Senior Design Researcher (Community of Practice Lead)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Researcher (Community of Practice Lead) Company: Lloyds Banking Group Location: Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Halifax, Edinburgh Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Design Operations & Strategy Date Posted: 2025-10-30 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and cultivate a vibrant community of Design Researchers, fostering a culture of continuous learning, experimentation, and innovation within the Design Delivery Practice.
• Drive strategic transformation by piloting and embedding groundbreaking Design Research trends, tools, and frameworks, setting new industry standards for excellence.
• Partner with Design Leadership to influence strategy, champion the voice of design, and reinvent talent development processes for Design Researchers.
• Accelerate organizational agility and impact through the delivery of next-generation tools, frameworks, and processes, amplifying the collective capabilities of the design team.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration by forging strong connections with Product, Engineering, the wider Brands, Marketing & Experience (BMX) team, and leading external design and tech communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is framed as a "Community of Practice Lead" with a rotational aspect, indicating a strategic focus on developing and standardizing design research methodologies and talent across Lloyds Banking Group. The emphasis on "shaping the future of design" and "leaving a lasting legacy" suggests a high-impact, influential position that requires significant strategic thinking and leadership in operationalizing design excellence. The role also bridges internal capabilities with external industry best practices, a common theme in advanced operations and strategy roles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Source, pilot, and embed groundbreaking Design Research trends, tools, and frameworks to elevate industry pace and capability.
• Act as an inspiring leader and mentor to Design Researchers, cultivating a culture of continuous learning, experimentation, and bold thinking.
• Orchestrate events, showcases, and learning experiences that spark creativity, foster collaboration, and unite Design Researchers behind a shared mission.
• Design and deliver learning experiences that accelerate technical mastery and leadership growth, creating new pathways for career progression within the design function.
• Partner with the Head of Design Delivery Practice and Senior Leadership to map maturity journeys and unlock new opportunities for growth in capability, culture, and craft.
• Represent the Design Research field at senior leadership levels, influencing strategy and championing the voice of design at the Experience Design Leadership Team (DLT) and beyond.
• Deliver next-generation tools, frameworks, and processes that amplify impact and establish industry benchmarks for agility and excellence.
• Collaborate with Design Leadership to reinvent onboarding, engagement, and development processes for Design Research talent, ensuring alignment with the future vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic leadership (influencing strategy, mapping maturity) and operational execution (piloting tools, designing learning experiences). The "Community of Practice Lead" designation implies a strong emphasis on process standardization, knowledge sharing, and talent development, which are core to effective operations management within a specialized field like design research. The rotational nature of the role also suggests a need for adaptability and the ability to quickly assess and improve existing operational frameworks.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, or a related field is implicitly expected, given the nature of Design Research. Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in Design Research, with a proven track record of leading initiatives, mentoring teams, and driving operational improvements within a design context.

Required Skills:

