Director, UX Research - US, Remote

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director, UX Research
Company: Jobgether (Partner Company)
Location: United States
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: UX Research Leadership & Operations
Date Posted: 2025-10-27
Experience Level: 10+ Years
Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead high-impact, cross-cutting UX research initiatives to directly inform strategic decisions and product priorities.
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of UX researchers, cultivating a culture of rigor, curiosity, and continuous learning.
• Establish and scale robust research operations, encompassing tools, processes, and best practices for participant recruitment, study design, knowledge management, and insight sharing.
• Partner closely with product and design teams to embed research into continuous discovery processes, ensuring actionable outcomes.
• Translate complex research findings into clear, compelling narratives for executive audiences and key stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned at a Director level, indicating a significant leadership scope that extends beyond individual research contributions to strategic oversight and team development. The emphasis on "Research Operations" and "scaling" suggests a need for a candidate who can build and optimize the infrastructure for research, not just conduct it. The mention of "complex or ambiguous problem spaces" and "navigating ambiguity" points to a need for strategic thinking and adaptability.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design and execution of complex, mixed-methods UX research projects that address critical strategic questions and drive product roadmaps.
• Provide direct management, coaching, and professional development for a team of UX researchers, fostering their growth and ensuring high performance.
• Develop, implement, and refine scalable Research Operations (ResearchOps) frameworks, including efficient participant recruitment pipelines, standardized study design templates, centralized knowledge repositories, and effective insight dissemination channels.
• Collaborate proactively with Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Marketing teams to integrate research seamlessly into agile development cycles and continuous discovery loops.
• Craft and deliver persuasive presentations and reports to executive leadership, clearly articulating research insights, their strategic implications, and recommended actions.
• Act as a key liaison across departments, identifying and removing operational blockers, facilitating cross-functional knowledge sharing, and aligning research efforts with overarching business objectives.
• Champion user-centricity throughout the organization, advocating for the user perspective in strategic planning and decision-making processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic research leadership and operational excellence. The emphasis on "scaling ResearchOps," "standardized study design," and "knowledge management" indicates a need for a candidate with a strong operational and process-oriented mindset, capable of building repeatable and efficient research functions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Design, or a closely related field.
• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in a relevant discipline is strongly preferred, indicating a deeper theoretical and practical understanding.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in UX research, with a substantial portion dedicated to leadership and team management.
• Demonstrated success in managing and developing UX research teams, with a proven track record of fostering high-performing, collaborative research environments through effective coaching and mentorship.
• Extensive hands-on expertise in a wide range of mixed-methods research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative), with the ability to lead complex research initiatives in ambiguous or cross-functional contexts.
• Significant experience in building or scaling Research Operations (ResearchOps) systems, processes, and tools to enhance research quality, efficiency, and impact.
• Experience within continuous discovery frameworks or empowered product team structures where research directly influences product strategy and development.

Required Skills:

• UX Research Leadership: Proven ability to set research strategy, manage research portfolios, and guide teams through complex projects.
• Team Management & Mentorship: Expertise in coaching, developing, and motivating research teams; fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous learning.
• Research Operations (ResearchOps): Experience in establishing and optimizing research processes, tools, participant recruitment, and knowledge management systems.
• Mixed-Methods Research Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of qualitative (e.g., interviews, usability testing, ethnography) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, analytics, A/B testing) research methods.
• Strategic Synthesis & Storytelling: Exceptional ability to analyze, synthesize, and craft compelling narratives from complex data for executive-level communication.

Preferred Skills:

