UX Research Manager - Mercari Marketplace

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Research Manager - Mercari Marketplace
Company: Mercari, inc.
Location: Minato City, Tokyo, Japan
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: User Experience (UX) Research Operations / Product Research
Date Posted: 2025-10-06
Experience Level: 5-10 years
Remote Status: On-site (Hybrid flexibility implied by "Full flextime")

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute comprehensive UX research initiatives to drive user-centric product development and business growth within the Mercari Marketplace.
• Translate complex research findings into actionable insights and strategic recommendations for product teams, business leaders, and senior management.
• Foster a company-wide user-centric perspective by effectively communicating research insights and advocating for user needs across all departments.
• Leverage AI and advanced research methodologies to enhance research operations and develop innovative learning content.
• Take ownership of research strategy formulation, aligning with the business roadmap and contributing to the establishment of new businesses from a research standpoint.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is listed as "On-site," the description mentions "Full flextime (no core time)," suggesting a hybrid or flexible on-site arrangement that allows for significant autonomy in scheduling, which is common for senior operations roles. The category has been broadened to "UX Research Operations / Product Research" to encompass the strategic, cross-functional, and process-oriented aspects of the role, aligning with typical operations functions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Research Planning: Develop and execute comprehensive research strategies aligned with Mercari's business roadmap, identifying key opportunities for user experience enhancement and business growth.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product management, design, engineering, data analysis, and marketing teams to ensure user insights inform product development cycles and strategic initiatives.
• Research Execution: Plan, conduct, and analyze both qualitative (interviews, field surveys, diary studies) and quantitative (surveys) research to identify user pain points, needs, and market opportunities.
• Insight Communication & Advocacy: Effectively communicate research findings, user personas, and actionable recommendations to diverse stakeholders, including business leaders and senior management, to drive data-informed decision-making.
• User-Centric Culture Building: Champion a user-centric mindset across the organization by disseminating research insights, developing user education materials, and potentially leveraging AI for research operations.
• Process Improvement & Innovation: Continuously evaluate and improve research methodologies, tools, and processes, including exploring AI applications for research efficiency and effectiveness.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Potentially guide and mentor junior researchers, and contribute to building research capabilities within the organization.
• Strategic Business Impact: Contribute to business strategy by identifying new business opportunities and driving product/service improvements based on deep user understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been expanded to reflect the managerial scope, including strategic planning, cross-functional leadership, and the emphasis on building organizational capabilities, which are critical for a manager-level operations role. The mention of "AI 활용한 리서치의 추진 (e.g., ResearchOps, development of learning content)" strongly indicates a need for process optimization and operational efficiency in research.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in fields such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Market Research, or a related quantitative or qualitative discipline is highly beneficial.
Experience: 5+ years of practical experience in service or product-related research, with a proven track record of driving product and service improvements through collaborative projects.

Required Skills:

• Shared belief in Mercari Group's mission and values: Demonstrated alignment with the company's core principles, particularly regarding value circulation and unleashing potential.
• End-to-End Research Proficiency: Ability to autonomously manage the entire research lifecycle, from defining research issues to planning, execution, analysis, and comprehensive reporting.
• Diverse Research Methodologies: Expertise in a range of research methods including interviews, surveys, field studies, diary studies, concept testing, usability testing, and post-market retrospectives.
• Stakeholder Communication & Decision Support: Skill in presenting analysis results in a clear, concise, and actionable manner that enables stakeholders to make informed decisions.
• User Empathy & Curiosity: A deep, ingrained curiosity and a strong capacity for empathy to genuinely understand and represent the user perspective.
• Collaborative Project Experience: Proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams (product, design, engineering, data) on service and product improvement initiatives.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to identify fundamental issues by questioning existing frameworks and achievements.

Preferred Skills:

• Research Strategy Formulation: Ability to design and implement research strategies that directly support and achieve the business roadmap.
• Executive Communication: Experience in reporting to and engaging in strategic discussions with business leaders and senior management.
• Team Leadership & Organization Building: Experience in people management and building research functions or teams.
• Adjacent Field Experience: Background in product design, product management, engineering, or data analysis, providing a broader perspective on product development.
• Workshop Facilitation: Skill in designing and leading workshops to foster collaboration and generate insights.
• Data Extraction & Analysis: Proficiency in using SQL for data extraction and compilation to support research.
• Rich Life Experience: A broad range of life experiences that contribute to a deeper understanding of diverse user needs and market dynamics.
• Language Proficiency: Japanese: C1 (Advanced), English: A2 (Elementary).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required Skills" section explicitly mentions critical operations-related attributes like "autonomously carry out the entire process" and "ability to communicate analysis results in a way that allows stakeholders to make decisions," highlighting the operational rigor expected. The preferred skills like "formulate research strategies" and "reporting to and holding discussions with business leaders" underscore the strategic, GTM-aligned impact of this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Project Process Documentation: Provide detailed documentation showcasing the end-to-end process of projects you have led or significantly contributed to. This should include problem definition, research planning, methodology selection, execution steps, analysis, and reporting.
• Role and Scope Clarity: Clearly delineate your specific role, responsibilities, and scope of influence within each presented project, demonstrating ownership and impact.
• Impact Demonstration: Showcase how your research insights and recommendations led to tangible improvements in services, products, or business outcomes. Quantify impact where possible.
• Methodology Diversity: Present a portfolio that reflects experience with a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods, demonstrating adaptability and breadth of skill.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Illustrate how you have designed or optimized research workflows to improve efficiency, quality, or speed of insight generation.
• Systematic Approach: Demonstrate a systematic approach to research planning, execution, and analysis, ensuring rigor and reproducibility.
• Insight Synthesis & Dissemination: Show examples of how you have synthesized complex data from various sources into clear, actionable insights and effectively communicated them to drive organizational understanding and action.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "materials that show the process of projects you have worked on, as well as your role and scope of responsibility" is a direct requirement for a portfolio that showcases operational execution and accountability, a key differentiator for operations roles. This section has been tailored to reflect the need for process demonstration and impact measurement.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the location (Minato City, Tokyo, Japan), experience level (5-10 years), and managerial scope, a competitive salary range for a UX Research Manager in Japan would typically fall between JPY 8,000,000 to JPY 14,000,000 annually. This range can vary based on specific qualifications, negotiation, and Mercari's internal compensation bands.

Benefits:

• Flexible Work Arrangements: Full flextime system with no core time, offering significant autonomy in managing work hours and personal commitments.
• Comprehensive Health & Welfare: Standard Japanese employment benefits including health insurance, pension, and employment insurance.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, skill enhancement, and potential for participation in workshops, seminars, and industry events.
• Employee Stock Ownership/Bonuses: Potential for performance-based bonuses or stock options, aligned with company and individual performance.
• Work Environment: Access to a modern office in Roppongi, fostering a collaborative and innovative workspace.

Working Hours: Full flextime, with no core time or flexible time. This implies a high degree of autonomy, where employees are expected to manage their workload and deliver results within the framework of full-time employment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on general market data for UX Research Manager roles in Tokyo, Japan, factoring in experience level and the specific responsibilities outlined. The "Full flextime (no core time)" is interpreted as a strong indicator of a flexible, results-oriented work environment beneficial for operations roles that often require deep focus.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: E-commerce / Online Marketplace (specifically C2C and potentially B2C)
Company Size: Large (Mercari Group has a significant global presence, with thousands of employees across various entities and offices).
Founded: 2013. Mercari was founded with a vision to circulate value and unleash potential, growing into a major player in the global e-commerce landscape.

Team Structure:

• Marketplace Unit: The role sits within the Mercari Marketplace unit, which is described as the "last frontier for creating and maximizing value for our users, and increasing the business’s likelihood of success."
• Reporting: The UX Research Manager will likely report to a higher-level Product or UX leadership role within the Marketplace organization.
• Cross-Functional Integration: The team operates with a high degree of cross-functional collaboration, working closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data Analysis, and Marketing.

Methodology:

• User-Centricity: A core methodology is to "always consider the value of the user experience provided, and strive to offer various forms of value."
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on identifying issues through quantitative and qualitative research and using these insights to inform proposals for business, product, and initiative success.
• Agile & Iterative: Implied by the nature of e-commerce product development, with a focus on continuous improvement and adapting to user needs.
• Innovation & Experimentation: Encouragement to "doubt existing frameworks and achievements and identify the fundamental issues that need to be solved," fostering an environment for bold challenges and innovation.

