UX Product Research and Strategy Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Product Research and Strategy Lead

Company: Citi

Location: Tampa, Florida, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: UX/Product Research & Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-08-06

Experience Level: 10+ years (implied by 7-12 years requirement)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the definition and evolution of the user experience (UX) "north star" for HR applications and systems, translating user needs and business goals into a clear, evidence-based vision.

• Drive the development of comprehensive experience strategies by synthesizing research insights, market intelligence, and business objectives into actionable directions for product roadmaps and design priorities.

• Facilitate senior stakeholder alignment through workshops and strategy sessions, fostering consensus around user-centered outcomes and the overall experience vision.

• Establish and manage a continuous research and strategic discovery program to inform and challenge the experience north star, ensuring it remains relevant and grounded in user needs and business context.

• Own the end-to-end research process, from design and execution of qualitative and quantitative studies to delivering actionable results and communicating findings across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior lead, emphasizing strategic influence and program ownership beyond individual research execution. The focus on HR applications suggests a critical internal-facing role impacting employee experience, which is a growing area of focus for large enterprises. The requirement for a portfolio and presentation walkthrough during the interview highlights the expectation of tangible evidence of strategic impact.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate the experience "north star" in collaboration with product, design, and business leadership, ensuring a clear, evidence-based vision for the future state of HR applications.

• Develop and implement the overarching experience strategy, translating research findings, market intelligence, and business goals into concrete strategic direction for product roadmaps and design efforts.

• Lead senior stakeholder workshops and strategy sessions to foster alignment, gather diverse perspectives, and build consensus around user-centered outcomes and strategic priorities.

• Design, execute, and manage a robust research program that continuously informs and challenges the experience north star, ensuring it remains grounded in evolving user needs and business realities.

• Conduct a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including user interviews, co-creation sessions, journey mapping, usability testing, concept testing, and surveys, ensuring actionable insights are delivered.

• Design research studies adhering to best practices and appropriate methodologies, ensuring rigor and validity of findings.

• Present and communicate research results, strategic recommendations, and insights effectively to stakeholder teams and the broader organization.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including UX Designers, Product Managers, and Engineers, to ensure research insights are integrated into the product development lifecycle.

• Provide guidance and uphold best practices in research methodologies, mentoring junior researchers and designers.

• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and relevant metrics for benchmarking and measuring user journey effectiveness and overall experience quality.

• Integrate qualitative research insights with quantitative data to develop a deep understanding of employee journeys and inform data-driven prioritization decisions.

• Employ innovative approaches to recruit and research diverse user populations, including those that may be challenging to access.

• Understand existing and planned Citi infrastructure and projects to develop implementable solutions that drive measurable impact.

• Mentor user researchers and designers in research techniques to scale research capabilities within the team.

• Collaborate with research and design leadership to identify and implement improvements in tools, processes, and alignment with design systems.

• Maintain a positive and constructive attitude when receiving and providing feedback.

• Work closely with UX Designers to provide them with necessary details for creating effective UX designs.

• Stay current with the latest UX practices, innovations, and tools to ensure best-in-class research and strategy execution.

• Support and onboard new UX starters within the team.

• Participate actively in the wider UX community of practice to share knowledge and foster continuous learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on both strategic vision setting (north star, experience strategy) and tactical execution (research program, various research methods, data integration). The emphasis on stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration is critical for a lead role in a large enterprise like Citi. Mentorship and community involvement indicate a desire for leadership that fosters team growth and knowledge sharing.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's/University degree (Required)

• Master's degree (Desirable) Experience:

• 7–12 years of relevant UX Research experience, with a demonstrable track record in a strategic or research leadership capacity.

• Extensive hands-on experience leading qualitative and quantitative UX research within a product design environment, covering all stages of the Design Thinking process.

• Proven ability to translate research insights into strategic recommendations that have demonstrably influenced product direction, roadmaps, or overall vision.

• Experience facilitating senior stakeholder workshops and strategy sessions to build consensus and alignment around experience direction. Required Skills:

• Strategic UX Research: Proven ability to lead comprehensive research programs and translate findings into strategic product and experience direction.

• Qualitative & Quantitative Research: Expertise in designing and executing a wide range of research methodologies (user interviews, journey mapping, usability testing, surveys, etc.).

• Stakeholder Management & Alignment: Strong experience facilitating workshops and building consensus with senior leadership, product managers, and engineers.

• Product Strategy Development: Ability to translate insights into actionable strategies, influence product roadmaps, and define experience north stars.

• Data Analysis & Synthesis: Skill in integrating qualitative research with quantitative data to inform decision-making and prioritization.