• Visionary leadership with a deep passion for Design Research and Experience Design, coupled with a drive to push boundaries and innovate.
• Inspiring and collaborative approach, with the ability to rally diverse teams and partners around ambitious goals and new ways of working.
• Agile mindset, comfortable navigating between strategic vision and hands-on delivery, demonstrating adaptability and resilience.
• Data-driven decision-making capabilities, with the ability to effectively measure and communicate the value and impact of communities of practice.
• Exceptional communication skills, adept at sharing ideas, successes, and strategies in compelling, engaging, and persuasive ways to various stakeholders.
• Proactive, organized, and energized by solving complex challenges at pace, demonstrating strong project and program management acumen.
• Ability to foster openness, challenge constructively, and champion a culture of inclusion and growth, building trust and psychological safety.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in establishing or leading a Community of Practice (CoP) or similar functional group.
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing talent development programs and career progression frameworks.
• Familiarity with current trends and best practices in design operations, research operations (ResOps), and experience design strategy.
• Proven ability to influence senior leadership and drive strategic alignment across large organizations.
• Experience in forging and managing external partnerships with industry-leading communities and organizations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are heavily weighted towards leadership, strategic thinking, and interpersonal effectiveness, which are critical for a CoP Lead role focused on driving change and building capability. The "data-driven" and "exceptional communicator" requirements are particularly important for operations roles, as they underscore the need to quantify impact and effectively articulate value to stakeholders. The preferred skills directly address the operational aspects of establishing and running a CoP.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating successful Design Research initiatives led or significantly influenced. These should highlight the research process, methodologies used, key insights generated, and the tangible impact on product development, user experience, or business outcomes.
• Process Improvement Examples: Include examples of how you have identified inefficiencies or opportunities for improvement in design research processes and implemented solutions. This could involve workflow optimization, new tool adoption, or standardization of research practices.
• Community Building Initiatives: Evidence of experience in fostering communities, whether through organizing events, facilitating knowledge sharing sessions, or mentoring junior practitioners.
• Impact Measurement: Demonstrations of how you have measured and communicated the value of design research efforts, using metrics and data to support your findings and influence decision-making.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Ability to document and articulate current design research workflows, identifying areas for enhancement and proposing optimized processes that improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Methodology Standardization: Experience in developing and documenting standardized research methodologies and best practices that can be consistently applied across different teams and projects.
• Tool Adoption & Integration: Documentation or case studies related to the successful evaluation, adoption, and integration of new tools or technologies to support design research operations.
• Knowledge Management: Examples of how you have contributed to or established systems for knowledge sharing and management within a design or research function.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Community of Practice Lead role, a portfolio should not just showcase individual research projects but also demonstrate an understanding of how to build, scale, and operationalize design research capabilities. This means highlighting experience in process development, standardization, talent enablement, and impact measurement, all of which are critical for driving operational excellence within the design function.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £76,194 - £89,640 per annum.

Benefits:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%.
• An annual performance-related bonus.
• Share schemes, including free shares, providing opportunities for ownership and long-term financial growth.
• A wide range of benefits that can be adapted to individual lifestyles, such as discounted shopping.
• 30 days' holiday, with bank holidays in addition, offering ample time for rest and personal pursuits.
• A comprehensive suite of wellbeing initiatives designed to support employee health and mental wellness.
• Generous parental leave policies, supporting employees through significant life events.

Working Hours: 35 hours per week, full-time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a senior-level role with leadership responsibilities in the UK financial services sector. The benefits package is comprehensive, reflecting the company's commitment to employee well-being, financial security, and work-life balance, which are significant factors for operations professionals seeking stable and rewarding employment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking and financial services. This context implies a highly regulated environment, a focus on customer trust, and a drive for digital transformation to remain competitive. Company Size: Large Enterprise (typically +10,000 employees). This scale suggests a complex organizational structure, numerous interdependencies, and opportunities for significant impact across a broad user base. Founded: 2009 (Lloyds Banking Group as it is known today, formed from the merger of Lloyds TSB and HBOS). The company has a long heritage through its constituent brands, indicating a blend of tradition and modern innovation.

Team Structure:

• Design Delivery Practice: This role is embedded within the Design Delivery Practice, suggesting a structured approach to how design work is organized, executed, and scaled.
• Community of Practice (CoP) Model: The role explicitly leads a "Community of Practice," which implies a network of individuals with shared interests and responsibilities who collaborate to improve their collective knowledge and practice. This is a key operational structure for knowledge sharing and skill development.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong emphasis on partnering with Product, Engineering, and the wider Brands, Marketing & Experience (BMX) team, indicating a highly integrated GTM and product development environment.
• Reporting: Will partner with the Head of Design Delivery Practice and Senior Leadership, and influence the Experience Design Leadership Team (DLT), indicating a senior-level reporting line and significant visibility.

