Senior Design Researcher - 18 Months Fixed Term Senior Design Researcher - 18 Months Fixed Term

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Researcher - 18 Months Fixed Term

Company: ANZ Banking Group Limited

Location: Wellington or Auckland, New Zealand

Job Type: Temporary

Category: User Experience (UX) Research / Design Operations

Date Posted: 2025-10-08

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end design research initiatives to uncover customer behaviors, needs, and motivations, directly influencing digital banking experiences and business value.

• Champion design thinking principles by translating complex customer insights and data into actionable recommendations for product and service development.

• Identify key themes, trends, and best practices in user research, creating impactful design artifacts that communicate findings effectively to stakeholders.

• Provide expert research advice and support to designers and cross-functional teams, ensuring the consistent application of research best practices.

• Uphold and advocate for inclusive, ethical, and accessible design principles throughout all research activities and project lifecycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is framed as a Senior Design Researcher, implying a need for independent project leadership, mentorship capabilities, and significant influence on research strategy and execution within the digital experience domain. The "fixed term" nature suggests a project-driven focus, likely involving specific product enhancements or new feature development phases.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Orchestrate and execute the full spectrum of design research, from initial planning and methodology selection to data synthesis and insight delivery, ensuring alignment with both customer needs and business objectives.

• Proactively identify opportunities to embed design thinking and user-centered approaches into product development workflows, driving a culture of customer advocacy.

• Develop compelling narratives and visual representations of research findings, effectively communicating complex qualitative and quantitative data to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.

• Mentor and guide junior researchers and cross-functional team members on research best practices, ethical considerations, and effective data interpretation.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to integrate research insights seamlessly into the design and development lifecycle, fostering a shared understanding of the user.

• Plan and conduct a variety of research studies, including user interviews, usability testing, surveys, ethnographic studies, and competitive analysis, to address specific business questions and user pain points.

• Facilitate co-design workshops and ideation sessions, leveraging research findings to inspire innovation and explore potential solutions.

• Ensure research methodologies are inclusive and representative, actively seeking to understand the needs of diverse customer segments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive, end-to-end research ownership and a strong advocacy role for customer insights. The expectation of creating "design artifacts" and "telling stories" suggests a need for strong synthesis and communication skills beyond raw data reporting.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Design Researcher role. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in design research, with a proven track record of leading and delivering impactful research projects.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience with both generative (e.g., ethnography, interviews, diary studies) and evaluative (e.g., usability testing, A/B testing, surveys) research methodologies.

• Deep understanding of research principles and the ability to strategically select and adapt methodologies to suit project goals and constraints.

• Proven ability to synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data into clear, actionable insights that drive product strategy and design decisions.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate research findings persuasively to diverse audiences, including senior stakeholders.

• Strong collaborative mindset, with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with cross-functional teams (Product, Design, Engineering, Marketing, etc.).

• Commitment to ethical research practices, including informed consent, data privacy, and responsible data handling.

• Experience in advocating for and implementing inclusive and accessible design principles in research and product development.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the financial services or banking industry, understanding the unique user needs and regulatory landscape.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and how to integrate research effectively within sprints.

• Experience with user journey mapping, persona development, and service blueprinting.

• Knowledge of design thinking frameworks and their application in problem-solving.

• Ability to mentor and guide junior team members in research best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "years' of experience" requirement combined with the "track record of delivering insights that influence" points towards a need for demonstrated impact and strategic thinking, not just execution. The emphasis on "making the complex simple and actionable" highlights the importance of clarity and impact in deliverables.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of design research projects, demonstrating end-to-end ownership from problem definition to insight delivery.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the research objectives, methodologies employed, key findings, and the tangible impact of the research on product decisions and user experience improvements.

• Examples of how research insights were translated into actionable recommendations and design artifacts.

• Evidence of collaboration with cross-functional teams and how research was integrated into product development lifecycles.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase a structured approach to research planning, including defining research questions, selecting appropriate methods, and outlining participant recruitment strategies.

