Lead User Researcher

£85,000 to 100,000 GBP

Bonus

Remote WORKING
Type: Permanent

Lead User Researcher (Public Sector)

Location: Remote-first, UK wide
Salary: Up to £100,000 base + bonus (DOE)
Eligibility: Must have the right to work in the UK (no sponsorship available)

The Opportunity

We're hiring a User Research leader to help shape and deliver some of the most complex and impactful public sector and healthcare services in the UK.

This is role is for someone who combines deep user research expertise with strong consulting capability - and who is equally comfortable leading people, setting direction, and influencing at senior levels.

You'll play a key role in defining research strategy, embedding user-centred practices at scale, and building and leading high-performing research teams across large, multi-stream programmes.

What You'll Be Doing

At this level, your role will span strategy, delivery, leadership, and people management, including:

• Owning and shaping user research strategy across complex public sector programmes
• Leading research across discovery, alpha, beta, and live phases
• Line managing, coaching, and developing user researchers, supporting progression, performance, and wellbeing
• Setting standards, ways of working, and best practice across research teams
• Partnering with senior client stakeholders to influence service and policy decisions
• Translating complex research into clear, actionable insights that drive delivery
• Working closely with service designers, product managers, delivery leads, and engineers
• Resourcing and scaling research capability across programmes as needed
• Championing ethical, inclusive, and accessible research practices
• Supporting bids, propositions, and capability growth where required

What We're Looking For

Essential:

• Extensive experience as a Senior / Lead / Principal User Researcher or User Research Manager
• Demonstrable experience line managing and leading teams of researchers and/or designers
• Strong consulting background, advising clients and working in delivery-focused environments
• Proven delivery experience within the UK public sector and/or healthcare
• Expert knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Deep understanding of user needs vs. requirements
• Experience operating in agile, multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including at Director and senior leadership level
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance quality, pace, and outcomes
• A genuine passion for inclusive, accessible, and evidence-led services

Desirable:

• Experience working to the UK Government Service Standard and GDS practices
• Experience leading large-scale discovery and service transformation programmes
• Background in service design, experience design, or digital transformation
• Active involvement in the research or design community (mentoring, speaking, writing)

Why Join

• Remote-first, UK-wide role
• Opportunity to lead, grow, and shape research teams
• High-impact work across public services and healthcare
• Competitive package up to £100k + bonus
• A role with genuine influence, autonomy, and purpose

If you're a user research leader who enjoys developing people, shaping strategy, and delivering meaningful public sector outcomes, this role offers the scope, scale, and impact to match your experience.