Methodology:

• Agile & Hybrid Working: The company supports flexible working, including hybrid models (2 days/week in office) and job sharing, reflecting modern operational approaches to work-life balance and efficiency.
• Data-Driven Impact: A core requirement is to be "data-driven," emphasizing the use of metrics to measure value and communicate impact, a cornerstone of effective operations.
• Continuous Learning & Improvement: The role is designed to foster "continuous learning, experimentation, and bold thinking," aligning with operational principles of iterative improvement and innovation.
• Industry Benchmarking: Aims to "set new standards for excellence" and "accelerate agility and excellence by delivering next-generation tools, frameworks, and processes," indicating a focus on adopting and creating best-in-class operational practices.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's size and industry demand robust operational frameworks, especially in areas like design and customer experience. The CoP Lead role is crucial for standardizing practices, ensuring consistency, and fostering innovation across a large, distributed team. The emphasis on collaboration and data-driven decision-making aligns perfectly with the principles of Revenue Operations and Sales Operations, extending them into the design and product development lifecycle.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor with significant leadership and strategic influence. This role is positioned at a senior level, focusing on developing and leading a specialized community of practice. It requires a blend of deep subject matter expertise in Design Research and strong leadership capabilities to influence practice across the organization.

Reporting Structure: The role involves partnering with the Head of Design Delivery Practice and Senior Leadership, and influencing the Experience Design Leadership Team (DLT). This indicates a strategic reporting line, with direct access to senior decision-makers and a broad scope of influence beyond a single team. The rotational nature of the CoP Lead position also suggests potential for movement within leadership roles or back into senior individual contributor roles after the tenure.

Operations Impact: The Community of Practice Lead is instrumental in shaping the "future of design at LBG," directly impacting how products and services are conceived, designed, and delivered. This role drives "impact at scale" by ensuring that design research is cutting-edge, consistently applied, and maximally effective, thereby contributing to customer satisfaction, product innovation, and ultimately, business success. The role's success is measured by its ability to "unlock new opportunities for growth across capability, culture, and craft."

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: The CoP Lead role itself is a significant leadership development opportunity, offering experience in strategy, team building, and influencing organizational change.
• Specialization & Depth: After the 1-2 year rotation, individuals can continue their journey as a permanent Senior Design Researcher, deepening their expertise or moving into other senior design leadership roles.
• Cross-functional Exposure: Extensive collaboration with Product, Engineering, and BMX teams provides broad exposure to different facets of the business, enhancing overall understanding and career options.
• Industry Networking: The role encourages forging connections with external design and tech communities, offering opportunities for professional networking and staying abreast of industry advancements.
• Mentorship & Skill Enhancement: Opportunities to mentor junior researchers and design and deliver learning experiences accelerate both technical and leadership skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The rotational aspect of this role is a key growth mechanism, designed to provide varied leadership experiences and prevent stagnation. It signals a company that invests in developing its talent by offering diverse challenges and opportunities for skill expansion within specialized operational domains like design research.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Working Model. Employees are expected to spend at least two days per week, or 40% of their time, at one of the designated office sites. This balances in-person collaboration with remote flexibility. Office Location(s): Manchester (Westminster House), Bristol, Leeds, Halifax, or Edinburgh. These are major UK cities, offering good accessibility and professional infrastructure.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The hybrid model necessitates well-equipped office spaces designed for collaboration, team meetings, and focused work, supporting the CoP's need for interaction.
• Technology & Tools: As part of a large financial institution, expect a robust technology stack and access to modern tools essential for design research, collaboration, and communication.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with fellow Design Researchers, Design Leadership, and cross-functional teams within the office environment will foster a strong sense of community and facilitate knowledge exchange.
• Flexible Arrangements: Beyond hybrid working, options like Job Share are available, indicating a commitment to accommodating diverse working styles and needs.