• Illustrate how research findings are synthesized, analyzed, and communicated effectively to various audiences.

• Provide examples of creating research documentation (e.g., reports, presentations, journey maps) that are clear, concise, and actionable.

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to iterate on research processes based on project learnings and feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role, the portfolio should emphasize strategic thinking, leadership in research initiatives, and measurable impact. It's not just about the "what" but the "how" and the "why" behind the research, and crucially, the "so what" – the business and customer value derived.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on ANZ's typical compensation structures for senior roles in New Zealand and the specified experience level (5-10 years), a competitive salary range for a Senior Design Researcher in Wellington or Auckland would likely fall between NZD $110,000 - $150,000 per annum. This range is an estimate and can vary based on specific qualifications, interview performance, and the exact scope of responsibilities within the fixed term.

Benefits:

• Fixed-Term Contract: 18-month engagement offering focused project experience.

• Flexible Working: 37.5 hours per week with flexibility available, supporting work-life balance.

• Professional Development: Opportunities to engage with new projects, learn and grow within a large banking institution.

• Employee Benefits: Access to ANZ's standard employee benefits package, which may include competitive leave entitlements, superannuation contributions (KiwiSaver), staff banking privileges, and potential discounts on financial products.

• Collaborative Environment: Opportunity to work within a dynamic and supportive team focused on improving digital experiences.

• Impactful Work: The chance to contribute significantly to the financial wellbeing and sustainability of millions of customers through improved digital banking.

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, with stated flexibility available, allowing for some adjustment to accommodate personal needs and team collaboration schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior UX/Design Researchers in major New Zealand cities. ANZ, as a large financial institution, generally offers comprehensive benefits. The fixed-term nature is highlighted as a key aspect of the role's structure.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking). ANZ is one of the largest banks in Australia and New Zealand, providing a wide range of banking and financial services. This context means a strong focus on security, compliance, customer trust, and innovation within a regulated environment.

Company Size: Large enterprise (ANZ employs tens of thousands of people globally). This size implies established processes, potential for cross-functional collaboration across many departments, and structured career development paths.

Founded: 1835 (as The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited). With a long history, ANZ has a deep understanding of the financial landscape and is undergoing significant digital transformation.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Design Researcher likely sits within a broader Digital Experience, Product, or Innovation team.

• This team would collaborate closely with Product Managers, UX/UI Designers, Engineers, Data Analysts, and potentially Marketing and Business Strategy teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using customer insights and data to inform product strategy and design.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Likely operating within an agile framework, requiring research to be integrated iteratively into product development cycles.

• Human-Centered Design: A core philosophy, aiming to create experiences that are intuitive, valuable, and meet the needs of diverse customers.

• Continuous Improvement: A focus on ongoing learning and refinement of both products and internal processes.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context is crucial for understanding the operational environment. A large, established financial institution like ANZ will have a strong emphasis on compliance, security, and a structured approach to innovation. The "fixed term" aspect suggests this role might be tied to a specific digital transformation initiative or product enhancement phase.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor. This role sits at a senior level within the User Experience and Design research discipline. It requires a high degree of autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence without direct authority. While not a management role, it often involves mentoring junior team members and leading research initiatives.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a Design Lead, Head of UX, or a Director of Product/Digital. Close collaboration with cross-functional teams is expected, including Product Managers, UI/UX Designers, Engineers, and Business Analysts.

Operations Impact: The Senior Design Researcher's impact is pivotal in shaping the customer experience of ANZ's digital platforms. By ensuring that products and services are designed based on genuine customer needs and behaviors, this role directly contributes to customer satisfaction, retention, adoption rates, and ultimately, the financial wellbeing and sustainability goals of the bank. Their insights can significantly de-risk product development and drive user adoption.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific research methodologies or particular customer segments within banking.

• Leadership: Potential to lead larger, more complex research programs or mentor a team of researchers, paving the way for a Lead Researcher or Design Research Manager role in the future.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain broad experience across different product areas and business units within ANZ.

• Industry Insight: Develop deep expertise in UX research within the financial services sector, a highly valuable and in-demand skill set.

