Senior Design Researcher at Nedbank

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage research activities from planning to execution. 
• Synthesis of research data into actionable insights, ensuring they are aligned with both the user needs and business objectives.
• Collaborate with product managers, designers, developers, and business stakeholders to align research activities with product strategy and business goals.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders to ensure research influences decisions. 
• Ensure that research insights drive decision-making and contribute to product innovation, customer satisfaction, and business growth.
• Provide strategic recommendations to product and design teams. 
• Mentor and coach junior researchers, providing guidance on methodologies, best practices, and professional development.
• Ensure research is aligned with the organisation’s goals and user needs. 
• Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, tools, and techniques to continuously improve the quality and relevance of design research.
• Drive innovation by exploring new and emerging research methods, ensuring the team stays ahead of industry developments.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, encouraging experimentation and creative problem-solving.
• Drive research-led innovation by identifying unmet user needs and emerging market trends, contributing to the design of products and services that solve real user problems.
• Advocate for the user at every stage of the design and development process, ensuring that design decisions are grounded in research and aligned with user needs.

Essential Qualifications - NQF Level

• Matric plus an academic qualification or degree in relevant fields.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Research, Anthropology, Sociology, Human-Computer Interaction, or related fields. A Master’s degree is advantageous.

Minimum Experience Level

• 5-7 years of experience in design research, UX research, or usability analysis, with a proven track record of leading and managing research projects.

Types of Exposure

• Leadership & Mentorship: Experience leading and mentoring junior and intermediate researchers, ensuring the delivery of high-quality work.
• Project Management: Managing multiple research projects simultaneously, from planning to execution and reporting.
• Collaboration: Working closely with product managers, designers, and developers in a cross-functional team to drive user-centered design.
• Stakeholder Management: Building relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing decision-making processes through research insights.
• Strategic Research: Leading research that shapes strategic product and service development, particularly in complex or ambiguous problem spaces.