Company Website: https://careers.mercari.com/en/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is deeply rooted in its mission and values, emphasizing user value, autonomy, and continuous improvement. The "Methodology" section has been inferred from the "Mindsets that guide our actions" and "Work Responsibilities" to highlight the operational approach to research and product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Managerial-level role within the UX Research discipline, indicating a significant level of responsibility for strategy, execution, and potentially team leadership. It sits at the intersection of deep user insight and strategic business development.
Reporting Structure: The UX Research Manager will report to a senior leader, likely within the Product or Design organization, and will collaborate extensively with Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Data Analysts.
Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on Mercari's business strategy by identifying opportunities, validating product direction, and ensuring the user experience drives customer acquisition, retention, and overall marketplace success. The ability to influence business strategy and establish new businesses from a research standpoint highlights its strategic operational importance.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to build and lead a UX research team, develop organizational research capabilities, and take on broader leadership responsibilities.
• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the strategic direction of Mercari's marketplace offerings by providing critical user insights that influence business decisions and new ventures.
• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Expansion: Exposure to various business functions (product management, engineering, data analysis) can broaden skill sets beyond traditional UX research.
• Industry Impact: Contribute to a leading e-commerce platform, gaining experience in a dynamic and innovative market.
• Role Expansion: The role encourages "expanding and shaping your own role," offering a unique opportunity to define and grow responsibilities beyond standard UX research.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the managerial and strategic aspects of the role, emphasizing its operational contribution to business growth and the potential for career advancement within Mercari. The "Role Expansion" point is a direct quote that signifies a growth-oriented environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Roppongi, Tokyo - a modern, likely collaborative office environment designed to facilitate teamwork and innovation.
Office Location(s): Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo, Japan. This is a well-known business district, accessible and central.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office space is expected to foster collaboration, with opportunities for in-person discussions, workshops, and brainstorming sessions with cross-functional teams.
• Resource Availability: Access to necessary tools, technology, and potentially dedicated research facilities or equipment.
• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to interact with UX researchers, product managers, designers, and engineers, creating a dynamic and integrated work environment.

Work Schedule: Full flextime with no core time. This offers a high degree of autonomy, allowing individuals to structure their workdays around peak productivity and collaboration needs, while ensuring full-time commitment and delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Workspace Context" has been inferred based on typical modern office environments for tech companies in major cities, emphasizing collaboration and resource availability crucial for operations roles. The flexible work schedule is highlighted as a key environmental factor.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Screening: Initial review of applications, with a mandatory portfolio submission.
• Portfolio Review: A critical step where candidates' project documentation, role clarity, and impact demonstration will be assessed for operational rigor and strategic contribution.
• Skill Assessment (Potential): Depending on the role, a skill assessment (e.g., case study, exercise) may be required to evaluate practical research and analytical capabilities.
• Interviews: Multiple rounds of interviews to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, leadership potential, and in-depth understanding of UX research principles and operations. This will likely involve discussions with peers, managers, and potentially senior leadership.
• Reference Check: Online reference checks will be conducted around the final interview stage.
• Offer: Final decision based on interview performance and reference checks.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly show the "why" (problem), "how" (process/methodology), and "what" (results/impact) of your projects.
• Quantify Achievements: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., "led to a 15% increase in conversion," "reduced user errors by 20%").
• Highlight Your Role: Be explicit about your contributions, especially in collaborative projects. Use "I" statements for your direct actions and "we" for team efforts.
• Showcase Process Rigor: Demonstrate your systematic approach to research planning, execution, and analysis. Explain your methodology choices and why they were appropriate.
• Tailor to Mercari: While general principles apply, subtly align your portfolio examples with Mercari's mission (value circulation, unleashing potential) and marketplace context where relevant.
• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate and understand. Avoid jargon where possible, or explain it clearly.

Challenge Preparation:

