Senior Design Research Lead

Here is a professional review of the provided job description, designed to attract and inform potential candidates:

Embark on a pivotal 12-month journey as a Senior Design Research Lead at Lloyds Banking Group, a role offering a compelling blend of strategic impact, professional growth, and a commitment to fostering a truly inclusive environment.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced design researcher looking to shape the future of digital banking for millions of customers. You will be instrumental in driving the transformation agenda at one of the UK's leading financial institutions, contributing directly to their mission of helping Britain prosper.

Advantages for Candidates:

• Strategic Influence: Lead the research strategy for a key business area, directly impacting product and service development. Your insights will guide significant investment in platforms and people.
• Collaborative Environment: Become part of a large, experienced Design Research team of 40+ professionals. You'll be encouraged to experiment with new research methodologies, foster collaboration, and learn from a diverse group of experts.
• Professional Development: This role provides ample opportunity to mentor other researchers, lead by example in advocating for best practices, and expand your expertise across generative and evaluative research methodologies.
• Inclusive Culture: Lloyds Banking Group is dedicated to building an inclusive workplace that celebrates diversity. They actively support under-represented groups, offer a dedicated menopause health package, a Working with Cancer initiative, and are a disability confident employer, ensuring reasonable adjustments are made throughout the recruitment process.
• Flexible Working: The position supports a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between office-based collaboration and remote flexibility.
• Attractive Remuneration & Benefits: A competitive salary range of £76,194 - £89,640 is offered, alongside a comprehensive benefits package. This includes a generous pension contribution (up to 15%), share schemes with free shares, adaptable lifestyle benefits, 30 days' holiday plus bank holidays, and a focus on wellbeing initiatives and parental leave.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• Fixed-Term Contract: This is a 12-month fixed-term contract. Candidates should consider how this aligns with their long-term career objectives and whether they are seeking a project-based role or a stepping stone to further opportunities within the Group.
• Location Flexibility: While the role is advertised for Manchester, Halifax, or Chester, understanding the specific requirements for office-based days within a hybrid model will be crucial for candidates considering relocation or commute.
• Breadth of Research Expertise: The ideal candidate will possess extensive design research expertise with a strong practical understanding of a wide range of research techniques, including quantitative methods. Experience advocating for accessibility and inclusive design is also highly valued.
• Stakeholder Management: Success in this role hinges on strong stakeholder management skills. You'll need to effectively communicate research proposals and findings to various teams, understanding their business objectives and hypotheses.
• Leadership Experience: Prior experience in leading a team of researchers, including task management, mentoring, and support, is essential.

This role offers a significant opportunity to leverage your design research leadership skills within a dynamic, customer-centric organisation. If you are passionate about uncovering deep customer needs, driving impactful insights, and contributing to the growth and success of a leading UK bank, this position warrants your serious consideration.