Sr. Manager, UX User Research

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Manager, UX User Research

Company: Fidelity Investments

Location: Smithfield, RI | Jersey City, NJ | Merrimack, NH

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Research & Strategy

Date Posted: March 2, 2026

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

Remote Status: Hybrid (On-site 2 days per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute comprehensive user research initiatives to inform the UX vision for critical Fidelity Institutional marketing websites.

• Drive strategic decisions by translating complex user insights into actionable recommendations that enhance digital client engagement and business outcomes.

• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, design, and analytics, to ensure a cohesive and impactful digital experience strategy.

• Utilize a blend of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to identify user needs, pain points, and opportunities for innovation in digital platforms.

• Shape the future of institutional client engagement by advocating for user-centered design principles and ensuring digital interactions align with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Sr. Manager, UX User Research," the description emphasizes informing strategy and improving digital interactions for institutional clients. This suggests a role that bridges deep research expertise with strategic influence, crucial for operations professionals focused on Go-To-Market (GTM) effectiveness and customer journey optimization. The focus on marketing websites indicates a strong connection to lead generation, customer acquisition, and retention strategies within an operations framework.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth qualitative and quantitative user research, including usability testing, heuristic evaluations, journey mapping, and persona development, to uncover deep user needs and behaviors.

• Interpret website analytics data to identify trends, pinpoint areas for UX improvement, and prioritize opportunities that drive measurable business impact.

• Develop and inform the creation of key UX artifacts, such as wireframes, journey maps, and user flows, to visualize and communicate user experiences and proposed solutions.

• Design and manage end-to-end research validation activities, encompassing study design, participant recruitment, research execution across various platforms, and data synthesis.

• Effectively communicate research findings and strategic recommendations to diverse audiences, including senior leadership, product owners, designers, and marketing stakeholders, using clear and compelling formats.

• Partner closely with business partners, product owners, designers, and analytics teams to clarify project goals and collaboratively inform experience strategy.

• Support digital marketing, personalization, and lead-generation initiatives by providing user insights that optimize conversion rates and customer acquisition funnels.

• Rapidly learn and master new research platforms and tools to enhance research capabilities and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on data interpretation (website analytics), strategic influence (informing UX vision and strategy), and cross-functional collaboration. This is highly relevant for operations roles that rely on data to optimize processes, inform GTM strategies, and work with various departments to achieve business goals. The mention of "lead-generation environments" directly connects this role to revenue-driving operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in user research, with a focus on digital platforms and strategy development.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in qualitative user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, usability testing, ethnographic research).

• Proficiency in quantitative user research methods (e.g., surveys, A/B testing analysis, website analytics interpretation).

• Strong skills in heuristic evaluations, journey mapping, and persona development.

• Ability to interpret website analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to identify user needs and prioritize UX opportunities.

• Experience in creating and informing UX artifacts, including wireframes, journey maps, and user flows.

• Skilled in designing research studies, coordinating participant recruitment, and managing research platforms.

• Excellent synthesis and communication skills, with the ability to present complex findings clearly to various stakeholder groups.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (marketing, product, design, analytics).

• Familiarity with digital marketing, personalization, and lead-generation environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with advanced data analysis and statistical techniques.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and their integration with UX research processes.

• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new research platforms and technologies.

• Experience in the financial services or institutional investment industry.

• Strong understanding of SEO principles and their impact on user acquisition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are highly transferable to operations roles, particularly those involving customer journey analysis, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional project management. The emphasis on analytics interpretation, wireframing, and user flows directly supports operations' need to visualize and optimize processes. Proficiency in Figma is a plus for roles that might involve process mapping or workflow visualization.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 impactful UX research projects demonstrating end-to-end research execution, from planning and recruitment to synthesis and recommendation.

• Include examples of how user insights directly influenced product strategy, UX design decisions, or business outcomes (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction, reduced task completion times).

• Provide evidence of utilizing a range of research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) and explain the rationale for choosing specific methods for each project.

• Detail your role and contributions within each project, especially in collaborative team settings, highlighting your ability to work with designers, product managers, and marketers.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in documenting research plans, methodologies, participant recruitment strategies, and findings in a clear, organized, and repeatable manner.

• Examples of how you’ve contributed to or developed UX best practices, guidelines, or frameworks within a team or organization.

• Evidence of creating and refining user journey maps, personas, or other UX artifacts that serve as foundational documents for strategy and design.

• Showcase how you’ve used research insights to inform or iterate on website analytics tracking and reporting to better capture user behavior and conversion data.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, a portfolio showcasing process optimization, data analysis leading to measurable improvements, and cross-functional project management is critical. This section emphasizes demonstrating how research (akin to data analysis in operations) leads to tangible business outcomes, which is a core requirement for any operations role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $85,000 - $171,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health care coverage.

• Emotional well-being support programs.

• Market-leading retirement savings plans.

• Generous paid time off (PTO).

• Comprehensive parental leave policies.

• Charitable giving employee match program.

• Educational assistance, including:

  • Student loan repayment support.
  • Tuition reimbursement.

