UX Research Manager, Monetization
π Job Overview
Job Title: UX Research Manager, Monetization Company: Meta Location: Bellevue, WA / Menlo Park, CA Job Type: Full-time Category: User Experience (UX) Research Management / Product Operations Date Posted: January 28, 2026 Experience Level: 10+ years Remote Status: On-site
π Role Summary
- Lead and manage a team of high-caliber User Experience (UX) Researchers specializing in monetization strategies, driving impactful product decisions through rigorous research.
- Oversee the strategic allocation of research resources and talent to ensure focus on high-priority initiatives that influence critical product and design decisions within the monetization vertical.
- Deliver actionable and relevant insights that align with both strategic business objectives and tactical product development needs, directly impacting revenue generation.
- Guide research throughout the entire product lifecycle, from early-stage generative discovery to iterative concept testing and post-launch performance measurement.
- Foster a collaborative environment, working closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data Science, and other cross-functional partners to embed research insights into the product development process.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Meta's Monetization team, indicating a strong focus on research that directly influences revenue generation. The emphasis on "impact" and "measurable business value" suggests that candidates will be expected to demonstrate a clear link between their research efforts and tangible business outcomes, a critical aspect for operations and GTM-focused roles. The requirement for managing researchers across multiple disciplines highlights the need for a broad understanding of research methodologies and team leadership.
π Primary Responsibilities
- Strategic Research Planning: Identify and prioritize short-term and long-term research initiatives that deliver the highest business impact, with a specific focus on monetization effectiveness and user engagement.
- Resource Allocation & Team Leadership: Allocate research team resources and talent effectively to ensure alignment with top priorities, maximizing influence on critical product and design decisions within the monetization domain.
- Insight Generation & Delivery: Conduct and oversee end-to-end primary research (qualitative and quantitative) to generate actionable and relevant insights that inform both strategic business direction and tactical product/design iterations.
- Talent Management & Development: Hire, develop, coach, and retain a diverse team of researchers with varied skillsets, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.
- Product Lifecycle Integration: Guide research activities throughout the product development lifecycle, from foundational generative research to concept validation, iterative testing, and post-launch performance analysis.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data Science, Marketing, and other stakeholders to ensure research is seamlessly integrated and actively informs product strategy and execution.
- Business Impact Demonstration: Develop and articulate a clear strategy for translating research findings into measurable business value, effectively communicating research outcomes to both technical and non-technical audiences.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on research oversight, and strong collaboration. For operations professionals, this translates to managing the "engine" of product insight generation for a critical business function (monetization). The emphasis on "influencing critical product decisions" and "measurable business value" points to the need for candidates to frame their experience in terms of operational efficiency, revenue optimization, and strategic alignment.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education:
- Bachelorβs degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field, OR equivalent practical experience conducting User Experience research with demonstrated significant business impact.
- Master's or PhD degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field is preferred.
Experience:
- Minimum of 18 years of experience conducting and/or studying research post-Bachelorβs degree.
- Minimum of 5 years of direct experience managing, coaching, and developing full-time researchers.
- Proven track record of building and scaling research teams through effective hiring, talent development, and retention strategies.
Required Skills:
- User Experience Research Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies across the entire product lifecycle.
- Leadership & Team Management: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop a team of researchers, fostering a high-performance culture and guiding talent across diverse skillsets.
- Strategic Thinking & Planning: Experience in developing and executing research strategies that align with broader business objectives and drive measurable impact, particularly in monetization, advertising, or commerce.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrated success in partnering effectively with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data Science, and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals and integrate research into product development.
- Communication & Influence: Ability to translate complex research findings into clear, actionable insights for both technical and non-technical audiences, effectively influencing decision-making.
- End-to-End Research Execution: Experience in designing, fielding, analyzing, and reporting out primary research (qualitative and quantitative) with meaningful business impact.
- Talent Development: Proven experience in building and growing research teams over time through strategic hiring, coaching, and retention initiatives.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working specifically within advertising, monetization, or commerce product domains.