• Product Strategy Integration: Experience embedding research into agile development and continuous discovery loops.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong ability to partner effectively with Product, Design, Engineering, and other stakeholders.
• Ambiguity Navigation: Comfort and effectiveness in navigating complex, ill-defined problems, and adapting strategies as needed.
• Data Analysis Tools: Proficiency with research analysis and visualization tools.
• Stakeholder Management: Skill in managing expectations and building consensus with senior leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+" years of experience requirement, coupled with the Director title, strongly suggests a need for strategic leadership and operationalization capabilities, not just individual research execution. The emphasis on "building or scaling ResearchOps" is a critical differentiator.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a history of leading high-impact UX research projects, with a clear emphasis on strategic influence and measurable outcomes.
• Demonstrations of how research insights have directly informed product strategy, feature development, or business decisions.
• Examples of research process optimization, highlighting improvements in efficiency, quality, or scalability.
• Case studies detailing the implementation or enhancement of Research Operations processes and systems.
• Evidence of ability to translate complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations for diverse audiences, including executives.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approaches to designing and documenting research workflows from initiation to insight dissemination.
• Specific examples of how to create and maintain standardized research processes, participant databases, and knowledge repositories.
• Methods for measuring the effectiveness and impact of research operations and individual research studies.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Director-level role focused on ResearchOps, the portfolio should emphasize not just research findings, but the systems and processes that enabled those findings and how they were scaled. This includes documentation of operational frameworks, recruitment strategies, and knowledge management solutions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Director-level UX Research positions in the United States with a focus on Research Operations, and considering the "10+ years" experience requirement, a competitive salary range is estimated. For a fully remote role across the US, this could typically fall between $170,000 - $240,000 annually, with potential for performance-based incentives and equity depending on the specific partner company.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Including performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.
• Retirement Planning: A retirement savings plan with company contributions.
• Professional Growth: Opportunities for ongoing professional development, including mentorship programs and specialized training.
• Flexible Work Environment: A remote-first work setup offering significant autonomy and flexibility.
• Inclusive Culture: A collaborative and diverse work environment that values innovation.
• Strategic Impact: Opportunities to influence organizational strategy and shape the future of UX research.

Working Hours:

• While a standard full-time workweek is implied (e.g., 40 hours), the remote-first nature of the role suggests flexibility in scheduling, provided core responsibilities, team collaboration, and stakeholder availability are met. Adherence to US time zones for team collaboration will likely be necessary.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on aggregated data for Director-level UX Research roles in the US, considering the remote nature and the specific focus on Research Operations which often commands a premium. The benefits listed are standard but highlighted for their relevance to senior operational roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Talent Matching Platform / HR Technology (Jobgether is a platform, the partner company is the employer) Company Size: Jobgether's partner company size is not specified, but the role is Director-level, suggesting a mid-to-large size organization or a rapidly scaling startup that requires dedicated ResearchOps. Founded: The founding date of the partner company is not specified. Jobgether itself is a modern platform leveraging AI.

Team Structure:

• UX Research Team: The Director will lead an existing or growing team of UX researchers, fostering their development and guiding their research agendas.
• Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a VP of Product, Head of Product, or potentially a Chief Product Officer, with significant interaction with Product, Design, and Engineering leadership.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Extensive collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, Data Analysts, and potentially Marketing and Customer Success teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using user research insights to drive strategic product and business decisions.
• Agile & Continuous Discovery: Research is expected to be integrated into iterative product development cycles, supporting continuous learning and adaptation.
• Operational Excellence: Focus on building efficient, scalable, and high-quality research processes and systems.
• User-Centricity: A core value driving product development and organizational strategy.

Company Website: https://jobgether.com/ (for Jobgether platform information; partner company website not specified)

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of Jobgether as an "AI-driven talent matching platform" provides context for the type of company the partner might be – likely tech-focused, data-driven, and innovative, valuing efficiency and strategic growth. This implies a culture that would appreciate robust ResearchOps.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role (Director) within the UX Research function, with a significant focus on building and managing Research Operations. It signifies a move towards strategic oversight, team development, and operational infrastructure building, rather than purely hands-on research execution.

Reporting Structure: The Director will likely report into a senior product leadership role (e.g., VP of Product, CPO). They will manage a team of UX Researchers and work closely with peer Directors in Product Management, Design, and Engineering. This structure allows for significant influence on product strategy.