Work Schedule: 35 hours per week, full-time. While the core hours are standard, the hybrid nature and emphasis on flexible working suggest a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule to balance project demands with personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model and multiple office locations cater to a modern workforce while maintaining essential in-person collaboration. For operations roles, this environment typically supports structured workdays with opportunities for focused analysis and collaborative problem-solving, facilitated by access to necessary technology and a supportive team structure.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application and CV to assess alignment with the required skills and experience.
• Hiring Manager/Leadership Interview: Likely to focus on your strategic vision, leadership philosophy, experience in building communities, and understanding of design research at scale. Expect questions about your approach to mentoring, driving change, and influencing stakeholders.
• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present selected case studies from your portfolio. This is crucial for demonstrating your practical experience, problem-solving skills, and ability to articulate impact.
• Team/Peer Interviews: You may meet with other Senior Design Researchers or members of the Design Delivery Practice to assess cultural fit, collaborative style, and technical depth.
• Final Round/Senior Leadership Interview: A final discussion to confirm alignment with the company's strategic objectives and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the research methodologies employed, the key insights derived, and most importantly, the tangible business or user impact. Quantify results wherever possible.
• Highlight Process Optimization: Include examples of how you've improved research processes, standardized methodologies, or implemented new tools. This demonstrates your understanding of operations and efficiency.
• Demonstrate Community Building: If possible, include examples of initiatives where you've fostered collaboration, shared knowledge, or mentored others.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize experiences relevant to leading a Community of Practice – your ability to inspire, mentor, influence, and drive standardization.
• Presentation Clarity: Ensure your presentation is clear, concise, and engaging. Practice your narrative and be prepared to answer detailed questions about your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Thinking: Be prepared to discuss your vision for design research at Lloyds Banking Group and how you would approach establishing and growing the Community of Practice.
• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate hypothetical scenarios related to challenges in research operations, team engagement, or driving adoption of new practices.
• Stakeholder Management: Think about how you would engage with and influence various stakeholders, from individual researchers to senior leadership.
• Metrics & Measurement: Be ready to discuss how you would measure the success and impact of the Community of Practice and its initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and case studies is standard for senior design roles. For this specific CoP Lead position, the portfolio should go beyond individual research projects to demonstrate experience in operationalizing design research, fostering communities, and driving strategic change through standardized practices and talent development.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools: While not explicitly listed, a Senior Design Researcher and CoP Lead at a financial institution would typically leverage a range of tools for:

• Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics).
• Collaboration & Whiteboarding: Miro, Mural, Confluence, Jira.
• Design & Prototyping (for context): Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD.
• Data Analysis & Visualization: Excel, Tableau, Power BI, specialized qualitative analysis software (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for analyzing user behavior data, survey results, and feedback.
• Platforms for creating dashboards and reports to communicate research impact to leadership.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM, understanding how design research insights feed into customer journey mapping and product development processes that integrate with CRM systems is beneficial.
• Automation tools may be relevant for research operations, such as scheduling tools or survey distribution platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: Although specific tools aren't mentioned, the role's nature implies proficiency in a broad spectrum of research, collaboration, and data analysis tools. A candidate's ability to adapt to and integrate new technologies for research operations and knowledge management would be a significant asset.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value at Lloyds Banking Group, driving all design and research efforts towards meeting customer needs and improving their experience.
• Integrity: Upholding high ethical standards in research practices and in all business dealings, crucial in the regulated financial services sector.
• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working together across teams and departments to achieve shared goals, as evidenced by the cross-functional partnerships required.
• Innovation: Encouraging new ideas, experimentation, and the adoption of cutting-edge practices to stay ahead in a competitive market.
• Inclusion & Diversity: Dedication to building a workforce that reflects society and fostering an environment where everyone feels they belong and can be their best.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Expected to forge strong partnerships with Product, Engineering, and Marketing teams, working collaboratively to integrate research insights into product development and strategic planning.
• Knowledge Sharing: The Community of Practice model inherently promotes a culture of sharing best practices, learnings, and challenges among peers.
• Feedback-Driven: A culture that values constructive feedback for continuous improvement, both for individual growth and for refining research processes and methodologies.
• Strategic Alignment: Collaboration will focus on aligning design research efforts with broader business objectives and the Group's purpose of helping Britain prosper.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values and emphasis on collaboration are critical for understanding how the Design Delivery Practice operates and how a CoP Lead can effectively integrate into its culture. A candidate's ability to demonstrate alignment with these values will be key during the interview process.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Best Practices: Ensuring consistent adoption of high-quality design research practices across a large and diverse organization with multiple teams and projects.
• Driving Cultural Change: Shifting mindsets and embedding a deeper appreciation for design research's strategic value among stakeholders who may not be design-centric.
• Measuring Impact: Effectively quantifying and communicating the ROI of design research initiatives and the Community of Practice itself to justify investment and demonstrate value.
• Balancing Strategy and Execution: Navigating the dual demands of setting a visionary strategy for the CoP while also overseeing its practical implementation and day-to-day operations.
• Rotational Role Management: Successfully transitioning into and out of the CoP Lead role, ensuring continuity and building lasting impact within the specified tenure.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Acumen: Developing advanced leadership, strategic planning, and change management skills through direct experience leading a CoP.
• Methodology Expertise: Deepening knowledge of emerging design research trends, tools, and operational frameworks, and potentially influencing their adoption.
• Industry Engagement: Building a professional network and staying current with best practices by engaging with external design and tech communities.
• Cross-Functional Understanding: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of how design research integrates with product management, engineering, and marketing functions within a large financial institution.
• Mentorship & Coaching: Honing mentorship and coaching skills by developing and supporting other design researchers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the operational complexities of implementing strategic initiatives in a large enterprise. Addressing these challenges requires strong operational planning, change management skills, and a proactive approach to problem-solving, all of which are valuable for operations professionals.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your vision for a world-class Design Research Community of Practice within a large financial institution like Lloyds Banking Group. What would be your key priorities in the first 90 days?" (Focus on strategic roadmap, stakeholder buy-in, and initial operational setup).
• "How would you measure the success and impact of this Community of Practice? What key metrics would you track, and how would you communicate this value to senior leadership?" (Emphasize data-driven approach, ROI, and reporting strategies).
• "How do you balance the need for standardized processes with the desire for individual researcher autonomy and creativity? Provide an example of a process you've standardized and the rationale behind it." (Discuss operational efficiency vs. innovation, and provide a concrete case study).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Lloyds Banking Group's purpose and values, and how do you see them influencing your role as a Community of Practice Lead?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent initiatives, linking them to design research and operational excellence).
• "How would you foster a culture of continuous learning and experimentation within the design research team, especially in a hybrid work environment?" (Discuss practical strategies for knowledge sharing, feedback mechanisms, and creating psychological safety).
• "Describe a time you had to influence senior stakeholders who were resistant to adopting new research methodologies or processes. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a STAR method answer focusing on persuasion, data, and relationship-building).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the Problem, Your Role, Actions Taken (Research Process, Tools, Methodologies), Results (Insights, Impact), and Lessons Learned.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use numbers and data to showcase the tangible outcomes of your research (e.g., "improved conversion by X%", "reduced customer effort by Y%", "informed a product strategy that generated Z revenue").
• Highlight Operational Aspects: Emphasize any contributions you made to improving research processes, standardizing methodologies, or implementing new tools. This is key for a CoP Lead role.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology choices, decision-making process, and how you handled specific challenges encountered during research.
• Showcase Community/Mentorship Experience: If you have examples of mentoring, training, or facilitating knowledge sharing, be ready to discuss them, as this is central to the CoP Lead function.

📝 Enhancement Note: Tailoring interview preparation to the specific operational and leadership demands of a Community of Practice Lead role is crucial. The questions should probe not only research expertise but also strategic thinking, change management, and the ability to operationalize best practices across a large organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Design Researcher (Community of Practice Lead) position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal. Ensure your CV highlights relevant experience in Design Research, leadership, and any experience related to establishing or contributing to communities of practice.
• Tailor your CV and Cover Letter: Emphasize your strategic vision, leadership capabilities, and experience in driving operational improvements within design research. Use keywords from the job description such as "Community of Practice," "Design Research," "Experience Design," "Leadership," "Agility," and "Data-Driven."
• Prepare your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your research expertise, problem-solving skills, and, crucially, your experience in process improvement, standardization, and fostering collaboration. Be ready to present these effectively, focusing on impact and operational contributions.
• Research Lloyds Banking Group: Understand the company's purpose, values, and recent strategic initiatives. Consider how your role as a CoP Lead can contribute to their broader goals, such as helping Britain prosper.
• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare for behavioral and situational questions using the STAR method, focusing on examples that demonstrate your leadership, strategic thinking, operational acumen, and ability to drive change.

⚠️ 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.