- Experience leading research teams distributed across multiple time zones.
- Familiarity with advanced analytical techniques and integrating research data with other data sources (e.g., behavioral analytics, A/B testing results).
π Enhancement Note: The extensive experience requirement (18+ years total, 5+ in management) signals this is a senior leadership role. For operations candidates, it's crucial to highlight experience in process scaling, strategic alignment of research operations with business goals, and building robust research functions that support product monetization. The preference for advertising/monetization experience is a strong indicator of the domain's importance.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Impact-Driven Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating how your research leadership and methodologies directly influenced product strategy and led to measurable improvements in monetization metrics (e.g., conversion rates, ARPU, user retention, ad engagement).
- Team Leadership & Development Examples: Include examples of how you have built, managed, and developed research teams, outlining your approach to talent acquisition, performance management, and skill enhancement.
- Strategic Research Frameworks: Present frameworks or methodologies you've used to prioritize research initiatives, allocate resources, and ensure alignment with business objectives, especially within complex product environments.
- Cross-Functional Integration Examples: Detail instances where you successfully embedded research processes into cross-functional product development workflows, highlighting collaborative successes and overcoming integration challenges.
Process Documentation:
- Research Operations Frameworks: Document your approach to establishing and optimizing research operations, including team structure, workflow design, tool selection, and quality assurance processes for both qualitative and quantitative research.
- Methodology Integration: Provide examples of how you've integrated diverse research methodologies (generative, evaluative, quantitative, qualitative) to provide comprehensive insights at different stages of the product lifecycle.
- Insight Translation & Actionability: Demonstrate your process for translating raw research data into clear, actionable recommendations and ensuring these insights are effectively communicated and adopted by product, design, and engineering teams.
- Performance Measurement & ROI: Outline your methods for measuring the impact and ROI of research initiatives, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and reporting mechanisms used to track success.
π Enhancement Note: For this senior role, a portfolio is not just about individual contributions but about demonstrating the ability to build and lead a high-impact research operation. Operations professionals should focus on showcasing their ability to create scalable processes, drive efficiency, and demonstrate quantifiable business outcomes through research leadership.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $193,000/year to $266,000/year
Benefits:
- Performance Bonus: Opportunity for annual bonuses tied to individual and company performance.
- Equity: Stock options or restricted stock units (RSUs) providing long-term financial participation in Meta's growth.
- Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
- Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) plan with company match.
- Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.
- Parental Leave: Extended paid leave for new parents.
- Wellness Programs: Resources and programs focused on employee well-being.
- Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, training, and conference attendance.
Working Hours: Standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and team needs.
π Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a senior UX Research Manager role at a major tech company like Meta, especially in high-cost-of-living areas like Bellevue and Menlo Park. The inclusion of bonus and equity underscores the performance-driven nature of the role and the company's focus on long-term employee contribution and retention. The "standard 40-hour work week" should be interpreted within the context of a demanding tech environment where extended hours may be necessary for critical project phases.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Social Media, Technology, Advertising, Metaverse Development Company Size: Large Enterprise (Over 10,000 employees) Founded: 2004 Company Description: Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) is a technology conglomerate focused on building social technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. Its products include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Meta Quest. The company is investing heavily in the metaverse, aiming to build the next generation of online social experiences.
Team Structure:
- Monetization Vertical: This role is embedded within the Monetization product group, a critical function responsible for driving revenue through advertising, commerce, and other business models across Meta's platforms.
- Research Leadership: You will report to a Director or VP level leader within Monetization Research, overseeing a team of individual contributor researchers.
- Cross-Functional Integration: The team operates in close partnership with Product Management, Design, Engineering, Data Science, and Marketing teams dedicated to specific monetization products or features.
Methodology:
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Meta emphasizes a data-informed approach, integrating quantitative data (product analytics, A/B tests) with qualitative insights from UX research to guide product strategy and development.
