Lead Design Researcher

Job Description

As Lead Design Researcher for the Verification Experience squad, you’ll combine hands-on research with people leadership and squad-level strategic direction. You’ll set research priorities, lead and develop researchers, and ensure evidence is focused on the most important customer and business problems.

You’ll remain close to the craft and personally lead projects, particularly when the work is highly strategic, ambiguous or requires research leadership. At the same time, you’ll create the conditions for your direct reports to do their best work, giving them clear direction, thoughtful coaching and the right level of challenge.

You’ll bring together qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods evidence to shape both customer-facing verification experiences and the internal tools that help our teams solve problems efficiently.

At Lead level, success isn’t measured only by the research you deliver yourself. It’s measured by the quality and impact of your team’s work, the growth and performance of your direct reports, and the clarity of direction you create across Verification.

Here’s how you’ll make an impact:

• Setting priorities and research direction — Set clear priorities for yourself and your direct reports, connecting the team’s work to squad and business goals.

• Shaping strategy — Turn research into clear opportunities that influence the focus, priorities and product direction of the Verification squad.

• Articulating now, next and future — Help teams understand what they need to learn today, what comes next and how their decisions contribute to the longer-term Verification experience.

• Leading through people — Set clear expectations, support the growth of your direct reports and take responsibility for their performance and impact, course-correcting when needed.

• Staying close to the craft — Personally lead strategic or complex research projects while raising research quality, thinking and technical capability across the team and squad.

• Influencing stakeholders — Build strong relationships and skilfully navigate conversations with teams, squads and senior leaders to create alignment and champion customer-centred decisions.

• Leading with guts — Set ambitious goals, address difficult problems and confidently champion quality, our customers and a human-centred approach.

• Using tools thoughtfully — Help your team use AI and emerging tools where they improve speed, quality or impact while maintaining research rigour and sound judgement.

About you:

• You have 6+ years of experience in product research, including managing researchers and supporting their growth, performance and progression.

• You know how to bring out the best in people, setting clear expectations and providing thoughtful coaching and feedback.

• You build strong partnerships across Product, Design, Engineering and Analytics to align priorities and get things done.

• You connect customer evidence with business outcomes, turning research into clear opportunities that inspire action.

• You’re empathetic and consistently keep customers’ needs at the heart of decisions.

• You have a strong track record of growing research influence across product teams and with senior stakeholders.

• You can shape research and product direction across a squad while championing quality and human-centred design.

Qualifications

Additional Information

For everyone, everywhere. We're people building money without borders  — without judgement or prejudice, too. We believe teams are strongest when they are diverse, equitable and inclusive.

We're proud to have a truly international team, and we celebrate our differences.
Inclusive teams help us live our values and make sure every Wiser feels respected, empowered to contribute towards our mission and able to progress in their careers.

If you want to find out more about what it's like to work at Wise visit Wise.Jobs.

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Compensation: 102000 to 133000 (GBP) (YEARLY)