Lead User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead User Researcher

Company: Monzo

Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Research / Product Research

Date Posted: March 26, 2026

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

Remote Status: Hybrid (2-3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the establishment and evolution of research systems and processes for a global product, ensuring scalability and efficiency.

• Cultivate a deeply customer-obsessed team culture in Spain, fostering a shared understanding of user needs across product, design, marketing, and engineering.

• Drive impactful user research initiatives by collaborating with international peers, prioritizing opportunities based on user needs and business impact.

• Contribute to the growth of the research function by assisting in hiring and mentoring new talent within research, design, and related fields.

• Ensure effective knowledge management and dissemination of research insights across global teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Lead User Researcher," the responsibilities suggest a significant operational and foundational element, akin to a Research Operations lead in a new region. The role requires not only hands-on research but also strategic process building and team culture development, indicating a senior individual contributor with leadership potential or a de facto team lead in the Spanish market.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and refine research operations systems and processes to support global research activities at Monzo.

• Foster a strong user-centric culture within the Spanish market, embedding deep user understanding into product development cycles.

• Actively participate in the recruitment and onboarding of new research and design talent, contributing to team expansion and skill development.

• Collaborate with existing global research teams to identify, prioritize, and execute high-impact research projects aligned with business objectives.

• Develop and maintain robust knowledge management systems for research findings, ensuring insights are accessible and actionable for all relevant stakeholders.

• Partner with international peers to manage a backlog of global research opportunities, ensuring alignment with broader product strategies.

• Ruthlessly prioritize research efforts based on a clear understanding of user needs, market opportunities, and business goals.

• Conduct a wide range of qualitative research, including exploratory and evaluative methods, to uncover user needs and validate product solutions.

• Lead user testing sessions across diverse environments, from formal lab settings to informal in-the-street feedback, including mobile user testing for a mobile-first banking product.

• Design and execute research studies that balance methodological rigor with practical business constraints and timelines, employing the "just enough research" principle.

• Effectively communicate research findings and strategic recommendations to diverse audiences, using compelling storytelling and detailed analysis to drive product direction.

• Contribute to the understanding of quantitative metrics and how user research can influence key performance indicators and team success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities blend hands-on research with significant operational and strategic elements. The emphasis on "setting up systems and processes for Monzo" in Spain, "building and nurturing a customer-obsessed team culture," and "helping hire other brilliant people" suggests a role that is foundational for Monzo's research presence in Spain, requiring a blend of research expertise and operational leadership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in a relevant field such as Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Sociology, Anthropology, or a related discipline is highly beneficial for understanding research methodologies and human behavior.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in user research, with a proven track record of leading research initiatives and contributing to product strategy. Experience in setting up and scaling research operations or processes for the first time is a significant advantage.

Required Skills:

• Extensive hands-on experience with a variety of qualitative research methodologies, including exploratory research (e.g., ethnography, interviews, diary studies) and evaluative research (e.g., usability testing, concept testing).

• Proven ability to design and execute robust user research studies, understanding their limitations and applying them strategically to business contexts.

• Demonstrated experience in leading user testing across different formats, including lab-based, remote, in-person, and mobile testing.

• Strong understanding of quantitative research principles and how to integrate qualitative insights with metrics to drive product decisions and measure success.

• Excellent communication, storytelling, and facilitation skills, with the ability to articulate complex findings to diverse stakeholders and influence product direction.

• Experience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams (Product Design, Product Management, Engineering, Marketing) and leading research efforts within these contexts.

• Proven ability to prioritize research initiatives based on user needs, opportunity size, and business goals.

• Experience working with global products and understanding the nuances of international research.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the FinTech or Banking industry, understanding the unique user needs and regulatory landscape.

• Experience in building and nurturing team culture, particularly in a new or expanding market.

• Experience with hiring processes for research and design roles.

• Familiarity with a mobile-first product environment.

• Proficiency with various research tools and platforms for data collection, analysis, and synthesis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "We’d love to hear from you if…" section strongly implies that experience in setting up research processes, working on global products, and leading research within multidisciplinary teams are critical. The emphasis on balancing robust design with practical constraints ("just enough research") and strong communication skills points to a candidate who can be both strategic and execution-focused.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrable examples of research projects where you independently designed, executed, and analyzed qualitative studies.

• Case studies showcasing how your research insights directly influenced product strategy, design decisions, or business outcomes.

• Evidence of experience in setting up or significantly improving research processes, documentation, or knowledge-sharing systems.

• Examples of how you've balanced research rigor with practical business constraints and timelines.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to designing user research studies, including problem definition, methodology selection, participant recruitment, and data analysis plans.

• Provide examples of how you've managed research projects, including timelines, stakeholder communication, and deliverable management.