- Iterative Product Development: The company utilizes agile and iterative development processes, requiring research to be conducted rapidly and continuously to support ongoing product refinement.
- Impact-Focused Culture: There is a strong emphasis on delivering measurable business impact, with research efforts being evaluated based on their contribution to key business objectives, particularly revenue growth.
Company Website: https://www.metacareers.com/
π Enhancement Note: Meta's culture is known for its fast-paced, data-driven, and impact-oriented environment. For an operations-focused role like this, understanding how research operations support rapid iteration, scale effectively, and demonstrably contribute to revenue targets is key. The "Monetization" focus is paramount, meaning research must directly address how users engage with and pay for products/services.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: Senior Management / Principal Individual Contributor This role represents a significant leadership position within Meta's research organization, specifically focused on a high-impact area like monetization. It requires not only deep expertise in research methodologies but also strong strategic leadership, team-building capabilities, and a proven ability to drive business outcomes.
Reporting Structure: You will likely report to a Director or VP of Research within the Monetization product group. Your direct reports will be UX Researchers (individual contributors). You will collaborate extensively with Directors and VPs of Product Management, Design, and Engineering within the monetization vertical.
Operations Impact: The impact of this role is directly tied to Meta's revenue generation. Research insights will inform the development and optimization of products and features that drive advertising revenue, e-commerce transactions, and other monetization streams. Success will be measured by the team's ability to provide research that leads to increased conversion rates, higher average revenue per user (ARPU), improved user retention within monetization contexts, and overall growth in Meta's financial performance.
Growth Opportunities:
- Leadership Advancement: Potential to advance into Director or VP-level research leadership roles, managing larger teams or broader product areas within Meta.
- Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the research strategy for core monetization products, influencing product roadmaps and business direction at a significant scale.
- Specialization Deepening: Further develop expertise in specific areas of monetization research, advertising technology, or e-commerce user behavior.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Transition into broader product or GTM leadership roles by leveraging a deep understanding of user behavior and its impact on business outcomes.
- Mentorship & Coaching: Develop strong coaching and mentorship skills by guiding a team of talented researchers, contributing to their career growth within Meta.
π Enhancement Note: This leadership role offers substantial growth potential, moving beyond pure research execution to strategic business influence. Operations professionals will find that demonstrating their ability to build scalable research processes and quantify their impact on revenue aligns perfectly with Meta's growth trajectory and operational excellence objectives.
π Work Environment
Office Type: Large, modern corporate campus with extensive amenities. Office Location(s): Bellevue, WA (Pacific Northwest hub) and Menlo Park, CA (Global Headquarters). This role is on-site.
Workspace Context:
- Collaborative Spaces: The office environment is designed to foster collaboration, with numerous meeting rooms, informal gathering areas, and open-plan workspaces to encourage interaction between teams.
- High-Tech Infrastructure: Access to cutting-edge technology, including powerful workstations, advanced AV equipment for presentations, and robust network infrastructure to support complex research and data analysis.
- Team Interaction: Expect frequent face-to-face interactions with research team members, product managers, designers, engineers, and data scientists, facilitating rapid communication and problem-solving.
Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is mentioned, the environment is dynamic and fast-paced. Expect that critical project phases may require extended hours, and flexibility will be key to meeting aggressive product launch cycles and research deadlines. The on-site nature ensures full immersion in the collaborative team environment.
π Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement emphasizes Meta's commitment to fostering collaboration and rapid iteration through in-person interaction. For operations professionals, this means being comfortable with a highly integrated team dynamic and leveraging the available infrastructure to optimize research workflows and communication.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application, focusing on experience alignment with minimum and preferred qualifications, particularly leadership and research impact.
- Hiring Manager Interview: A deep dive into your experience, leadership philosophy, strategic thinking, and approach to managing research teams and driving business impact. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based discussions.
- Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Management, Design, Engineering leads) to assess your collaboration skills, ability to influence, and understanding of product development processes.
- Research Team Interviews: Interviews with potential direct reports (UX Researchers) to evaluate your mentorship style, research acumen, and ability to foster a positive team environment.
- Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key case studies from your portfolio, demonstrating your research impact, strategic contributions, and leadership.
- Final Round: Potentially with a more senior leader (Director/VP) to assess overall strategic fit and leadership potential.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business problem, your strategic approach, the research executed, the key insights, and the measurable business impact (e.g., revenue increase, conversion lift, engagement improvement). Quantify wherever possible.
- Showcase Leadership: Highlight how you led the team, managed resources, developed talent, and influenced cross-functional partners.
- Demonstrate Strategic Alignment: Explain how your research initiatives were aligned with Meta's broader business strategy, particularly within monetization.
- Structure for Clarity: Use a consistent structure for each case study (e.g., Problem, Approach, Execution, Insights, Impact, Learnings).
- Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, decision-making process, and how you handled challenges.
Challenge Preparation:
- Strategic Research Design: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical research problem related to monetization, including defining objectives, choosing methodologies, and planning execution.
- Team Management Scenarios: Prepare for questions about managing underperforming team members, resolving team conflicts, or scaling research capacity.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would navigate disagreements with product or engineering on research priorities or findings.
π Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to rigorously assess leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive tangible business results through research operations. Operations candidates should emphasize their experience in building scalable processes, managing resources effectively, and quantifying the ROI of their initiatives.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- Research Platforms: Tools for survey design, participant recruitment, and data collection (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, specialized user testing platforms).
- Collaboration Suites: Internal Meta tools for communication, document sharing, and project management (e.g., similar to Slack, Google Workspace).
- Data Analysis Software: Tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative analysis (e.g., SPSS, R, Python libraries like Pandas, NumPy).
- Prototyping & Design Tools: Familiarity with tools used by design and product teams (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to understand and test prototypes.
Analytics & Reporting:
- Internal Analytics Platforms: Deep familiarity with Meta's proprietary data analytics and A/B testing platforms will be crucial.
- Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Experience with BI tools for data visualization and dashboard creation (e.g., Tableau, Looker, or internal equivalents) to track research impact and product performance.
CRM & Automation:
- CRM Systems: While not directly managing a CRM, understanding how research insights can inform CRM strategies or customer segmentation is beneficial.
- Workflow Automation: Familiarity with automating research workflows, data processing, or reporting where applicable to improve efficiency.
π Enhancement Note: While specific tool names may be proprietary to Meta, the emphasis is on proficiency with a broad range of research, analytics, and collaboration tools. For operations professionals, highlighting experience in implementing and optimizing research workflows, integrating data from various sources, and leveraging analytics for strategic decision-making will be highly valued.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- Impact-Driven: A core value is ensuring that research efforts directly contribute to measurable business outcomes, particularly in revenue generation and user engagement within monetization contexts.
- Data-Informed Rigor: Emphasizes the importance of robust research methodologies and data analysis to ensure insights are reliable and actionable.
- Collaboration & Partnership: Fosters strong working relationships across product, design, engineering, and data science to ensure research is integrated and influential throughout the product lifecycle.
- Speed & Agility: Operates in a fast-paced environment where the ability to conduct research efficiently and deliver timely insights is critical for rapid product iteration.
- User-Centricity: Despite the focus on monetization, a deep understanding and advocacy for the user experience remains fundamental to building sustainable and successful products.
Collaboration Style:
- Integrated Teams: Research is not siloed but deeply integrated into product teams, working side-by-side with PMs, Designers, and Engineers.
- Proactive Communication: Expect frequent and open communication, with an emphasis on sharing findings early and often.
- Constructive Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback among team members and with cross-functional partners to refine research approaches and product strategies.
- Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing best practices, learnings, and methodologies across the research team and broader organization.
π Enhancement Note: The culture values a blend of scientific rigor and business pragmatism. For operations candidates, this means demonstrating an ability to balance methodological excellence with the need for speed and direct business impact, all within a highly collaborative and iterative environment.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Balancing Speed and Rigor: The fast-paced nature of Meta requires delivering high-impact insights quickly, which can be challenging when maintaining deep methodological rigor.