• Workshop Facilitation: Proficiency in leading in-person and remote workshops for research, strategy, and alignment.

• Communication & Presentation: Outstanding written and oral communication skills, with a confident ability to present complex findings and strategies to senior leadership.

• Problem-Solving & Ambiguity: Creative problem-solving skills, comfortable navigating uncertainty and ambiguity at a strategic level.

• Self-Starter & Proactivity: Ability to define goals and research programs with limited direction, demonstrating a proactive and positive attitude.

• Attention to Detail & Analytical Skills: Strong analytical capabilities and meticulous attention to detail.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in e-commerce/Internet/mobile space.

• Familiarity with Agile methodology.

• Experience within the financial services industry and commercial banking.

• Experience with service design, systems thinking, or advanced experience strategy frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement (7-12 years) strongly suggests this is a senior-level position, likely equivalent to a Principal or Lead UX Researcher. The emphasis on "strategic or research leadership capacity" and "proven track record of translating research into strategic recommendations" indicates a need for candidates who can demonstrate business impact and influence beyond just delivering research reports. The desirable skills point towards a more holistic understanding of the product development ecosystem.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Strategic Impact Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 significant projects where your research and strategic insights directly influenced product direction, roadmaps, or the overall user experience vision.

• Research Program Design: Demonstrate experience in defining and leading a research program, including its objectives, methodologies, and how it informed strategic decisions over time.

• Stakeholder Engagement Examples: Provide evidence of successful collaboration with senior stakeholders, product managers, and engineers, illustrating how you built alignment and drove consensus.

• Methodology Showcase: Include examples of diverse research methodologies used (qualitative and quantitative) and explain why specific methods were chosen for particular problems.

• Data Integration Examples: Illustrate how you integrated qualitative insights with quantitative data to inform strategic planning and prioritization.

Process Documentation:

• Research Plan Development: Showcase clear, well-defined research plans that outline objectives, target audiences, methodologies, timelines, and anticipated deliverables.

• Insight Synthesis & Reporting: Provide examples of how you synthesized complex research findings into clear, concise, and actionable insights for various audiences.

• Strategy Formulation Frameworks: Demonstrate how you used research to inform and develop strategic frameworks, such as journey maps, service blueprints, or experience roadmaps.

• Measurement Frameworks: Show examples of how you defined relevant metrics for benchmarking and measuring the success of user journeys and overall experience improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "case study or portfolio and present walkthrough during interview" is a critical requirement. The portfolio should not just list projects but demonstrate the candidate's strategic thinking, leadership in research, and ability to drive tangible business outcomes through user-centered insights. The focus should be on the "why" and "impact" of the research, not just the "what."

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $125,600.00 - $188,400.00 Annually

Benefits:

• Medical coverage

• Dental coverage

• Vision coverage

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Life insurance

• Accident insurance

• Disability insurance (short-term and long-term)

• Wellness programs

• Paid time off (including vacation and sick leave)

• Paid holidays

Working Hours: Standard full-time work week, likely around 40 hours, with potential for hybrid flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to Tampa, Florida, and reflects a senior-level UX/Product Strategy role within a large financial institution. This range is competitive for the specified location and experience level. The benefits package is comprehensive, typical of large corporations like Citi, offering a robust safety net and employee support.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Banking. Citi is a global leader in financial services, offering a wide range of products and services to consumers, corporations, and governments. This industry context implies a focus on security, compliance, customer trust, and innovation within a regulated environment.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (implied by Citi's global presence and structure). This means established processes, a structured hierarchy, and opportunities for broad impact, but also potentially longer decision-making cycles.

Founded: 1812. Citi has a long history, indicating stability, deep industry knowledge, and a legacy of adaptation.

Team Structure:

• UX Team: Part of a larger Digital Design Engineering or Technology group, focused on improving employee experiences within HR applications.

• Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Director or VP of UX/Product Design, with close collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, and HR business stakeholders.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role will heavily involve working with Product Managers, UX Designers, Engineers, HR Business Partners, and other senior leaders to define and implement experience strategies.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on integrating research insights with quantitative data to inform product and strategy decisions.

• User-Centric Design: A core philosophy of putting the user (in this case, employees) at the center of design and strategy.

• Agile Principles (Desirable): Experience working within Agile frameworks is preferred, suggesting a need for iterative development and close team collaboration.

