Manager, UX Research

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Manager, UX Research

Company: Elekta

Location: Crawley, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time

Category: UX Research & Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-05

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office, 1 day WFH)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a global team of UX Researchers, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in user experience research.

• Drive the strategic direction of UX research activities across Elekta's product portfolio, ensuring alignment with user needs and business objectives.

• Champion user-centered design principles and usability best practices throughout the product development lifecycle, from discovery to post-launch.

• Oversee and execute comprehensive usability engineering programs for regulated medical devices, ensuring compliance with stringent industry standards.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, Regulatory Affairs, and Design leaders to embed user insights into product strategy and development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for ensuring Elekta's medical devices are not only technologically advanced but also safe, effective, and intuitive for healthcare professionals and patients, directly impacting the quality of cancer care delivery. The emphasis on regulated medical devices and user risk analysis highlights a specialized area within UX Research operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a global team of UX Researchers, fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and excellence in research methodologies and output.

• Define and prioritize UX research activities across Elekta's diverse product portfolio to maximize user satisfaction and business impact, ensuring efficient resource allocation.

• Partner with Product, Engineering, Regulatory, and Design teams to ensure user needs and validated insights are embedded throughout the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to maintenance.

• Drive the adoption of user-centered design practices and advocate for the value of robust UX research across the organization, influencing product strategy and decision-making.

• Oversee comprehensive user research and testing programs, encompassing early discovery, formative testing, summative validation, and continuous improvement initiatives post-launch.

• Lead critical usability engineering activities for regulated medical devices, ensuring adherence to relevant regulatory requirements (e.g., IEC 62366) and industry best practices.

• Conduct and document user risk analysis related to usability, a crucial component for regulatory submissions and product safety assurance.

• Establish meaningful measures of UX quality and leverage these insights to guide product improvements, strategic pivots, and data-driven decision-making.

• Manage relationships with external research partners and vendors, ensuring high-quality support for specialized research needs or capacity augmentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a strong focus on the operational aspects of UX research within a highly regulated industry. The emphasis on "leading," "defining," "driving adoption," and "managing relationships" points to a strategic and managerial function rather than purely individual contributor research. The direct mention of "usability engineering" and "user risk analysis" for regulated medical devices is a key differentiator.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Master's degree preferred in UX Research, Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a closely related field. A Bachelor's degree with extensive relevant experience will also be considered.

Experience: Significant professional experience, ideally 10+ years, in UX Research, with a substantial portion dedicated to leading research teams and initiatives, particularly within complex, safety-critical product environments.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience leading, coaching, and developing UX research teams, including performance management and talent development.

• Extensive experience with user-centered design principles and methodologies applied to complex, safety-critical products, preferably in the medical device or healthcare technology sector.

• Deep expertise in a wide range of user research methods, including but not limited to:

  • Observational and contextual inquiry/research
  • In-depth interviews
  • Surveys and questionnaires
  • Usability testing (formative and summative)
  • Heuristic evaluations
  • Persona development and user journey mapping

• Significant experience supporting regulatory submissions for medical devices, including the execution of formal usability testing and comprehensive user risk analysis in accordance with standards like IEC 62366.

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders across Product Management, Engineering, and Regulatory Affairs, building consensus and alignment for UX research initiatives.

• A strong track record of delivering measurable business impact and product improvements through the application of user-centered design and research insights.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate complex research findings and their implications clearly to diverse audiences. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific UX research and analytics tools for data collection, analysis, and reporting (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, Dovetail, NVivo).

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and experience integrating UX research seamlessly into agile workflows.

• Knowledge of specific radiotherapy and radiosurgery technologies and clinical workflows.

• Experience managing external research vendors and building effective partnerships.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+" years of experience and the emphasis on leading teams, coupled with the specific regulatory requirements for medical devices, suggest a senior-level role requiring significant operational and strategic expertise in UX research management. The mention of "postgraduate degree" as a requirement further reinforces this.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end UX research projects, ideally involving complex or safety-critical products.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the research problem, the methodologies employed (highlighting any regulatory compliance testing), the user insights generated, and the tangible impact on product design and user experience.

• Evidence of leading research initiatives, managing research timelines, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to integrate research findings into product development.

• Documentation demonstrating experience with user risk analysis and formal usability testing for regulated products, if applicable.

• Examples of how you have influenced product strategy or design decisions based on research outcomes. Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate a structured approach to planning and executing UX research, including research design, participant recruitment, data collection, and analysis.

• Provide examples of how you have established or refined research processes to improve efficiency, quality, or impact within a team or organization.