• Simulated Research Scenarios: Be prepared for potential case studies or exercises that simulate real-world research challenges, requiring you to outline a research plan, methodology, or analyze mock data.
• Strategic Thinking: Practice articulating how research insights can directly influence business strategy, product roadmaps, and new business initiatives.
• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare to explain complex research findings to non-researchers (e.g., executives, product managers) in a clear, concise, and actionable manner.
• Ethical Considerations: Be ready to discuss ethical decision-making in research, especially concerning user privacy and data handling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review tips are tailored to emphasize the operational aspects of research management, focusing on process, impact, and strategic contribution, which are key for operations roles. The mention of mandatory portfolio submission is a critical operational requirement.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Familiarity with various survey tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms), interview scheduling tools, and potentially specialized qualitative research platforms.
• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for day-to-day communication and team collaboration.
• Project Management Software: Experience with tools such as Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for managing research projects and timelines.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Software: Ability to analyze quantitative data, potentially using statistical software or advanced spreadsheet functions.
• Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced Excel for creating clear and impactful data visualizations.
• CRM & User Data: Understanding of how to access and interpret data from CRM systems or user databases to inform research.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a primary CRM role, understanding how user data is managed in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) can be beneficial for context.
• AI & Automation Tools: Experience or interest in leveraging AI for research operations (e.g., AI-assisted transcription, sentiment analysis, research ops platforms) is a strong plus.
• SQL: Preferred skill for data extraction and compilation to support research initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section highlights tools and technologies that support efficient and effective research operations, including data analysis, reporting, and project management tools. The inclusion of SQL and AI/automation tools reflects modern operational efficiency demands.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity & Empathy: A fundamental value is deeply understanding and advocating for the user, ensuring their needs are at the forefront of all decisions.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Commitment to using research and data to inform strategy and drive impactful outcomes, rather than relying on assumptions.
• Collaboration & Transparency: An emphasis on working effectively with diverse teams, sharing insights openly, and fostering a transparent environment for decision-making.
• Autonomy & Ownership: Encouraging individuals to take ownership of their work, drive initiatives autonomously, and proactively identify and solve problems.
• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of constantly questioning existing practices, seeking better ways to conduct research, and enhancing user experiences and business processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working as a strategic partner with product, design, and engineering teams, providing critical insights to guide their efforts.
• Facilitation: Acting as a facilitator in discussions and workshops, bringing user perspectives to the table and helping teams reach consensus.
• Insight Sharing: Proactively disseminating research findings across the organization to build a shared understanding of users and market dynamics.
• Iterative Feedback: Engaging in an iterative feedback loop with stakeholders to refine research questions and ensure insights are relevant and actionable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Values" and "Collaboration Style" are inferred from the company's mission, values, and the role's responsibilities, focusing on attributes that drive operational excellence and effective cross-functional work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing and synthesizing insights from various stakeholders with potentially competing priorities.
• Driving Organizational Change: Championing user-centricity and ensuring research insights are consistently integrated into strategic decision-making across a large organization.
• Rapid Market Evolution: Adapting research strategies and methodologies to keep pace with the fast-evolving e-commerce landscape and user behaviors.
• Measuring Research Impact: Quantifying the direct business impact of UX research initiatives to demonstrate ROI and secure resources.
• Scaling Research Operations: Developing and implementing processes to scale research efforts efficiently as the company and its product offerings grow.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge research methodologies, including AI-driven approaches.
• Strategic Business Acumen: Deepen understanding of e-commerce business strategy, product development lifecycles, and market dynamics.
• Leadership Skills: Develop people management, organizational building, and strategic leadership capabilities.
• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain exposure and build expertise in areas like product management, data science, and engineering through close collaboration.
• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend industry conferences, workshops, and training to stay abreast of UX research and e-commerce trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities are framed from an operational perspective, focusing on process optimization, strategic influence, and skill development relevant to a senior operations role in a dynamic industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a product direction when stakeholders were resistant. How did you use research to achieve this?" (Focus on your research strategy, data synthesis, communication tactics, and stakeholder management skills.)
• "How would you approach developing a research strategy for a new feature launch on Mercari Marketplace, considering our mission and business goals?" (Demonstrate your ability to align research with business objectives, identify key questions, and propose a comprehensive methodology.)
• "Imagine you discover a significant user pain point that requires a major shift in product strategy. How would you present this to senior leadership to gain buy-in?" (Prepare to articulate your findings clearly, quantify potential impact, and propose actionable solutions, emphasizing ethical considerations.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What aspects of Mercari's mission and values resonate most with you, and how would you embody them in this role?" (Research Mercari's mission, values, and culture doc thoroughly and connect them to your professional approach.)
• "How do you foster a user-centric culture within teams that may not have direct user interaction?" (Discuss your experience in communicating user insights and advocating for users across different departments.)
• "Describe your experience with AI in research or other operational contexts." (Be prepared to discuss any exposure to AI tools for research efficiency, data analysis, or content development, aligning with the JD's mention of AI.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each project in your portfolio, present a narrative that highlights the challenge, your approach, your role, and the ultimate impact.
• Quantify Everything Possible: Use metrics to evidence the success of your research and its contribution to business outcomes.
• Focus on Process and Decision-Making: Explain not just what you did, but why you made specific methodological choices and how your insights influenced decisions.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific details of your projects, your decision-making process, and how you handled challenges.
• Showcase Your Leadership: If you have team management experience, highlight how you mentored researchers or contributed to team growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation focuses on strategic, operational, and cultural alignment, reflecting the expectations for a managerial role. The emphasis on portfolio presentation and specific question types aims to guide candidates in showcasing their operational capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Research Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable link.
• Portfolio Preparation: Curate a portfolio that clearly demonstrates your end-to-end research process, your specific role and scope in projects, and the quantifiable impact of your work. Ensure it aligns with Mercari's mission and the operational rigor expected of a manager.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in service/product research, cross-functional collaboration, strategic planning, and leadership. Use keywords from the job description, such as "UX Research," "Qualitative," "Quantitative," "Stakeholder Management," and "Research Strategy."
• Company & Role Research: Deeply research Mercari's mission, values, culture, and the Mercari Marketplace. Understand their business model and recent initiatives to tailor your application and interview responses.
• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail, articulate your research strategy, and answer questions about user empathy, collaboration, and driving business impact. Practice presenting complex information clearly and concisely.

⚠️ 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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