• Strategic Planning: A focus on long-term vision setting (north star) and translating that into actionable roadmaps.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Citi's established presence in financial services suggests a culture that values rigor, compliance, and strategic foresight. The focus on internal HR applications indicates a commitment to employee experience as a driver of productivity and retention, which is a strategic imperative for large organizations. The team structure implies a need for strong collaboration and influence across various business units.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Lead/Principal UX Researcher & Strategist. This role is positioned at a senior individual contributor or early leadership level, focused on setting strategic direction and mentoring others. It requires a blend of deep research expertise and strategic thinking.

Reporting Structure: The role likely reports into a UX or Product Design leadership function, with direct collaboration and influence over product roadmaps and design decisions. The ability to influence senior stakeholders is paramount.

Operations Impact: The "operations" here refer to the internal operational processes and systems that enable employees to perform their jobs effectively. By improving the UX of HR applications, this role directly impacts employee productivity, satisfaction, retention, and the overall efficiency of HR functions, contributing to Citi's operational excellence.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into management roles (e.g., UX Research Manager, Director of UX Strategy) overseeing larger teams or strategic initiatives.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like Service Design, Experience Strategy, or advanced research methodologies within the financial services context.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management, Program Management, or strategic roles within HR or other business units, leveraging a strong understanding of employee needs and business operations.

• Mentorship & Training: Continued development through mentoring junior researchers and participating in internal and external learning opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for a UX professional to transition into a more strategic, influencing role within a large, stable organization. The impact is on internal operations, which is a critical, often overlooked, area for large enterprises aiming for efficiency and employee engagement. Growth paths are clearly defined towards leadership and broader strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Tampa, Florida, and is designated as Hybrid. This suggests a mix of in-office collaboration and remote work, allowing for flexibility while maintaining team cohesion and access to office resources.

Office Location(s): 3800 CITIGROUP CENTER DRIVE BUILDING G TAMPA. This is a specific corporate campus location, likely offering modern office amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The hybrid model implies access to office spaces designed for collaboration, meetings, and focused work.

• Technology & Tools: Expect access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, including necessary software licenses for research tools (UserZoom, UserTesting.com, Dovetail, etc.) and collaboration platforms.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for in-person and virtual interaction with UX Designers, researchers, product managers, and other team members to foster a strong sense of community and shared purpose.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid arrangement provides some flexibility in managing work hours and location, accommodating deep work and team collaboration needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement is a key aspect of the work environment, indicating a balance between in-person collaboration essential for strategic workshops and remote flexibility for focused research and analysis. This model is increasingly common in large corporations and aligns with modern work expectations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, strategic thinking, and role expectations.

• Portfolio Presentation & Walkthrough: This is a critical stage where candidates present 1-2 key case studies from their portfolio, demonstrating their research process, strategic contribution, and impact. Be prepared to discuss methodologies, challenges, and outcomes in detail.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with UX Designers, Product Managers, and potentially senior business stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and strategic alignment.

• Final Interview: May involve a senior leader or executive to confirm fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Strategy & Impact: Select case studies that clearly demonstrate how your research influenced strategic decisions and led to measurable business outcomes or significant improvements in user experience.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role and approach, the methodologies used, key insights, the strategic recommendations made, the implemented solutions, and the resulting impact (quantified where possible).

• Highlight Leadership: Showcase instances where you led research programs, mentored others, or facilitated senior stakeholder alignment.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, challenges faced, how you handled ambiguity, and how you integrated different types of data.

• Tailor to Citi: If possible, subtly reference how your experience and approach align with Citi's focus on employee experience and financial services.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Scenario: Be ready for hypothetical scenarios where you might need to outline how you would approach defining an experience strategy for a new HR feature or diagnosing a complex user problem.

• Methodology Justification: Be prepared to defend your choice of research methodologies for specific research questions.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating complex research findings and strategic recommendations in a concise and persuasive manner suitable for different audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for a portfolio presentation is a significant signal. Candidates must prepare thoroughly, focusing on storytelling that highlights strategic impact and leadership. This is not just about listing skills but demonstrating them through concrete examples of past work and its influence.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: UserZoom, UserTesting.com (explicitly mentioned), potentially others like Lookback, Maze.

• Qualitative Data Analysis Tools: Dovetail, EnjoyHQ (explicitly mentioned), or similar tools for organizing, coding, and synthesizing qualitative data.

• Survey Tools: Qualtrics (explicitly mentioned), SurveyMonkey, Google Forms for designing and distributing surveys.

• Collaboration & Documentation: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Miro, Figma, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides) for project management, ideation, design collaboration, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, expect to work with data from tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal Citi analytics platforms to complement qualitative insights.

• Web/App Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics might be beneficial for understanding user behavior data.