Working Hours:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• Hybrid work arrangement requiring 2 days per week in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior Manager role in UX Research, reflecting the strategic nature of the position. The comprehensive benefits package, especially educational assistance and student loan repayment, is highly attractive for professionals looking for long-term career growth and financial well-being, aligning with operations' focus on efficiency and employee retention. The hybrid model provides a blend of flexibility and in-person collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Investment Management)

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Fidelity Investments is a global leader with tens of thousands of employees). This size implies established processes, significant resources, and opportunities for impact across broad initiatives.

Founded: 1946. A long history suggests stability, deep domain expertise, and a culture that values tradition alongside innovation.

Team Structure:

• Part of the Fidelity Institutional Marketing organization, specifically within the Digital User Experience team.

• This team supports a broad range of institutional clients, indicating a focus on B2B engagement and complex client needs.

• Operates with a high degree of cross-functional collaboration, working closely with marketing, product, technology, and analytics departments.

Methodology:

• Commitment to a culture of learning, mobility, and collaboration.

• Emphasis on delivering relevant, data-based digital experiences.

• Strives for an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives.

• Focus on empowering individuals to grow, contribute, and make an impact.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Fidelity's established presence in financial services means operations roles often involve navigating complex regulatory environments and working with sophisticated data systems. The emphasis on data-based experiences and collaboration is key for operations professionals who need to leverage data for strategic decision-making and work across departments to implement GTM strategies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Manager, UX User Research. This role is a leadership position requiring significant expertise and the ability to guide strategic direction. It sits at a level where individual contribution, strategic thinking, and team influence are expected.

Reporting Structure:

• Likely reports to a Director or VP within the Fidelity Institutional Marketing organization or a dedicated UX/Product leadership role.

Operations Impact:

• Directly impacts revenue generation and client acquisition/retention by optimizing the digital experience for institutional clients.

• Influences strategic decisions related to website development, content strategy, and digital engagement models, which are critical components of sales and marketing operations.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies, financial industry UX, or digital marketing optimization.

• Leadership: Transition into Director-level roles overseeing larger UX research teams or broader UX strategy functions.

• Cross-Functional Moves: Leverage insights and stakeholder relationships to move into Product Management, Marketing Strategy, or GTM Operations roles.

• Skill Development: Access to Fidelity's extensive learning resources, tuition reimbursement, and mentorship programs to acquire new skills in areas like data science, advanced analytics, or digital strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations candidates, this role offers a pathway to influence GTM strategy through a user-centric lens. The growth opportunities emphasize developing strategic leadership and cross-functional expertise, which are fundamental for advancing in operations roles that require influencing broader business direction.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. Associates are expected to work onsite approximately two days per week, alternating between in-office and remote work. This model aims to balance in-person collaboration with individual focus.

Office Location(s):

• Smithfield, RI

• Jersey City, NJ

• Merrimack, NH

Candidates can be based in any of these locations, with the expectation of adhering to the hybrid schedule for their designated office.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is collaborative, requiring close interaction with marketing, product, design, and analytics teams.

• Access to a range of digital tools and platforms for research, collaboration, and communication.

• Opportunities for regular engagement with peers and leadership to share insights, discuss strategies, and receive feedback.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• The hybrid schedule allows for some flexibility, but core working hours will likely be aligned with team needs and business operations, particularly for real-time collaboration and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment requires strong self-management and communication skills, essential for operations roles that often involve remote collaboration and independent project execution. The focus on digital tools and iterative improvement aligns with the operational need for efficiency and technological adaptability.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and alignment with the role and company culture.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your experience, research philosophy, strategic thinking, and leadership potential. Expect questions about your approach to complex research challenges.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A critical stage where you will present a selection of your most impactful UX research projects. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your process, insights, and the business impact of your work.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from marketing, product, design, and analytics teams to assess collaboration skills, communication effectiveness, and ability to integrate research into their workflows.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership capabilities, and overall fit within Fidelity's broader organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your ability to drive strategic impact, handle complex challenges, and work effectively in a B2B/institutional client context. Prioritize projects with clear, measurable business outcomes.

• Tell a Story: For each project, frame it as a narrative: the problem, your approach (methodology and rationale), the key insights, the strategic recommendations, and the resulting impact (quantified where possible).

• Highlight Collaboration: Explicitly discuss how you partnered with other teams (marketing, product, design, analytics) and how your research informed their work and decision-making.

• Demonstrate Process: Be ready to walk through your research process step-by-step, explaining your methods, tools, and how you synthesized data.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify the business impact of your research whenever possible (e.g., "led to a 15% increase in lead conversion," "reduced user errors by 20%").

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a practical exercise or case study that might involve analyzing a dataset, evaluating a website's UX, or outlining a research plan for a given scenario relevant to Fidelity Institutional.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially under time constraints.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific research problem within the financial services domain, considering the unique needs of institutional clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: Operations professionals should prepare to demonstrate how their analytical skills translate into actionable strategies and measurable results, much like a UX researcher. The emphasis on storytelling, impact quantification, and cross-functional collaboration is directly applicable to operations interviews.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Experience with various platforms for conducting remote usability testing, surveys, and participant recruitment (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).

• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in Figma for informing wireframes, user flows, and collaborating with design teams.

• Analytics & Reporting:

  • Website Analytics Tools: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms for interpreting user behavior and performance metrics.
  • Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI, or similar for presenting data insights.

• Collaboration Tools: Familiarity with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for team communication and project management.

• CRM & Automation: While not direct requirements, understanding how UX research impacts CRM data and marketing automation workflows is beneficial. Familiarity with enterprise CRMs like Salesforce or marketing automation platforms like Marketo could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, proficiency in CRM, marketing automation, analytics, and data visualization tools is paramount. While this role focuses on UX research tools, the ability to interpret data from analytics platforms and understand how UX impacts CRM and automation systems is a strong transferable skill for operations candidates.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental belief that understanding and prioritizing user needs is crucial for business success. This aligns with operations' focus on customer experience and feedback loops.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A commitment to using data and research insights to guide strategy and measure impact, mirroring operations' reliance on metrics and KPIs.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing strong working relationships with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals, reflecting the collaborative nature of GTM and RevOps.

• Continuous Improvement: A drive to constantly learn, iterate, and optimize experiences based on feedback and performance data, a core tenet of operations' efficiency focus.

• Impact & Accountability: A focus on delivering tangible business results and taking ownership of outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with marketing, product, design, and analytics.

• Emphasis on clear communication, shared understanding of goals, and mutual respect for diverse expertise.

• Researchers are expected to actively contribute to strategic discussions and influence outcomes through their insights.

• A culture of open feedback and iterative refinement of strategies and experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: Operations professionals embody similar values: data-driven approaches, cross-functional collaboration, continuous process improvement, and a focus on measurable business impact. Demonstrating alignment with these values will resonate strongly with the hiring team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic Influence with Execution: Effectively translating deep research insights into actionable strategies that resonate with diverse stakeholders and drive tangible business results within a large organization.

• Navigating Complex Institutional Client Needs: Understanding and researching the unique, often sophisticated, needs of institutional clients (consultants, plan sponsors, advisors) for B2B platforms.

• Integrating Research into Fast-Paced Marketing Cycles: Ensuring research findings are delivered in a timely manner to inform rapidly evolving digital marketing campaigns and website updates.

• Measuring the ROI of UX Research: Quantifying the direct business impact of UX research initiatives to demonstrate value and secure continued investment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative research methods.

• Financial Services Domain Expertise: Deepen understanding of the investment management industry and its specific client needs.

• Strategic Leadership: Develop skills in influencing senior leadership and shaping organizational strategy through user-centered insights.

• Cross-Functional Skill Acquisition: Gain exposure to marketing strategy, product development, and analytics to broaden your expertise.

• Formal Training: Access to Fidelity's robust learning resources, including courses, certifications, and workshops.

📝 Enhancement Note: Operations roles often face similar challenges in demonstrating ROI, integrating with fast-paced sales/marketing cycles, and understanding complex customer segments. The growth opportunities in leadership and cross-functional expertise are directly applicable to career advancement in operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used user research to significantly impact a product strategy or business outcome. What was your process, and what were the results?" (Prepare a detailed case study emphasizing impact and your strategic contribution.)

• "How would you approach identifying and researching the needs of institutional clients for a complex financial platform like Fidelity's?" (Focus on B2B research methods, understanding stakeholder needs, and navigating industry specifics.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Fidelity Investments, and why are you interested in working with institutional clients in the financial services sector?" (Research Fidelity's market position, values, and recent initiatives. Connect your interest to their mission.)

• "How do you ensure your research findings are effectively communicated and acted upon by stakeholders from different departments (e.g., marketing, product, engineering)?" (Discuss your communication strategies, stakeholder management skills, and experience with influencing cross-functional teams.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the business problem, your research objectives, the methodology you employed (and why), your key findings, the strategic recommendations you made, and the measurable business impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your recommendations. Operations professionals excel at this, so leverage that strength.

• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight how you partnered with other teams, integrated their feedback, and ensured your research was actionable for them.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your methodology, data analysis, challenges encountered, and how you handled conflicting insights.

• Tailor to Fidelity: If possible, subtly weave in how your approach aligns with Fidelity's focus on institutional clients and the financial services industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: Operations candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with data analysis, process optimization, cross-functional collaboration, and driving measurable business outcomes. Frame your interview responses to highlight these transferable skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Manager, UX User Research position:

• Submit your application through the Fidelity Investments careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Prepare a digital portfolio highlighting 3-4 key UX research projects. Focus on projects demonstrating strategic impact, diverse methodologies, and measurable business outcomes (e.g., improved conversion rates, enhanced user engagement for lead generation).

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your experience with qualitative and quantitative research, website analytics interpretation, UX artifact creation, cross-functional collaboration, and any experience in digital marketing or lead-generation environments. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio projects using a clear narrative structure (problem, approach, insights, impact). Prepare to discuss your strategic thinking, collaboration skills, and how you measure research ROI, drawing parallels to operational efficiency and business impact.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Fidelity Investments, their Institutional division, and their approach to digital client engagement. Understand their market position and potential challenges within the financial services industry.

⚠️ 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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