Operations Impact: The Director of UX Research plays a critical role in shaping the user experience and, consequently, the success of the product. By ensuring high-quality, actionable insights are generated efficiently and effectively, this role directly impacts product-market fit, user adoption, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, business growth and revenue. The operational aspect ensures that this impact is scalable and repeatable.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a VP-level role, overseeing broader product insights or customer experience functions.
• Operational Specialization: Deepen expertise in ResearchOps, potentially becoming a sought-after specialist in building research infrastructure for tech organizations.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Transition into broader product leadership roles by leveraging deep understanding of user needs and product strategy.
• Mentorship & Advocacy: Become a key mentor for the next generation of UX researchers and a strong advocate for user-centricity across the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Director of UX Research with a strong ResearchOps focus often leads to VP-level positions or broader CX/Product Strategy leadership, where operational efficiency and strategic insight generation are paramount.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-First. This indicates a distributed workforce where physical office presence is not required for day-to-day operations. Office Location(s): United States. While fully remote, candidates must be legally authorized to work in the US. Time zone alignment within the US will be important for collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote, the culture emphasizes collaboration, requiring strong virtual communication and teamwork skills.
• Tools & Technology: Access to modern collaboration and research tools is assumed, supporting effective remote work and research execution.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular virtual team meetings, one-on-ones, and cross-functional project syncs.

Work Schedule:

• A standard full-time schedule is expected, but with significant flexibility inherent in a remote-first model. The focus will be on achieving objectives and meeting deadlines rather than strict adherence to office hours. Collaboration across US time zones will be a key consideration.

📝 Enhancement Note: A remote-first environment requires strong self-discipline, excellent asynchronous communication skills, and proactive engagement to maintain team cohesion and operational effectiveness.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: AI-powered screening by Jobgether to assess basic qualifications and match score, followed by a potential human review.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion focused on leadership experience, strategic vision for UX Research, and operational approach to ResearchOps.
• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with UX researchers, Product Managers, and Designers to assess collaboration style, research methodology, and cultural fit.
• Case Study Presentation/Portfolio Review: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, likely presenting a significant research project or a ResearchOps initiative, demonstrating strategic thinking, operational execution, and impact.
• Executive Interview: Final discussion with senior leadership (e.g., CPO, Head of Product) to evaluate strategic alignment and executive communication skills.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight ResearchOps: Specifically showcase projects where you built, scaled, or significantly optimized research operations, tools, and processes. Quantify the impact (e.g., reduced recruitment time by X%, increased research output by Y%).
• Strategic Impact: Clearly articulate how your research and operational strategies led to tangible business outcomes or strategic product shifts. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your examples.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Include examples of how you've developed and mentored research teams, fostering growth and expertise.
• Problem-Solving in Ambiguity: Prepare to discuss how you tackle complex, ill-defined research problems and build clarity through structured approaches.
• Executive Communication: Demonstrate your ability to distill complex findings into concise, impactful narratives suitable for senior stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• ResearchOps Design Challenge: Be prepared for a scenario where you might be asked to outline how you would build or improve ResearchOps for a specific product area or team.
• Strategic Research Planning: You may be asked to outline a research strategy for a new product initiative or a complex market problem.
• Stakeholder Alignment Exercise: Practice articulating research plans and findings in a way that resonates with different functional groups (e.g., Product, Engineering, Marketing).

📝 Enhancement Note: The Jobgether AI screening is a significant first step. Candidates should ensure their CV and LinkedIn profile are optimized with keywords relevant to UX Research, ResearchOps, team management, and strategic leadership to pass this initial automated review. The portfolio review will be critical for demonstrating depth in operationalizing research.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, UserZoom, Optimal Workshop for conducting user interviews, usability tests, surveys, and card sorting.
• Participant Recruitment Tools: Platforms like Respondent.io, UserInterviews.com, or internal CRM/database management for sourcing and scheduling participants.
• Knowledge Management & Collaboration: Tools such as Notion, Confluence, Dovetail, Airtable, or internal wikis for organizing research findings, creating playbooks, and sharing insights across teams.
• Project Management: Tools like Jira, Asana, Trello for managing research projects, timelines, and team workflows.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel for understanding user behavior and complementing qualitative research.
• Survey Tools: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Qualtrics for quantitative data collection.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) for understanding customer segmentation and potentially for participant tracking if integrated.
• Automation Tools: Awareness of how automation can streamline research processes (e.g., scheduling, data collection triggers).

