data privacy considerations, and participant care protocols.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Researcher role, a portfolio is critical. The emphasis here is on demonstrating the end-to-end research process, the ability to synthesize complex data, and the practical application of research to drive business and product decisions. The inclusion of research operations also points to a need for a candidate who can manage the practicalities of research delivery.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £59,850 - £66,500 per annum. This range is competitive for a mid-level Design Researcher role in the UK financial services sector, particularly within a large, established organization like Lloyds Banking Group.

Benefits:

• Generous Pension Contribution: Up to 15% contribution, offering significant long-term financial security.
• Annual Performance-Related Bonus: A variable component of compensation tied to individual and company performance.
• Share Schemes: Including free share options, providing opportunities for wealth creation and a stake in the company's success.
• Lifestyle Adaptable Benefits: A flexible benefits package allowing employees to choose options that best suit their needs, such as discounted shopping.
• Generous Holiday Allowance: 30 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, supporting work-life balance.
• Wellbeing Initiatives: A commitment to employee health and well-being through various programs and resources.
• Generous Parental Leave Policies: Comprehensive policies to support employees during significant life events.

Working Hours: Full-Time, with an expected 40 hours per week. The role operates on a hybrid working pattern, requiring approximately 2 days per week (40% of time) in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided. The benefits package is robust and typical for a large financial institution, emphasizing financial security, work-life balance, and employee well-being. The hybrid working model is clearly defined, including the expected office days.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking and Insurance). Lloyds Banking Group is a major player in the UK financial sector, offering a wide range of products and services to individuals and businesses.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (typically thousands of employees). This implies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for impact within specialized innovation teams.

Founded: 2009 (Lloyds Banking Group formed through the merger of Lloyds TSB and HBOS). The Group has a long heritage through its constituent brands, signifying stability and a deep understanding of the UK market.

Team Structure:

• Group Technology & Innovation (GTI): This is a strategic unit operating with a "startup mindset" and "lean start-up" principles within the larger corporate structure.
• Venture Teams: The Researcher will be part of one or more venture teams, which are cross-functional and bring together design, research, engineering, and business expertise.
• Reporting: Likely reports into a Research Lead or Innovation Lead within GTI, with close collaboration with Product Owners and Designers within their venture team.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: High emphasis on working with diverse disciplines (design, tech, business) to rapidly experiment and develop solutions.

Methodology:

• Agile and Lean Principles: Working at pace, rapid experimentation, validating bold ideas, and iterative development.
• Customer-Centricity: Ensuring all solutions are grounded in real user needs and evidence.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research to inform strategic choices.
• Experimentation and Validation: Rapidly testing hypotheses and learning from failures to refine concepts.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The context provided highlights that this role is not within a traditional banking operations team but within a dedicated innovation unit. This means a more agile, experimental, and 'startup-like' culture is expected, contrasting with potentially more rigid processes found elsewhere in the organization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Level (2-5 years of experience), focusing on executing research and contributing to venture direction. It's a specialist role within an innovation context, not a broad operational management role.

Reporting Structure: The Design Researcher will likely report to a Senior Research Lead or Head of Research within the Group Technology & Innovation (GTI) function. Within their specific venture team, they will work collaboratively with peer designers, product managers, and engineers, often with a Product Owner or Venture Lead overseeing the team's objectives.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "Operations" role, the impact is significant. By uncovering deep customer insights and validating solutions, this role directly influences the development of future banking products and services. Success means ensuring that new initiatives are customer-led, commercially viable, and strategically aligned, thereby impacting the Group's competitive positioning, customer acquisition, and retention – all critical business outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies or areas within financial services innovation.
• Leadership within Ventures: Potentially lead research efforts for specific innovation projects or take on more complex problem spaces.
• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gain exposure to product management, UX/UI design, and agile development processes.
• Transition to Senior Roles: With proven success, opportunities may arise for Senior Design Researcher or Research Lead positions within GTI or other product development functions.
• Industry Exposure: Working in an innovation hub within a major financial institution provides exposure to cutting-edge trends and technologies in FinTech.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is about driving innovation and product development through research, rather than managing operational processes. The growth path is likely within research specialism, product development, or innovation leadership, rather than traditional operations management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, requiring approximately 40% of time (around 2 days per week) in the office. This suggests a blend of focused individual work at home and collaborative, in-person interaction at the office.

