Lead UX Researcher - H/F/X

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Researcher - H/F/X

Company: AccorCorpo

Location: Issy-les-Moulineaux, Île-de-France, France

Job Type: Temps complet (Full-time)

Category: User Experience Research / Digital Transformation

Date Posted: 2026-09-18

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (up to 4 days per week remote)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive strategic UX research initiatives to deeply understand customer needs and behaviors within Accor's digital ecosystem.

• Lead the definition and execution of a comprehensive user research roadmap, aligning with product and business objectives.

• Champion a strong customer-centric culture across product, design, business, and tech teams through compelling insights and storytelling.

• Develop and mentor the Voice of Customer team, enhancing their skills and optimizing research processes (Research Ops).

• Measure and demonstrate the impact of UX research on product development and business outcomes, integrating AI pragmatically.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is for a Lead UX Researcher within Accor's Tech & Digital division, specifically focusing on the "Voice of Customer" team. The emphasis is on strategic leadership, influencing decision-making, and embedding user-centricity across a global hospitality organization. The "H/F/X" designation indicates inclusivity for all genders.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and own the user research roadmap: Proactively identify research opportunities, prioritize needs, and align investment with product and business goals.

• Lead complex and strategic research initiatives: Conduct in-depth qualitative and quantitative studies (benchmarking, barometers) across multiple markets and user segments, ensuring high methodological quality.

• Develop compelling research narratives: Translate complex findings into actionable insights and clear communication strategies for diverse audiences, from operational teams to executive leadership.

• Foster customer-centricity: Orchestrate direct and regular interactions that connect teams with real customer realities, making the voice of the customer a shared reflex.

• Enhance team capabilities and practices: Coach team members, establish standards, and drive the optimization of research tools, rituals, and processes (Research Ops) for improved execution and knowledge capitalization.

• Drive research impact measurement: Track the adoption and value of research insights, continuously improving its contribution to business objectives.

• Integrate AI pragmatically: Anticipate the evolution of research practices by exploring and implementing AI solutions responsibly.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership component, moving beyond execution to roadmap definition, team development, and cross-functional influence. The emphasis on "Research Ops" and "AI integration" suggests a forward-thinking approach to UX research practices.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in research methodologies is implied. Relevant fields could include Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or a related discipline.

Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in user research, specifically within digital products or services, preferably with a strong international or high-audience focus.

• Proven experience operating within mature and complex product ecosystems.

• Demonstrated leadership experience, either through direct hierarchical management or team lead roles.

• Mastery of both qualitative and quantitative user research methods, from study design and execution to synthesis and reporting. Required Skills:

• Strategic UX Research: Ability to define research vision, roadmap, and prioritize initiatives based on business impact.

• Methodological Expertise: Deep understanding and practical application of qualitative (interviews, ethnography, usability testing) and quantitative (surveys, A/B testing, analytics analysis) research techniques.

• Insight Synthesis & Storytelling: Exceptional ability to synthesize complex data into clear, concise, and compelling narratives that drive decision-making.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Strong interpersonal skills to build alignment, influence without direct authority, and communicate effectively with all levels of the organization, including executive stakeholders.

• Agile & Product Environment Acumen: Comfort and experience working within Agile development frameworks and product-centric organizations.

• Team Leadership & Coaching: Ability to develop, mentor, and guide a team of researchers, fostering skill growth and best practices.

• Fluent Professional English: Essential for communication within a global organization.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the hospitality industry or with customer-facing digital products at scale.

• Familiarity with Research Operations (Research Ops) principles and implementation.

• Experience integrating AI tools and methodologies into research workflows.

• Cross-market research experience.

• Experience with benchmarking and customer barometer studies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 10+ years of experience and leadership requirement clearly position this as a senior-level role. The emphasis on influencing, storytelling, and business impact suggests that candidates must demonstrate not just research proficiency but also strategic business acumen. The mention of "H/F/X" and the statement about not needing to meet 100% of criteria underscore Accor's commitment to diversity and inclusive hiring.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies of Strategic Impact: Showcase 2-3 complex research projects where your strategic direction and insights directly influenced product roadmaps, design decisions, or business strategy, leading to measurable improvements.