• Internal Mobility: As a large organization, there may be opportunities to transition to other roles within product, design, or innovation teams after the fixed term.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth analysis focuses on how this senior, fixed-term role can serve as a stepping stone. The emphasis is on gaining specialized experience and demonstrating leadership potential within a large corporate structure.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. The role is based in Wellington or Auckland, New Zealand, with the expectation of working from the office for a portion of the week to facilitate collaboration, team interaction, and access to office resources.

Office Location(s): Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand. These are major business hubs, offering access to professional networks and vibrant city environments.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: ANZ likely provides modern office spaces designed to encourage collaboration, with meeting rooms, breakout areas, and potentially dedicated UX labs or research facilities.

• Technology Access: Employees will have access to necessary hardware, software, and digital tools required for research, analysis, and communication.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages in-person interaction for brainstorming, workshops, and team building, alongside remote work for focused individual tasks.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (37.5 hours per week) with stated flexibility. This allows for adaptability in scheduling to balance research activities, stakeholder meetings, and personal commitments, aligning with the demands of a project-driven role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature and location in major cities suggest a dynamic work environment. The emphasis on collaboration spaces is key for a role that thrives on interaction and shared understanding.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager to assess suitability against the core requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your experience, approach to design research, problem-solving skills, and understanding of the financial services context. You'll likely be asked about past projects and how you've handled complex research challenges.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you present 2-3 key case studies from your portfolio. This is where you'll demonstrate your research process, synthesis skills, communication abilities, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss your role, the challenges you faced, and how your insights influenced decisions.

• Cross-Functional Interview(s): Interviews with potential collaborators (e.g., Product Managers, Designers, Engineers) to assess your teamwork, communication style, and ability to integrate research into their workflows.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment, and overall suitability for the senior role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select case studies that best demonstrate end-to-end research ownership, your senior-level problem-solving skills, and measurable impact. Aim for variety in methodologies and project types if possible.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative: the problem/opportunity, your approach (why you chose specific methods), key findings, your actionable recommendations, and the outcome/impact. Quantify impact where possible.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in team projects. For a senior role, emphasize leadership, mentorship, and strategic influence.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (e.g., key artifacts, quotes, data visualizations) to illustrate your process and findings.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your methodology choices, how you handled unexpected results, how you influenced stakeholders, and how you ensured ethical practices.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking Exercises: Be ready for hypothetical scenarios where you might be asked to outline how you would approach researching a new feature or solving a specific customer pain point within digital banking.

• Insight Synthesis: You might be presented with raw data (e.g., user quotes, survey results) and asked to synthesize key themes and actionable recommendations.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating research findings and recommendations concisely and persuasively, considering different stakeholder perspectives and potential objections.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides a detailed breakdown of a typical senior-level interview process in a large organization, with specific advice tailored to the requirements of a design researcher role and the need for a strong portfolio.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Tools for conducting online surveys, usability testing, interviews, and participant recruitment (e.g., UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Lookback, Maze).

• Collaboration & Prototyping Tools: Software used by design and product teams that researchers often interact with or use for presenting findings (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Miro, Mural).

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

• Presentation Software: Tools for creating impactful presentations of research findings (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to understand user behavior on digital platforms and complement qualitative research.

• BI Tools: Familiarity with Business Intelligence platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) might be beneficial for understanding broader business metrics and correlating them with user behavior.

CRM & Automation:

• While not core to research, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) can provide context on customer data and segmentation, which may inform research planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools listed are common in UX research and digital product development. The emphasis is on platforms that facilitate research execution, data synthesis, and effective communication of insights.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A paramount value, ensuring that all decisions and designs are grounded in understanding and serving customer needs.

• Integrity & Trust: Essential in financial services, promoting ethical conduct, transparency, and reliability in all interactions and research practices.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams to achieve shared goals and drive innovation.

• Excellence & Continuous Improvement: Striving for high-quality outcomes, embracing learning, and seeking opportunities to enhance processes and products.