Office Location(s): Bristol or Manchester. These are vibrant cities with established business hubs that likely offer modern office facilities conducive to collaborative work. Occasional travel to other Group locations (Leeds, London, Edinburgh) may be required, indicating a need for flexibility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Offices are likely designed to facilitate teamwork, with meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and areas for informal collaboration, essential for venture teams.
• Access to Tools: Employees will have access to the necessary technology and tools for both remote and in-office work, including research software and collaboration platforms.
• Cross-functional Interaction: The work environment encourages interaction with diverse teams, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid model offers flexibility in how and where the work is completed, allowing researchers to manage their time effectively between focused individual tasks and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, balancing the need for focused research work with the benefits of in-person collaboration crucial for innovation teams. The occasional travel requirement should be noted for candidates.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a recruiter or hiring manager call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where candidates present their work, showcasing case studies that demonstrate their research strategy, methodologies, synthesis skills, and impact.
• Technical/Skills Assessment: May involve a practical exercise or a deep dive into specific research scenarios to evaluate problem-solving and methodological expertise.
• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential peers (Designers, Product Managers) and leadership within GTI to assess collaboration style, communication, and strategic thinking.
• Final Interview: Typically with senior leadership to discuss overall fit, strategic vision, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase End-to-End Projects: Present 2-3 detailed case studies that cover the entire research lifecycle, from problem definition to insight delivery and impact.
• Emphasize Your Role and Impact: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, the challenges you faced, the methodologies you employed, and the tangible outcomes or decisions influenced by your research. Use metrics where possible (e.g., "identified X usability issues leading to a Y% improvement in task completion").
• Highlight Synthesis and Storytelling: Demonstrate your ability to distill complex data into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders. Use visuals effectively.
• Address Research Operations: If applicable, include examples of how you managed research logistics, participant recruitment, or leveraged research tools to improve efficiency.
• Tailor to the Role: Understand that this role is within an innovation unit. Showcase projects that demonstrate an ability to work at pace, handle ambiguity, and contribute to new product/service development.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate Research Scenarios: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach research problems presented by the interviewer, potentially related to financial services or innovation challenges.
• Methodology Justification: Be ready to explain why you chose specific research methods for particular research questions and how you would adapt them in an agile environment.
• Collaboration and Influence: Prepare examples of how you have influenced product direction or design decisions through your research, especially within cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a research role heavily relies on the portfolio. Candidates should prepare to not just show their work, but to articulate the why and how behind their research, and its ultimate impact. The emphasis on innovation means agility and influencing skills are key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Qualitative Research Platforms: Gorilla, UsabilityHub, Lookback, UserTesting.com, Maze (for moderated and unmoderated testing, concept validation).
• Qualitative Data Synthesis & Analysis: Dovetail (highly preferred based on description), Miro, Mural (for synthesis, ideation, and collaboration).
• Survey & Quantitative Tools: SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms, potentially tools for conjoint analysis or card sorting (e.g., Optimal Workshop).
• Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence (essential for agile team collaboration and documentation).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence Tools: While not directly managed by the researcher, understanding how data from BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) can complement research insights is valuable.
• Web/App Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or product-specific analytics platforms would be beneficial for triangulating insights.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Understanding how customer data is managed in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) can provide context for customer segmentation and panel management, though direct management is unlikely.
• Automation Tools: Awareness of workflow automation principles, though not directly required for the research role, can inform how insights might be integrated into automated customer journeys.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description explicitly mentions Gorilla, Dovetail, Optimal Workshop, Lookback, and Maze. Proficiency in these tools, particularly Dovetail for synthesis and Gorilla/Maze for rapid testing, is a strong indicator of desired technical capability.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, driving the development of customer-centric solutions.
• Innovation & Experimentation: A culture that encourages bold ideas, rapid prototyping, and learning from experimentation, even if it involves failure.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Strong emphasis on working together across disciplines to achieve shared goals and drive innovation forward.
• Data-Driven Insights: A reliance on evidence and data—both qualitative and quantitative—to inform decisions and validate hypotheses.
• Agility & Pace: A dynamic approach to work, enabling teams to move quickly, adapt to change, and deliver value at speed.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Researchers are integral members of venture teams, working daily with designers, engineers, and product managers to co-create solutions.