• Methodological Diversity: Demonstrate proficiency across a range of qualitative and quantitative methods, with clear explanations of why specific methods were chosen for given problems.

• Insight Activation Examples: Provide evidence of how you effectively translated research findings into actionable recommendations and ensured their adoption by product, design, and business teams.

• Leadership & Team Development Examples: Include examples of how you've mentored researchers, improved team processes, or championed best practices within a research function.

• Executive Communication Samples: If possible, include anonymized examples of executive-level presentations or reports that clearly articulate research findings and strategic recommendations.

Process Documentation:

• Research Roadmap Design: Be prepared to discuss your approach to creating and prioritizing a multi-year research roadmap, considering business objectives, product strategy, and resource allocation.

• Research Ops Framework: Articulate your understanding of Research Operations, including how you would optimize tools, processes, and knowledge sharing to improve research efficiency and impact.

• Insight Activation Framework: Detail your strategies for ensuring research insights are understood, prioritized, and acted upon by various stakeholders within an organization.

• AI Integration Strategy: Be ready to discuss how you envision integrating AI tools into the research process, from data analysis to synthesis, while maintaining ethical considerations and data privacy.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead UX Researcher role, the portfolio should emphasize strategic thinking, leadership, and measurable impact, rather than just a collection of user tests. Demonstrating the ability to build a research function and influence organizational strategy is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead UX Researcher with 10+ years of experience in a major European tech hub like Paris (Issy-les-Moulineaux), the estimated annual gross salary range is €70,000 - €95,000. This range can vary based on specific experience, negotiation, and final responsibilities.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Up to 4 days of remote work per week, offering significant flexibility.

• Flexible Working Options: Beyond remote work, access to flexible schedules and alternative workspaces (hotels, coworking spaces via Worklib).

• Professional Development: Dedicated time for deep work and personal development every Wednesday afternoon, access to extensive training platforms, Hackathons, and technology partnerships.

• Exclusive Travel Perks: ALL - Heartist® program offering preferential rates and flash offers at Accor properties worldwide.

• Community Engagement: Heartist® for Good volunteering program (1 day per year) and support for cultural and sporting activities via the CSE.

• Sustainable Commuting: Sustainable mobility package, bicycle scheme (Zenride), and public transport subsidy up to the legal threshold.

• Meal Vouchers: €11 nominal value meal tickets.

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Mandatory health insurance, with Accor covering 50% of the contribution for employees and their dependents.

• On-site Amenities: Collaborative workspaces, on-site restaurants, recreational areas, and wellness/sports facilities (or access via Gymlib).

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility in scheduling and the option for up to 4 days of remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on data for senior UX roles in the Paris region, considering the company's global presence and the specified experience level. The benefits listed are directly extracted from the job description and highlight Accor's commitment to employee well-being, development, and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Hospitality Technology & Digital Services. Accor is a global leader in the hospitality sector, and Accor Tech & Digital is its innovation and transformation arm, focusing on delivering digital experiences to customers, hotels, and employees across 110 countries.

Company Size: Accor is a large multinational corporation, employing approximately 300,000 talents globally. Accor Tech & Digital specifically comprises over 5,000 talents. This scale indicates opportunities for broad impact and exposure to complex, international projects.

Founded: Accor was founded in 1963. The company has a long history and a well-established presence in the hospitality industry, now heavily investing in its digital and technological capabilities.

Team Structure:

• Voice of Customer Team: You will be integrated into a transverse team of 8 individuals.

• Reporting Line: You will report directly to the Director of Voice of Customer.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with Product, Design, Business, and Tech leaders. This indicates a highly integrated GTM and product development environment.