• Illustrate your methods for synthesizing qualitative data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Document your experience with creating and maintaining research repositories or knowledge management systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on setting up processes and working globally, a portfolio that highlights not just research execution but also process design, operational efficiency, and cross-functional collaboration will be highly valued. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they've systematized research activities and scaled knowledge.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Lead User Researcher role with 5-10 years of experience in Barcelona, Spain, the estimated base salary range is €55,000 - €75,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior research roles in major European tech hubs, considering the experience level, hybrid work arrangement, and the specific responsibilities outlined. Factors such as specific skills, previous experience, and the final negotiation will influence the exact figure.

Benefits:

• Learning Budget: €1,200 annually for books, training courses, and conferences to support professional development.

• Flexible Working Hours: Trust is placed on individuals to work enough hours to fulfill their role effectively, with flexibility for work-life balance.

• Hybrid Work Model: Opportunity to work 2-3 days per week from the Barcelona office, fostering collaboration while allowing for remote flexibility.

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Likely includes private health insurance, mental health support, and potentially other wellness initiatives common in European tech companies.

• Pension Contributions: Potential for company contributions to a pension scheme.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Standard European holiday allowance, likely supplemented by additional company days.

• Employee Assistance Program: Support services for personal and professional challenges.

Working Hours: The role is advertised with an implied 40-hour work week, common for full-time positions. However, the emphasis on flexible working hours means that the specific start and end times can be adjusted to suit individual needs and team collaboration, provided the job is done effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for a Lead User Researcher in Barcelona with 5-10 years of experience, considering the tech industry and the hybrid work model. The benefits package is derived from the explicitly mentioned learning budget and flexible working, supplemented by common offerings for similar roles in the European tech sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Monzo operates within the FinTech and Digital Banking industry, disrupting traditional financial services with a technology-first approach. This means a fast-paced, innovative, and customer-centric environment.

Company Size: Monzo is a rapidly growing scale-up, likely employing several hundred to over a thousand employees globally. This size offers the opportunity to make a significant impact without being lost in a large corporate structure, while also providing access to resources and a broad network.

Founded: Founded in 2015, Monzo has a relatively young history but has rapidly established itself as a leading digital bank in the UK. This history suggests a culture that is agile, forward-thinking, and has a strong foundation in user-centric design and innovation.

Team Structure:

• The User Research team is approximately 20 individual contributors, managed by 3 people managers.

• These managers are embedded within specific collectives (e.g., Personal Banking, Business Banking), indicating a matrixed structure where researchers are aligned with product areas.

• The overall research organization is led by a Director of Research, suggesting a clear leadership structure and strategic oversight.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: Research is central to understanding users, informing product decisions, and driving business success through metrics.

• Customer Obsession: A core tenet of Monzo's culture, emphasizing deep empathy and understanding of user needs.

• Agile & Iterative: Expectation of working in agile environments, with iterative product development cycles informed by continuous research.

• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Alignment: Strong emphasis on working closely with various departments to ensure a unified approach to product development.

Company Website: https://monzo.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Monzo's mission "to make money work for everyone" and its history of disrupting traditional banking point to a culture that values innovation, customer advocacy, and challenging the status quo. The company's growth suggests a dynamic environment where individuals can contribute to shaping processes and culture, particularly in new markets like Spain.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a "Lead" level, signifying a senior individual contributor with significant autonomy and responsibility. It requires not only deep expertise in user research but also the ability to influence strategy, build processes, and potentially mentor others. This level is crucial for establishing and scaling research functions in new regions.

Reporting Structure: The Lead User Researcher will likely report to a Research Manager embedded within a specific product collective or potentially a more senior research operations lead. They will collaborate closely with Product Designers, Product Managers, and Engineering teams within their assigned domain, and also work with the global Research Operations lead.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant. By establishing robust research processes and fostering a customer-obsessed culture in Spain, the Lead User Researcher will directly influence the development of user-centric products that meet local market needs. This will contribute to Monzo's overall mission, customer satisfaction, adoption rates, and ultimately, business growth in international markets. Their work will shape how Monzo understands and serves its Spanish user base.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to grow into a formal management role, leading a team of researchers in Spain as the function expands.

• Process & Operations Specialization: Develop deep expertise in research operations, becoming a go-to person for establishing scalable research infrastructure globally.

• Strategic Influence: Gain experience in shaping research strategy for a global FinTech company, influencing product roadmaps and business decisions.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Deepen understanding of product development lifecycles and collaborate with diverse functions, enhancing overall product acumen.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior researchers and designers, sharing knowledge and best practices.