• Showcase experience with documenting research findings, usability test reports, and user risk assessments in a clear, concise, and actionable manner suitable for regulatory review and product team adoption.

• Illustrate how you measure and report on the effectiveness of UX research initiatives and their contribution to product success and user satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Manager role, especially in a regulated field, the portfolio should emphasize leadership in research process definition, team management, and the ability to translate research into actionable insights that drive product and regulatory outcomes, not just individual research contributions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Manager, UX Research with 10+ years of experience in the UK, particularly within regulated industries like medical technology in the Crawley area, an estimated annual salary range would be between £70,000 - £95,000. This range accounts for the significant experience, leadership responsibilities, and specialized knowledge required, including regulatory compliance and human factors expertise.

Benefits:

• Work Pattern: Hybrid model with 4 days in the Crawley HQ office and 1 day Work From Home (WFH), offering a balance between in-person collaboration and flexibility.

• Paid Vacation Days: Up to 25 paid vacation days annually, in addition to public holidays.

• Holiday Purchase Scheme: Option to purchase additional holiday days for greater flexibility.

• Private Medical Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for healthcare needs.

• Attractive Employer Pension Contribution Package: A competitive employer contribution to your pension plan.

• Cycle to Work Scheme: Encouraging sustainable commuting with tax benefits.

• Life Assurance: Financial protection for your beneficiaries.

• Onsite Subsidized Restaurant: Offering convenient and budget-friendly dining options at the Crawley HQ.

• Love Electric: An electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme to promote greener transportation.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work arrangement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on research for similar senior UX Research Manager roles in the South East England region, considering the specialized nature of medical device UX research and regulatory requirements. The benefits package is directly extracted from the provided text, highlighting key offerings for employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Medical Technology / Healthcare Solutions, specifically focusing on Radiation Oncology and Precision Radiation Medicine. Elekta is a global leader in developing and implementing advanced radiotherapy and radiosurgery solutions to treat cancer.

Company Size: Over 4,000 employees globally, indicating a large, established organization with significant resources and a global footprint.

Founded: Elekta was founded in 1972, signifying a long history and deep expertise in its field, with a strong foundation built over decades of innovation.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research team is part of the broader UX & Design function, reporting to the Head of UX & Design.

• This role involves leading a global team of UX Researchers, suggesting a distributed team structure with potential for diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.

• Close collaboration is expected with Product Management, Engineering, Regulatory Affairs, and other Design teams, indicating a matrixed and cross-functional operational environment. Methodology:

• Elekta emphasizes user-centered design and usability best practices, integrating user needs throughout the product lifecycle.

• A strong focus on data-driven decision-making, utilizing UX research insights to guide product improvements and strategic choices.

• Adherence to rigorous regulatory requirements (e.g., for medical devices) is a core operational methodology, particularly concerning usability engineering and risk analysis.

• The company's mission to "build hope for everyone dealing with Cancer" underscores a culture driven by purpose and a commitment to improving patient outcomes.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights Elekta's significant role in a critical healthcare sector. The emphasis on "precision radiation medicine" and "advanced radiotherapy" suggests a high-tech, innovation-driven environment. The "global" nature of the team and operations implies a need for cross-cultural awareness and collaboration skills.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Managerial role, signifying a transition from individual contributor to team leadership. It requires not only deep expertise in UX Research and Human Factors but also strong people management, strategic planning, and cross-functional influence skills. The scope involves leading a global team and impacting product strategy for a major medical device company.

Reporting Structure: The Manager, UX Research reports to the Head of UX & Design. This senior leadership role provides oversight and strategic direction for the entire UX and Design function, including Research, Interaction Design, and Visual Design.

Operations Impact: The UX Research team's work directly influences the safety, efficacy, and usability of Elekta's medical devices. This has a profound impact on:

• Patient Outcomes: Ensuring devices are safe and effective directly contributes to better cancer treatment and patient well-being.

• Healthcare Provider Efficiency: Intuitive and well-designed products improve workflow efficiency for clinicians, allowing them to focus more on patient care.

• Regulatory Compliance: Robust usability engineering and risk analysis are critical for market approval and ongoing compliance, preventing costly delays or product recalls.

• Product Adoption & Market Success: Superior user experience drives customer satisfaction, adoption rates, and Elekta's competitive advantage in the market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Further development in managing global teams, strategic planning, and executive stakeholder management.

• Specialization: Deepening expertise in human factors for medical devices, regulatory affairs, or specific therapeutic areas within oncology.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Potential to lead larger design or product strategy initiatives, or move into Director-level roles within UX/Design or Product Management.