- Driving Adoption of Insights: Ensuring that research findings are not just delivered but are actively understood, trusted, and acted upon by cross-functional partners, especially in areas with strong pre-existing hypotheses.
- Measuring Monetization Impact: Quantifying the direct impact of UX research on complex monetization metrics can be difficult, requiring sophisticated analytical approaches and strong collaboration with data science.
- Managing Diverse Research Needs: Overseeing a team that covers multiple research disciplines and product areas within monetization requires broad expertise and effective resource management.
- Navigating Large-Scale Organization: Adapting to and influencing within a large, complex organization to ensure research operations are efficient and effective.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Advanced Methodologies: Access to cutting-edge research techniques and opportunities to experiment with new tools and approaches.
- Leadership Development Programs: Meta offers various programs to enhance leadership, strategic thinking, and management skills.
- Industry Conferences & Training: Support for attending relevant industry events and pursuing professional development certifications.
- Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders within Meta and to mentor junior researchers, fostering personal and professional growth.
- Cross-Functional Exposure: Deepening understanding of product management, engineering, and data science through close collaboration, broadening your overall business acumen.
π Enhancement Note: Understanding and articulating how to navigate these challenges, and how they present growth opportunities, is key for operations candidates. It demonstrates foresight and a proactive approach to problem-solving within a complex operational context.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "Describe a time you developed a research strategy that significantly impacted a product's monetization. What were the key components of your strategy, and how did you measure its success?" (Focus on strategic alignment, methodology, and quantifiable business outcomes).
- "How would you prioritize research requests from multiple Product Managers for a new monetization feature launch, given limited resources?" (Demonstrate prioritization frameworks, stakeholder management, and resource allocation skills).
- "Imagine a key monetization metric is declining. How would you as a research leader approach diagnosing the root cause and formulating hypotheses for research?" (Showcase analytical thinking, problem-solving, and research design capabilities).
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What interests you specifically about Meta's approach to monetization and user experience research?" (Research Meta's products, recent announcements, and any public statements on monetization or user research).
- "How do you foster a culture of continuous learning and development within a research team?" (Discuss mentorship, feedback mechanisms, and skill-building initiatives).
- "Describe your experience managing researchers across different time zones or geographic locations." (Highlight communication strategies, tools, and team-building approaches).
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the objective, your role/leadership, the methodology, key findings, actionable recommendations, and most importantly, the quantifiable business impact on monetization.
- Visual Aids: Use clear, concise slides. Highlight key metrics, user quotes, and visuals that support your narrative. Avoid overwhelming slides with text.
- Focus on Decision-Making: Emphasize how your research directly influenced product decisions and led to specific outcomes.
- Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your methodology, alternative approaches, challenges faced, and how you would apply learnings to Meta's context.
π Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strategic, operations-minded approach to research leadership, with a strong emphasis on quantifiable business impact and cross-functional collaboration, particularly within the monetization space.
π Application Steps
To apply for this operations-focused UX Research Manager position:
- Submit your application through the Meta Careers portal.
- Tailor your Resume: Highlight your extensive experience in UX research management, your leadership in building and developing research teams, and your proven track record of driving measurable business impact, especially in monetization or related fields. Use keywords from the job description.
- Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful case studies that showcase your strategic leadership, research execution, and quantifiable contributions to business goals. Ensure these clearly articulate the problem, your approach, the insights, and the resulting business impact.
- Prepare for the Interview Process: Research Meta's monetization strategies, its product ecosystem, and its approach to user research. Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, strategic thinking, and collaboration style using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
- Develop Your Narrative: Be ready to clearly articulate your vision for a high-impact UX research team focused on monetization and how you would integrate research seamlessly into Meta's product development cycles.
β οΈ 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.
Application Requirements
Candidates must have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and at least 18 years of experience in research, with 5 years in a management role. Experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies is essential.