• Research Ops Integration: The role actively involves optimizing "Research Ops," suggesting a structured approach to managing research processes, tools, and knowledge.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centric Design: A core philosophy driving the design of digital products and services.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Insights from UX research are intended to be strategic levers for decision-making.

• Agile Development: The team operates within an Agile/Product environment, requiring iterative development and collaboration.

• Continuous Improvement: Emphasis on improving research quality, impact, and integrating new technologies like AI.

Company Website: https://www.accor.com/ (Corporate site, specific Tech & Digital information might be within or linked from here).

📝 Enhancement Note: Accor's focus on "Heartists®" (combining hospitality and tech/digital) and "Voice of Customer" underscores their commitment to blending human touch with digital innovation. The large scale of Accor means this role has the potential for significant global impact within the hospitality tech space.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead level position within the UX Research discipline, specifically within the "Voice of Customer" team. It signifies a senior individual contributor role with significant leadership responsibilities, including strategic roadmap definition, team development (coaching, skill enhancement), and driving organizational change through insights. It sits at the intersection of UX Research, Product Strategy, and Customer Experience.

Reporting Structure: You will report directly to the Director of Voice of Customer. This suggests a clear hierarchy within the customer insights function, with opportunities to influence the director's strategy and gain visibility at senior levels.

Operations Impact: The role's primary impact is on shaping Accor's digital products and services by ensuring they are deeply aligned with customer needs and behaviors. This directly influences customer satisfaction, loyalty, booking conversion rates, and overall brand perception within the competitive hospitality market. By embedding a customer-centric culture, the role aims to drive better business outcomes and reinforce Accor's position as a leader in hospitality innovation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a Head of UX Research or a more senior strategic role within the broader Customer Experience or Digital Transformation teams at Accor.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunity to deepen expertise in product management, digital strategy, and business operations through close collaboration with leaders in these areas.

• Research Ops Specialization: Develop deep expertise in building and scaling research operations, a growing and valuable specialization within the UX field.

• AI in Research Mastery: Become a go-to expert within Accor for integrating AI into UX research processes, leading to unique career paths in tech-enabled research.

• Mentorship and Team Building: Further develop leadership skills by building and scaling a high-performing UX research team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title and the focus on strategy, team development, and organizational influence indicate that this role is a significant step up from a Senior UX Researcher, offering substantial growth potential within a large, dynamic organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job description mentions "spaces of work collaborative, restaurants, games areas, or even wellness and Sport spaces on site or thanks to Gymlib," suggesting a modern, well-equipped office environment designed for collaboration and employee well-being. The hybrid model also implies a blend of in-office and remote work.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Issy-les-Moulineaux, Île-de-France, France. This is a well-known business district on the outskirts of Paris, accessible by public transportation.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office is designed to foster interaction, team meetings, and knowledge sharing, critical for a Lead UX Researcher coordinating with multiple departments.

• Technology-Enabled: Access to necessary tools and technology for research, analysis, and communication is implied, supporting both in-office and remote work.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The physical office space will likely facilitate spontaneous and planned interactions with Product, Design, Business, and Tech teams, crucial for embedding research insights.

• Flexibility: The hybrid model allows for focused individual work at home and collaborative/strategic work in the office.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The role offers significant flexibility, with the ability to work remotely up to 4 days per week. Additionally, there's a dedicated block of time every Wednesday afternoon for "deep work" and personal development, reinforcing a focus on productivity and well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaborative spaces and the hybrid model suggests a work environment that values both in-person interaction for strategic alignment and remote flexibility for focused work. The "Worklib" partnership indicates a modern approach to flexible working arrangements.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Recruitment Team Introduction: An initial call to discuss the role's core aspects and potentially guide you to other suitable positions. This is an opportunity to gauge initial fit and understand the broader recruitment landscape at Accor.

2. Manager & Team Interviews: In-depth discussions with the Director of Voice of Customer and other team members. Prepare to share your experience in strategic research, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.

3. Assessment (Potential): Some roles may involve a test or case study, and a personality/motivation questionnaire. For this Lead role, expect a significant case study or problem-solving exercise related to defining a research strategy or activating insights.