CRM & Automation:

• Internal Systems: Proficiency will be needed with Citi's internal HR systems (e.g., Workday, SAP HR) and potentially other enterprise software that impacts employee experience.

• Integration Awareness: Understanding how different systems integrate and how data flows between them can be crucial for a holistic experience strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of specific research tools (UserZoom, UserTesting.com, Dovetail, EnjoyHQ, Qualtrics) indicates that hands-on experience with these platforms is highly valued and expected. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their proficiency and preferred use cases for these tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental belief that understanding and prioritizing user needs (employees) is key to successful product and experience design.

• Data-Driven: A commitment to using both qualitative and quantitative data to inform decisions, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with diverse teams (product, design, engineering, business) to achieve shared goals.

• Strategic Foresight: The ability to think beyond immediate tasks and envision a future state, setting a clear direction for the user experience.

• Pragmatism & Quality: Balancing strategic ambition with practical implementation, ensuring high-quality outcomes within realistic constraints.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively seeking opportunities to integrate UX research and strategy into the workflows of product management, engineering, and business units.

• Workshop Facilitation: Regularly conducting interactive sessions to align teams, gather input, and co-create solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across the UX team and broader organization.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Openness to giving and receiving feedback to foster continuous learning and improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of strategic vision and collaborative execution. The value placed on pragmatism and quality is important in a large, regulated environment like Citi. The collaborative style, particularly through workshops, is central to driving alignment and consensus.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Large Enterprise: Working within a large, complex organization like Citi can involve navigating established processes, multiple stakeholders, and potentially longer decision cycles.

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Execution: Continuously ensuring that the "north star" vision is translated into practical, implementable solutions within product roadmaps.

• Data Integration Complexity: Synthesizing insights from diverse sources (qualitative research, quantitative data, market intelligence) to create a cohesive strategic narrative.

• Driving Change: Influencing stakeholders and embedding user-centered principles and strategic research practices across different teams and departments.

• Recruiting Difficult Populations: Finding and recruiting specific employee segments for research, especially for specialized HR functions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Strategy Frameworks: Deepen expertise in areas like Service Design, Experience Strategy, and Systems Thinking through internal training, workshops, or external courses.

• Industry Trends: Stay abreast of emerging UX research methodologies, tools, and best practices through conferences, webinars, and professional networks.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor junior team members, lead cross-functional initiatives, and develop management skills.

• Financial Services Domain Expertise: Gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of the financial services industry and its impact on employee experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior role in a large enterprise, requiring strong influence and strategic navigation skills. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening strategic expertise and developing leadership capabilities, aligning with the role's senior positioning.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you defined an 'experience north star' for a product or service. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?"

• "How would you approach developing an experience strategy for a new employee onboarding process at Citi, considering our existing HR systems and goals?"

• "Walk us through a complex user problem you solved using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research. How did your insights influence the product strategy?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working for Citi, and specifically in improving employee experiences within our HR applications?"

• "How do you approach building alignment and consensus with senior stakeholders who may have different priorities or perspectives?"

• "Describe your experience mentoring junior researchers or designers. How do you foster their growth and ensure quality in their work?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Craft a compelling narrative for each case study, focusing on the problem, your strategic contribution, the impact, and key learnings.

• Visual Aids: Use clear, concise visuals (screenshots, diagrams, charts) to illustrate your process and findings. Avoid overly cluttered slides.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present quantifiable results (e.g., % improvement in task completion, reduction in support tickets, increase in user satisfaction scores).

• Focus on "Why": Be prepared to explain why you chose specific methodologies, why certain insights were critical, and why your strategic recommendations were the right ones.

• Handle Questions Gracefully: Listen carefully to questions, take a moment to think, and provide thoughtful, well-reasoned answers. It's okay to say you don't know but offer how you would find out.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice emphasizes demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to translate research into tangible business value. The portfolio presentation is a cornerstone of the process, requiring candidates to articulate their strategic impact effectively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Product Research and Strategy Lead position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Citi's Workday careers portal.

• Portfolio Curation: Select 1-2 of your most impactful case studies that best showcase your strategic leadership in UX research, your ability to translate insights into actionable strategies, and demonstrable business impact. Ensure these are well-documented and ready for presentation.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, emphasizing your experience in strategic research leadership, stakeholder management, product strategy, and specific research methodologies. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your case studies, focusing on the strategic narrative, your role, the process, the insights, and the outcomes. Prepare to discuss your approach to challenges and stakeholder engagement.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Citi's mission, values, and its focus on employee experience. Understand the financial services industry context to better align your responses with the company's strategic objectives.

⚠️ 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.