• Industry Expertise: Becoming a recognized expert in UX research for safety-critical medical technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis assumes a typical career progression path for a senior UX Research Manager in a company of Elekta's scale and industry. The emphasis is on how this role contributes to broader operational and business goals beyond just research output.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at the Crawley HQ, suggesting a corporate office environment. The "4 days a week with 1-day WFH" arrangement indicates a hybrid model designed to foster both in-office collaboration and individual focus.

Office Location(s): Crawley, West Sussex, United Kingdom. This location likely offers modern office facilities conducive to collaborative work.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The requirement to be in the Crawley HQ 4 days a week suggests a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration, team meetings, workshops, and spontaneous interactions with Product, Engineering, and Design colleagues.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, potentially specialized UX research software, and collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence) will be available to support research activities and team communication.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to directly engage with a global team of researchers through virtual channels and potentially in-person during team gatherings or site visits, alongside close daily interaction with local cross-functional teams.

Work Schedule: While specific hours aren't detailed, a standard full-time schedule (approx. 40 hours/week) is implied. The hybrid arrangement offers some flexibility in managing personal time and work focus, which is beneficial for deep work often required in research and analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement is a key aspect of the work environment, balancing the need for in-person collaboration in a regulated product development setting with employee flexibility.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio by Talent Acquisition (Jessica Banfield) and potentially the hiring manager.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deep dive into your experience, leadership style, UX research philosophy, and understanding of human factors in regulated medical devices. Expect questions on team management, strategic research planning, and stakeholder influence.

• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study Review: You will likely be asked to present one or more detailed case studies from your portfolio, demonstrating your approach to research, problem-solving, and impact. This is where you'll showcase your experience with regulatory compliance and user risk analysis.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders from Product Management, Engineering, and Regulatory Affairs to assess your collaboration skills, ability to integrate research into development, and understanding of their respective challenges.

• Team/Culture Fit Interview: An opportunity to meet potential team members or other leaders to assess cultural alignment and collaborative potential.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a more senior leader (e.g., Head of UX & Design or VP of Product) to discuss strategic vision and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly outline the problem/objective, your role and responsibilities, the research methods used (emphasizing regulatory-relevant ones), key findings, the impact of your research on product decisions, and any measurable outcomes.

• Highlight Leadership: Showcase instances where you led research initiatives, managed a team, or influenced strategy.

• Emphasize Regulatory Experience: Clearly articulate your experience with usability engineering for medical devices, user risk analysis, and relevant standards (e.g., IEC 62366).

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the business value or product improvement achieved through your research.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle conflicting stakeholder needs, and your approach to mentoring researchers.

Challenge Preparation:

• Usability Scenario: You might be given a product or a scenario and asked to outline a research plan to assess its usability and identify risks.

• Problem-Solving: Be ready to discuss how you would tackle a complex UX research challenge within Elekta's product domain, considering regulatory constraints and business goals.

• Strategic Thinking: Prepare to discuss how you would prioritize research efforts for a product portfolio and measure the effectiveness of your UX research function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess not only technical UX research skills but also leadership capabilities, regulatory knowledge, and the ability to operate effectively within a complex, cross-functional, and highly regulated environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Experience with platforms like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or similar for remote moderated and unmoderated testing.

• Survey Tools: Proficiency with tools such as Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, or Google Forms for quantitative data collection and user feedback.

• Analysis Software: Familiarity with qualitative data analysis tools (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, ATLAS.ti) for organizing and analyzing interview transcripts and observational data.

• Collaboration Platforms: Likely use of tools like Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Teams, or Slack for project management, documentation, and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, experience with tools like Tableau or Power BI could be beneficial for presenting UX metrics and insights to stakeholders.

• Reporting Frameworks: Ability to structure and present research findings clearly and concisely, translating complex data into actionable recommendations for product teams and leadership.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managed by UX Research, understanding how CRM data or other customer feedback systems might inform research efforts could be advantageous. Familiarity with how user feedback is captured and utilized within product development workflows is key.

• Integration Tool: N/A for this role's core responsibilities, but understanding how UX research integrates into broader product development pipelines is essential.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools listed are typical for a senior UX Research Manager. The emphasis is on platforms that facilitate research execution, data analysis, and effective communication of findings within a product development context, especially where regulatory documentation is concerned.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A foundational value, ensuring that user needs and experiences are at the forefront of all product development decisions. This translates to a deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user.