4. Final HR Interview: A discussion focused on company culture, work environment, training programs, career prospects, and overall benefits. This is your chance to assess cultural fit and ask detailed questions about growth opportunities.

5. Personalized Feedback: A commitment to providing feedback after the process.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Narrative: Structure your portfolio around the impact of your research. For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your strategic approach, the methodologies used, key insights, and the resulting business outcomes or product changes.

• Leadership Emphasis: Highlight instances where you led research initiatives, mentored junior researchers, or influenced strategic decisions. Quantify your leadership impact where possible.

• Insight Activation: Showcase how you effectively communicated and embedded insights into the organization. This could include examples of presentations, workshops, or ongoing feedback loops you established.

• Methodological Nuance: Briefly explain why you chose specific methods, demonstrating thoughtful consideration of the research questions and context.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio efficiently. Focus on the most impactful projects relevant to a Lead UX Researcher role in a large, global organization.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Roadmapping: Be ready to discuss how you would approach building a research roadmap for Accor's digital products, considering competing priorities and limited resources.

• Insight Activation Scenarios: Prepare to tackle hypothetical scenarios where critical insights are not being acted upon and outline your strategies for driving adoption.

• Team Development: Discuss your philosophy on mentoring UX researchers and optimizing research processes (Research Ops).

• AI Integration: Consider how AI could pragmatically enhance Accor's UX research efforts, addressing both opportunities and potential challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess not only technical UX research skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, cultural fit, and business acumen. The portfolio and challenge preparation should reflect this multi-faceted evaluation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Proficiency with tools for usability testing, surveys, participant recruitment, and analysis (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Lookback, Maze, Dovetail).

• Analytics & Data Visualization: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Tableau, Power BI, or similar for understanding user behavior and reporting on key metrics.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Miro, or Mural for managing projects, documenting processes, and facilitating remote collaboration.

• AI Tools for Research: Emerging familiarity with AI-powered tools for data analysis, transcription, sentiment analysis, or identifying patterns in qualitative data.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics for tracking user journeys and conversion funnels.

• BI Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for creating dashboards and visualizing research findings alongside business data.

• Reporting Frameworks: Ability to structure comprehensive reports that blend qualitative insights with quantitative data for executive consumption.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (Awareness): While not directly managing CRM, understanding how customer data within CRMs (e.g., Salesforce) informs user research is beneficial.

• Workflow Automation (Awareness): Understanding how research insights can trigger automated workflows or personalization within digital products.

• Integration Tools (Awareness): General awareness of how different systems integrate to provide a holistic customer view.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires strong command over core UX research tools and methodologies. Given the company's digital focus and the mention of AI, familiarity with analytics platforms and emerging AI tools in research is highly advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A foundational value, ensuring that all decisions and developments are rooted in understanding and serving customer needs. This translates to prioritizing user feedback and advocating for the user experience.

• Impact & Business Acumen: A strong orientation towards driving tangible business results. Operations professionals are expected to understand how their work contributes to Accor's success and demonstrate this impact.

• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Alignment: Emphasis on working effectively with diverse teams (Product, Design, Tech, Business) to achieve shared goals. This involves open communication, active listening, and building consensus.

• Agility & Adaptability: Comfort with ambiguity and evolving priorities in a fast-paced digital environment. A willingness to iterate, learn, and adapt processes as needed.

• Continuous Improvement & Innovation: A proactive mindset towards identifying opportunities for enhancing processes, tools, and methodologies, including the pragmatic integration of new technologies like AI.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Working closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Business stakeholders as strategic partners, not just service providers.

• Data-Informed Dialogue: Using research findings as objective evidence to facilitate productive discussions and drive informed decisions.

• Transparent Communication: Openly sharing research plans, findings, and limitations to build trust and ensure alignment.

• Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback within the team and from stakeholders to continuously refine research practices and outputs.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively contributing to a culture of learning by sharing best practices, case studies, and insights across teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Accor's "Heartist®" ethos likely permeates the culture, blending professional excellence with a human-centric approach. The emphasis on impact, collaboration, and customer-centricity aligns well with a Lead UX Researcher's role in driving organizational change.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Research Globally: Ensuring research methodologies and insights are relevant and actionable across diverse markets and customer segments within Accor's 110 countries.

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical Research: Effectively managing a roadmap that addresses long-term strategic questions while also supporting immediate product development needs.

• Driving Insight Activation: Overcoming organizational inertia or competing priorities to ensure research findings translate into concrete product improvements and business decisions.

• Integrating AI Ethically and Effectively: Navigating the complexities of incorporating AI into research processes, ensuring responsible use, data privacy, and maintaining the human element of research.

• Influencing at Executive Levels: Consistently communicating the value of UX research and securing buy-in from senior leadership for strategic initiatives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Methodologies: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative research techniques, including those enhanced by AI.

• Leadership Development: Formal and informal training in people management, strategic planning, and executive communication.

• Industry Exposure: Engaging with Accor's global operations and diverse brand portfolio provides deep insights into the hospitality industry's digital transformation.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gaining a deeper understanding of product management, business strategy, and technology development through close collaboration.

• Research Ops Specialization: Becoming a leader in establishing and refining Research Operations frameworks within a large enterprise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexity of operating at scale within a global organization, requiring strong strategic thinking and influencing skills. The growth opportunities are substantial, positioning this role as a pivotal point for career advancement in UX research leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to developing a user research roadmap for a global organization like Accor, considering diverse markets and product portfolios. How would you prioritize initiatives?" (Focus on strategic planning, stakeholder alignment, and impact assessment).

• "Walk us through a complex research project you led where your insights significantly influenced product strategy or business decisions. What was the challenge, your approach, the key findings, and the ultimate impact?" (Demonstrate end-to-end research leadership, synthesis, and impact storytelling).

• "How do you ensure that user insights are not just delivered but actively adopted and acted upon by product, design, and business teams? Describe a time you faced resistance and how you overcame it." (Highlight insight activation strategies, communication, and influence skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Given Accor's focus on hospitality and the 'Heartist®' philosophy, how would you ensure your UX research practices align with and enhance this human-centric approach?" (Connect UX research to brand values and customer experience).

• "How do you foster a customer-centric culture within teams that may not be directly customer-facing?" (Demonstrate ability to drive organizational change and empathy).

• "What is your perspective on integrating AI into UX research? What are the ethical considerations and potential benefits for a company like Accor?" (Showcase forward-thinking and responsible adoption of technology). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your leadership philosophy and strategic approach to UX research.

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 projects that best exemplify your strategic thinking, leadership, and ability to drive measurable impact. Tailor these examples to Accor's context (hospitality, global digital products).

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the business impact of your research (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved customer satisfaction scores, reduced support tickets).

• Highlight Process & Collaboration: Briefly explain your research process and emphasize how you collaborated with cross-functional teams to achieve outcomes.

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a compelling narrative with a clear problem, solution, and resolution, focusing on your role as the strategic driver.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, the ability to influence at all levels, and a deep understanding of how UX research drives business value within a large, customer-focused organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your 10+ years of experience in UX research, leadership accomplishments, strategic roadmap development, and experience with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Integrate keywords like "UX Research," "Customer Experience," "Digital Transformation," "Research Ops," "Strategic Planning," and "Stakeholder Management."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 impactful case studies that showcase your strategic leadership, ability to drive business outcomes, and experience in influencing cross-functional teams. Be ready to articulate your process, challenges, and measurable results.

• Research Accor: Understand Accor's brands, digital initiatives, and the "Heartist®" philosophy. Consider how your UX research approach can specifically support their goals in the hospitality sector.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse how you will present your experience, focusing on strategic impact, leadership, and your ability to foster customer-centricity. Be prepared to discuss your approach to Research Ops and AI integration.

⚠️ 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.