• Learning & Development: Utilize the €1,200 annual learning budget for advanced training, certifications, or conferences in user research, research operations, or leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title and the responsibility for "setting up systems and processes" in a new region highlight this as a pivotal role for career growth, offering a blend of hands-on research, operational development, and strategic contribution. It's an opportunity to build something from the ground up within a well-established and respected FinTech company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Monzo operates a hybrid work model, with 2-3 days per week expected in the Barcelona office. This suggests a modern, collaborative office space designed to support team interaction, brainstorming, and focused work. The office will likely be equipped with meeting rooms, collaborative areas, and individual workspaces.

Office Location(s): The primary office location mentioned is Barcelona, Spain. Specific details on the office address or amenities would typically be provided during the later stages of the interview process. Barcelona is a vibrant European city known for its tech scene and quality of life, making it an attractive location for professionals.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to facilitate cross-functional collaboration, team meetings, and spontaneous interactions with colleagues from product, design, engineering, and marketing.

• Resource Accessibility: Access to necessary tools, technology, and documentation within the office to support research activities and project collaboration.

• Team Integration: Opportunities to connect with the broader Monzo team in Barcelona and potentially other international researchers, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

• Focus on User Empathy: The workspace culture will likely encourage discussions and reflections on user needs, with research insights visible and integrated into team workflows.

Work Schedule: Monzo offers flexible working hours, trusting employees to manage their time effectively to complete their work. This flexibility, combined with the hybrid model, allows for a good work-life balance, accommodating personal needs while ensuring team alignment and productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in Barcelona indicates a balance between structured in-office collaboration and the flexibility of remote work. The emphasis on Barcelona suggests a strategic move to establish a significant presence in a key European tech hub, offering a dynamic and appealing work environment for operations professionals.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Recruiter Call (30 minutes): An initial screening to assess general suitability for Monzo, alignment with company values, and basic fit for the role and team. Be prepared to discuss your career trajectory and motivations.

• Research Methods (60 minutes): This stage involves a pre-interview task related to research methods, which you will then discuss. Expect situational questions designed to probe your practical experience with qualitative and quantitative research, study design, and handling constraints.

Focus on your ability to articulate your process and decision-making.

• Final Loop (1.5-2 hours total): This consists of two interviews:
  • Teamwork & Impact: Assess your ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams and how you've driven demonstrable product or service impact through your research. Prepare specific examples of cross-functional projects and their outcomes.
  • Leadership and Values: Evaluate your leadership potential, alignment with Monzo's values (customer obsession, honesty, etc.), and your approach to building culture and processes.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process & Impact: Beyond just presenting findings, detail your research process from problem definition to insight delivery. Clearly articulate the impact of your work on product decisions and business outcomes.

• Highlight Operational Contributions: Since this role involves setting up processes, include examples of how you've systematized research activities, improved knowledge sharing, or contributed to research operations.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio by project, clearly outlining the problem, your approach, the methods used, key findings, and the impact. Use visuals where appropriate.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize experiences relevant to global products, hybrid/remote collaboration, and mobile user testing. Highlight any experience in building research functions or mentoring.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to walk through your portfolio items in detail, answering questions about your decision-making, challenges, and learnings.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Design Challenge: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a research problem relevant to Monzo's product (e.g., understanding a new user segment, evaluating a feature). Focus on your methodology, participant selection, and how you'd measure success.

• Process Improvement Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would set up a new research process or improve an existing one, considering scalability, efficiency, and knowledge management.

• Stakeholder Management: Practice articulating research insights in a way that resonates with non-researchers (product managers, engineers) and demonstrates clear business value.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both research craft and broader leadership/operational capabilities. The portfolio review is critical, especially for demonstrating experience in process building and the ability to translate research into tangible business impact within a dynamic FinTech environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Proficiency in tools for qualitative data collection and analysis (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Dovetail, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey) is essential.

• Collaboration Tools: Experience with tools like Slack, Notion, Confluence, or similar platforms for communication, documentation, and knowledge sharing.

• Design & Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with tools used by designers and product teams, such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, to understand and test prototypes.

• Project Management Tools: Experience with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing research projects and timelines.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for understanding user data and metrics, and potentially for presenting research findings alongside quantitative data.

• Analytics Platforms: Understanding of web/app analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude) to correlate user behavior with research insights.

CRM & Automation:

• While not primary research tools, a general understanding of CRM systems (like Salesforce) and automation workflows can be beneficial for understanding how user feedback and data integrate into broader business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires a strong command of qualitative research tools. Given the emphasis on research operations and knowledge management, proficiency in collaborative documentation and knowledge-sharing platforms like Notion or Confluence is highly relevant for establishing efficient systems.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A foundational value at Monzo, meaning a deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs above all else. This translates to prioritizing research that directly benefits the customer and advocating for their perspective.