• Inclusivity & Accessibility: Commitment to designing for everyone, ensuring that digital experiences are equitable and usable by all customers.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Working closely with Product Managers and Designers as equal partners in the product development lifecycle.

• Insight-Driven: Facilitating collaborative sessions where research findings are used to inform strategic decisions and co-create solutions.

• Transparent Communication: Regularly sharing research plans, findings, and recommendations with stakeholders to ensure alignment and buy-in.

• Feedback-Rich: Open to providing and receiving constructive feedback to improve research quality and team effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values are typical for a large, customer-focused organization, particularly in the regulated financial sector. The collaboration style emphasizes integration and shared ownership of the customer experience.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Rigor with Agile Speed: Effectively conducting thorough research within fast-paced, iterative development cycles.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Translating research insights into compelling arguments that drive change, especially when faced with competing priorities or differing opinions.

• Navigating Complex Systems: Understanding the intricate nature of banking products and services to conduct relevant and insightful research.

• Data Synthesis Across Diverse Sources: Integrating qualitative research findings with quantitative data and business metrics to form a holistic view.

• Fixed-Term Nature: Adapting to a project-based role with a defined endpoint, requiring quick ramp-up and focused delivery.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Financial Services UX: Gaining deep expertise in user research for a complex and highly regulated industry.

• Strategic Influence: Developing advanced skills in stakeholder management and influencing product strategy at a senior level.

• Methodology Expansion: Opportunities to explore and apply new or specialized research techniques relevant to digital banking.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Broadening understanding of product development lifecycles and the roles of various teams within a large enterprise.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior researchers and contribute to the growth of the UX research practice within ANZ.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed around the practical realities of the role within a large corporate and the specific industry. Growth opportunities highlight how this fixed-term role can be a significant learning experience and career accelerator.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to conduct research under tight deadlines. How did you prioritize and ensure the quality of your insights?" (Focus on methodology adaptation and stakeholder communication.)

• "How would you approach researching a new feature for ANZ's mobile banking app, considering both customer needs and business goals?" (Demonstrate your research planning process, methodology selection, and how you'd ensure actionable outcomes.)

• "Tell me about a situation where your research findings contradicted stakeholder assumptions or previous plans. How did you present this information and influence the decision-making process?" (Highlight your communication, persuasion, and data-driven advocacy skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working at ANZ and specifically in the financial services industry?" (Research ANZ's mission, values, recent initiatives, and articulate your connection.)

• "How do you see design research contributing to ANZ's goal of improving financial wellbeing and sustainability?" (Connect your role to the company's strategic objectives.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, follow a clear narrative: Project Context/Problem -> Your Role & Responsibilities -> Research Questions -> Methodology Chosen (and why) -> Key Insights -> Recommendations -> Impact/Outcome -> Learnings.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your research (e.g., "User testing identified usability issues that, once resolved, led to a X% increase in task completion rates").

• Visuals: Use screenshots, photos of artifacts, user quotes, and simple charts to bring your work to life. Avoid overwhelming slides with text.

• Focus on Seniority: Highlight instances where you led initiatives, mentored others, or influenced strategic direction.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate detailed questions about your decisions, challenges, and learnings. Be honest and reflective.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides specific, actionable interview questions and portfolio presentation advice tailored to a Senior Design Researcher role within a financial institution, emphasizing strategic thinking and impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the ANZ Careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience with generative and evaluative research methodologies, your ability to deliver actionable customer insights, and your experience in influencing product decisions, especially within a large-scale or regulated environment like banking.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your years of experience in design research, emphasizing leadership in end-to-end research processes and your proficiency in various research tools and techniques. Use keywords from the job description such as "customer insights," "research methodologies," "stakeholder engagement," and "design thinking."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process and key project outcomes using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your problem-solving skills, collaborative approach, and ability to drive impact. Rehearse your portfolio presentation to be concise, engaging, and focused on outcomes.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with ANZ's mission, values, recent digital initiatives, and their commitment to financial wellbeing and sustainability. Understanding their strategic direction will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.

---