• Participatory Synthesis: Encouraging team members to actively participate in sense-making sessions to foster shared understanding and ownership of insights.
• Open Communication: A culture that values open dialogue, constructive feedback, and transparent sharing of findings and challenges.
• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to a collective understanding of users and market opportunities through shared documentation and discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is described as "startup mindset" within a large corporation. This implies a fast-paced, collaborative, and experimental environment where researchers are key enablers of innovation and product development, rather than just report generators.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working within innovation teams often means tackling ill-defined problems and exploring new territories with incomplete information. Developing comfort with ambiguity and a structured approach to reduce it is key.
• Balancing Pace and Rigor: The need to move fast in an innovation setting can sometimes conflict with the desire for deep, rigorous research. Finding the right balance to deliver timely, yet robust, insights is a continuous challenge.
• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively translating research findings into actionable strategies and gaining buy-in from diverse stakeholders across a large organization can be demanding.
• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the direct impact of research on business outcomes in a fast-moving innovation environment can be difficult but is crucial for demonstrating value.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to explore and master new qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including advanced statistical analysis or behavioral economics principles.
• Financial Services Innovation: Deepen understanding of the FinTech landscape, emerging technologies, and customer needs within the banking and financial services sector.
• Product Development Lifecycle: Gain hands-on experience and insights into the end-to-end product development process, from ideation to scaling.
• Leadership in Research: Potential to mentor junior researchers, lead research initiatives for larger projects, or contribute to the strategic direction of research within GTI.
• Industry Conferences and Training: Access to industry events, workshops, and certifications to stay abreast of the latest trends in user research and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are framed around the realities of innovation work, emphasizing adaptability and strategic thinking. The growth opportunities highlight specialization, broader product development exposure, and potential leadership within the innovation function.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Problem Framing: "Describe a time you had to frame a research problem for an ambiguous area. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process for defining scope, identifying key questions, and setting objectives).
• Methodology Selection: "If we wanted to understand user adoption of a new digital banking feature, what research methods would you propose, and why? How would you balance speed and depth?" (Demonstrate understanding of trade-offs between methods like usability testing, surveys, and in-depth interviews).
• Insight to Impact: "Tell me about a time your research findings significantly influenced product strategy or design. What was the insight, how did you communicate it, and what was the business impact?" (Prepare a strong case study highlighting your influence).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Innovation Approach: "How do you see your role contributing to the 'startup mindset' within GTI? What does agility mean to you in a research context?" (Show you understand the unit's operating model).
• Collaboration: "Describe your experience working in cross-functional teams. How do you ensure research insights are effectively integrated into decisions made by designers, product managers, and engineers?" (Highlight your collaborative and communication skills).
• Ethical Considerations: "How do you ensure your research is conducted ethically and inclusively, especially when dealing with sensitive customer data?" (Demonstrate your commitment to responsible research practices).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, follow a clear narrative: the problem/opportunity, your role and objectives, the methodology used, key findings/insights, the impact/recommendations, and lessons learned.
• Visualize Your Work: Use mockups, personas, journey maps, or key quotes/videos from research participants to bring your findings to life.
• Focus on Actionability: Emphasize how your insights led to concrete actions or decisions, and where possible, quantify the impact.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, synthesis process, and how you handled challenges or unexpected findings.
• Highlight Tool Proficiency: Briefly mention the tools you used and how they facilitated your research process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for this role should focus on demonstrating a strong research process, the ability to translate findings into actionable insights, and effective collaboration within an innovation framework. The portfolio presentation is a critical component.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link: Ensure all required fields are completed accurately.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest research projects that best showcase your skills in full-funnel research, insight synthesis, and impact. Tailor your presentation to highlight experience relevant to innovation within financial services.
• Optimize Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description, such as "Design Researcher," "Innovation," "Customer Insights," "Qualitative Research," "Quantitative Research," "Research Operations," and specific tools like "Dovetail" or "Gorilla." Quantify achievements where possible.
• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your research process, key findings, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss how you would approach research challenges in an agile, innovation setting.
• Research Lloyds Banking Group and GTI: Understand the company's mission, values, and the specific goals of the Group Technology & Innovation unit. Familiarize yourself with their approach to innovation and customer service in financial services.

⚠️ 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.