• Honesty & Transparency: Operating with integrity and openness in all interactions, including sharing research findings (both positive and negative) and being transparent about research processes.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working together across disciplines to achieve shared goals. This means actively seeking input from and sharing insights with product, design, engineering, and marketing.

• Efficiency & Impact: A drive to deliver work that is both methodologically sound and impactful. This means prioritizing effectively, being pragmatic about research scope, and ensuring insights lead to tangible improvements.

• Innovation & Agility: A willingness to embrace new approaches, adapt to changing circumstances, and continuously improve processes and methodologies.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Researchers are expected to be embedded within multidisciplinary teams, working closely with Product Managers and Designers to define research questions and integrate findings into product development.

• Proactive Knowledge Sharing: A culture of actively sharing research insights through presentations, documentation, and informal discussions to ensure the entire organization benefits from user understanding.

• Constructive Feedback: An environment where team members are comfortable giving and receiving feedback to improve research quality, processes, and collaboration.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: A collective approach where decisions are informed by both quantitative data and qualitative research insights, fostering a shared understanding of user needs and product direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: Monzo's core values are critical for success in this role. Demonstrating how your research approach aligns with customer obsession, transparency, and collaborative impact will be key during the interview process. The role requires someone who can champion these values within the Spanish market.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing New Processes: Building research systems and processes from the ground up in a new market requires significant initiative, strategic thinking, and adaptability. This involves defining best practices and ensuring buy-in from various teams.

• Global vs. Local Needs: Balancing the needs of a global product with the specific nuances and requirements of the Spanish market will be crucial. Research must inform both local relevance and global consistency.

• Scaling Research Operations: As Monzo grows in Spain, scaling the research function effectively will require careful planning for hiring, tooling, and process optimization.

• Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Working effectively with international teams requires strong communication skills and cultural sensitivity to navigate different working styles and priorities.

• Demonstrating ROI: Continuously proving the value of user research to stakeholders by linking research activities to tangible business outcomes and metrics.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Research Operations Mastery: Deepen expertise in building and scaling research operations, becoming a leader in this specialized field.

• FinTech Industry Insight: Gain in-depth knowledge of the digital banking landscape, user behavior within finance, and regulatory considerations.

• Leadership and Team Building: Develop skills in mentoring, hiring, and potentially managing a research team as the function expands.

• Strategic Product Influence: Hone the ability to influence product roadmaps and company strategy through impactful research and compelling communication.

• Continuous Learning: Utilize the €1,200 annual learning budget for advanced training, certifications (e.g., in UX research, research operations, Agile methodologies), and attending relevant industry conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to establishing a new function in a growing company and market. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a clear path for professional development in research operations, leadership, and strategic influence within the FinTech sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience in setting up research processes or operations for the first time. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on methodologies, stakeholder buy-in, and scalability.)

• "How would you approach building a customer-obsessed culture in our Spanish team, and how would you ensure user insights are deeply understood and acted upon by product, design, and engineering?" (Emphasize integration, communication strategies, and embedding user empathy.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Monzo's mission and its approach to banking?" (Research Monzo's values, recent news, and product offerings.)

• "How do you embody Monzo's value of 'Customer Obsession' in your research practice?" (Provide specific examples.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling Approach: Structure your presentation around key projects, telling a narrative of the problem, your research journey, the insights uncovered, and the tangible impact.

• Process Focus: Clearly articulate the why and how behind your methodological choices, especially when discussing setting up processes or adapting to constraints.

• Data Integration: Show how you integrate qualitative findings with quantitative data or metrics to provide a holistic view and demonstrate business value.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful projects and be prepared to go deeper on specific aspects if asked. Use clear visuals and avoid jargon where possible.

• Interactive Element: Be ready to discuss your process on the fly, answer detailed questions about your decisions, and perhaps even walk through specific artifacts.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating both deep research craft and operational/strategic thinking. The ability to articulate your process, highlight impact, and align with Monzo's values will be critical for success. Expect questions that probe your experience in building functions and driving change.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead User Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful research projects that best showcase your ability to conduct qualitative research, drive product impact, and ideally, demonstrate experience in process improvement or operational setup. Ensure your portfolio clearly outlines the problem, your role, methodology, key insights, and tangible outcomes.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords from the job description such as "Research Operations," "Global Product," "Qualitative Research," "User Testing," "Process Design," and "Cross-Functional Collaboration." Quantify your achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare for the Interview Stages: Research Monzo's products, mission, and values. Practice articulating your research process and impact, and be ready to discuss how you would approach the specific challenges of this role, especially regarding building research operations in Spain.

• Understand Monzo's Culture: Familiarize yourself with Monzo's approach to customer obsession, transparency, and innovation. Prepare examples that demonstrate your alignment with these 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.

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