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools are not listed, the role's emphasis on ResearchOps implies familiarity with a broad range of tools for recruitment, execution, analysis, and knowledge sharing. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with various tools and their strategies for selecting and integrating them effectively.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs and experiences, driving product decisions based on user insights.
• Rigor & Curiosity: A dedication to employing sound research methodologies and a relentless curiosity to uncover deeper user motivations and behaviors.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where research is a shared effort, with open communication and transparent sharing of findings and processes.
• Impact & Pragmatism: Focusing on research that delivers actionable insights and drives measurable business outcomes, balancing research depth with practical application.
• Efficiency & Scalability: A drive to build and optimize research processes that are efficient, scalable, and repeatable, maximizing the impact of the research function.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively seeking opportunities to embed UX research within Product, Design, and Engineering workflows, fostering strong partnerships.
• Proactive Communication: Regularly sharing insights, updates, and research plans with relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment and buy-in.
• Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback within the research team and from cross-functional partners to continuously improve research quality and processes.
• Knowledge Sharing: Establishing mechanisms for democratizing research insights and best practices across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a blend of user advocacy, methodological excellence, operational efficiency, and collaborative spirit, all essential for a Director leading a critical function like UX Research and its underlying operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling ResearchOps: Building and maintaining robust, scalable ResearchOps processes in a fast-paced, potentially rapidly growing environment.
• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent adoption of user insights and research best practices across diverse teams with potentially competing priorities.
• Managing Ambiguity: Navigating undefined problems and strategic shifts while maintaining research focus and delivering impactful insights.
• Demonstrating ROI: Quantifying the impact of UX research and ResearchOps initiatives on business objectives, especially in a remote setting.
• Team Development: Growing and mentoring a team of researchers, ensuring skill development and retention.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced ResearchOps Practices: Opportunity to become a thought leader in scalable, efficient research operations.
• Strategic Product Influence: Deepen involvement in strategic product planning and decision-making.
• Leadership Development: Enhance skills in managing, mentoring, and leading a high-performing team.
• Industry Networking: Engage with other leaders in the UX research and product space, potentially through conferences or professional organizations.
• Emerging Methodologies: Explore and implement new research techniques and technologies to stay at the forefront of the field.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents a significant opportunity to shape the future of UX research within the organization, particularly in its operational framework, offering substantial growth potential for an ambitious leader.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a ResearchOps function from the ground up, or scaling an existing one, for a product organization of this size and stage?" (Focus on stages, key components, tools, and metrics.)
• "Describe a time you had to influence executive stakeholders with complex research findings. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight executive communication, data synthesis, and strategic framing.)
• "How do you balance the need for rigorous, in-depth research with the demands of rapid product development cycles and continuous discovery?" (Discuss agile research methods, prioritization, and pragmatic approaches.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What are your key criteria for evaluating the effectiveness and impact of a UX Research team and its operations?" (Focus on metrics, stakeholder satisfaction, and contribution to business goals.)
• "How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive culture within a remote UX research team?" (Discuss communication strategies, team-building activities, and mentorship.)
• "What is your philosophy on user-centricity, and how would you embed it more deeply within our product development process?" (Connect to company mission, user needs, and actionable insights.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role (especially in operations/strategy), the methods used, the key insights, the actions taken based on those insights, and the measurable results.
• Emphasize ResearchOps Impact: If presenting a research project, highlight any operational efficiencies you introduced or leveraged. If presenting an Ops project, detail the process, tools, and quantifiable benefits.
• Quantify Everything: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work – e.g., improvements in recruitment speed, research output, decision-making clarity, or product success metrics.
• Tailor to the Role: Focus on examples that align with the job description's emphasis on leadership, strategy, and operationalization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the AI screening, candidates should ensure their resume and LinkedIn profile are heavily optimized with keywords related to UX Research, Research Operations, team leadership, strategy, and specific methodologies. For interviews, preparing concrete examples of scaling operations and influencing strategy will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Jobgether platform, ensuring your CV and LinkedIn profile are up-to-date and keyword-rich for AI screening.
• Portfolio Customization: Prepare a concise portfolio that prominently features your experience in leading UX research teams and, critically, building/scaling Research Operations. Highlight quantifiable achievements in process optimization and strategic impact.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience, leadership responsibilities, specific research methodologies, and experience with ResearchOps frameworks. Use action verbs and metrics to showcase achievements.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, strategic vision for UX research, and your approach to operationalizing research. Be ready to walk through your portfolio with specific examples of impact.
• Company Research: Understand Jobgether's platform and the implications for the partner company's industry and likely culture. Research common challenges in scaling tech companies and how UX research and ResearchOps address them.

⚠️ 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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