• Excellence and Quality: A drive for high standards in research methodology, analysis, and output, particularly critical given the safety-critical nature of Elekta's products.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Regulatory, Design) to achieve shared goals and ensure seamless integration of research into the product lifecycle.

• Integrity and Compliance: Upholding ethical research practices and strict adherence to regulatory requirements for medical devices, ensuring product safety and market access.

• Purpose-Driven Innovation: A commitment to Elekta's mission of improving cancer care, fostering a sense of shared purpose and impact among employees.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Proactive engagement with Product Managers, Engineers, and Regulatory Affairs to ensure research is relevant, timely, and actionable for their respective domains.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback within the UX team and with cross-functional partners to continuously improve research processes and product outcomes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promoting the dissemination of user insights and research best practices across the organization to foster a collective understanding of the user.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values are inferred from Elekta's mission statement, industry context, and the explicit responsibilities of the role, particularly concerning regulated medical devices and cross-functional collaboration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Regulatory Complexity: Ensuring all research activities and documentation meet stringent global medical device regulations (e.g., FDA, MDR) while also driving innovation. This requires meticulous planning and execution.

• Balancing Global Needs: Leading a global team means addressing diverse user needs, cultural contexts, and market requirements across different regions.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Gaining buy-in and alignment from senior leaders and diverse functional teams who may have differing priorities or levels of understanding regarding UX research.

• Resource Management: Optimizing research efforts and team capacity to support a broad product portfolio, often with competing demands.

• Integrating Research into Agile: Seamlessly embedding robust research practices into fast-paced agile development cycles without compromising rigor.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Regulatory Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in human factors and usability engineering for medical devices, potentially through certifications or specialized courses.

• Leadership Coaching: Development programs focused on enhancing global team management, strategic decision-making, and executive communication.

• Industry Conferences: Participation in leading UX research, Human Factors, and Medical Device conferences to stay abreast of best practices and emerging trends.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining deeper insights into product management, engineering processes, and regulatory affairs within the medical technology sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed around the specific demands of managing UX research in a highly regulated, global medical device company. Growth opportunities focus on enhancing both leadership and specialized domain expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to developing a comprehensive UX research strategy for a product portfolio like Elekta's, considering both innovation and regulatory requirements." (Focus on strategic planning, prioritization, and alignment with business goals.)

• "How do you build alignment and influence senior stakeholders across Product, Engineering, and Regulatory Affairs to champion user-centered design and prioritize research findings?" (Prepare examples of influencing without direct authority, data-driven persuasion, and managing competing priorities.)

• "Walk us through a time you had to conduct user risk analysis and formal usability testing for a regulated medical device. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure compliance and product safety?" (Be ready to detail your process, methodologies, documentation, and outcomes.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Elekta's mission to improve cancer care, and how do you see UX research contributing to this mission?" (Connect your passion for user advocacy with Elekta's purpose.)

• "How would you foster a culture of user-centricity within a global team and across different functional departments at Elekta?" (Discuss your leadership style, team-building strategies, and methods for embedding user empathy.)

• "How do you measure the impact and ROI of UX research initiatives? Provide an example of how your research led to measurable business or product improvements." (Quantify your contributions with specific metrics and outcomes.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Relevant Case Studies: Prioritize case studies that showcase leadership, complex problem-solving, regulatory experience (if applicable), and demonstrable impact.

• Storytelling: Structure your presentations as compelling narratives, clearly defining the problem, your role, the process, the insights, and the outcome.

• Focus on "Why" and "So What": Explain the rationale behind your methodological choices and the implications of your findings for the product and business.

• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight how you worked with cross-functional teams and integrated research into the product development lifecycle.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your research methods, data analysis, and decision-making processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: These questions and strategies are tailored to assess the specific requirements of a Manager, UX Research role in a regulated medical device company, focusing on leadership, strategic thinking, regulatory knowledge, and impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Research Manager position:

• Submit your application and résumé in English through the "Apply" button on the Elekta careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your leadership experience, expertise in UX research and human factors for complex/safety-critical products, and specific experience with medical device regulations and usability engineering.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly details your years of experience, team leadership responsibilities, and quantifiable achievements in driving product improvements through research. Use keywords from the job description (e.g., UX Research, Human Factors, Usability Engineering, Regulatory Compliance, Team Leadership).

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your research process, leadership philosophy, and how you measure impact. Prepare to present 1-2 strong case studies from your portfolio that demonstrate your capabilities, especially concerning regulated products.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Elekta's products, mission, and values. Understand their position in the radiation oncology market and the importance of user experience and safety in their technology. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers.

⚠️ 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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