Lead Design Researcher

As a Lead Design Researcher at TPXimpact, you will lead and direct the implementation of design research best practices within TPXimpact client teams and programmes. You will also contribute to refining our working methods and advancing our client offerings, all in alignment with our purpose, DT Ways, and Missions. 

In your role on client projects, you will uphold TPXimpact's standards of excellence, collaborating directly with clients and delivery leadership to define statements of work where necessary. You will lead teams in developing products and services with design research best practice at their heart. Your leadership will extend to multidisciplinary teams, including colleagues from across TPXimpact, associates, and client team members, and you may serve as project director when required. 

As a leader within the Community of Practice, you will manage a line management structure and work alongside the Head of Research and Analysis to achieve practice outcomes and uphold high standards as well as ensure our visibility both internally and externally, while also supporting business growth initiatives. 

Professional knowledge and experience 

• Experience leading approaches to problem framing and research scoping, working with
• teams to define assumptions and/or hypotheses within institutional complexity. 
• Previous experience designing and leading design research to GDS standards on complex, user facing products and services in client facing teams, projects, or programmes of work 
• Experience supporting the design of inclusive and accessible products and services, 
• adapting research methodologies to suit diverse contexts and ensuring safeguarding of both team and participants and compliance throughout the research process. 
• Experience working with prototypes and/or pilot interventions using a mix of methods and/or within robust evaluation and impact measurement processes. 
• Experience of working with service owners and programme level directors to develop research roadmaps and strategy. 
• Experience working with other designers and researchers in a multidisciplinary team to deliver high quality design work 
• Experience of working with data, technology and change specialists in technical and complex programmes of work. 
• Experience leading and coaching others – in the practice and in client teams – to create quality, impactful and user-centred products and services, including in organisations and teams with low design maturity. 
• Experience line managing and coaching other designers, providing support to ensure wellbeing and good performance 
• Experience operating in a fast-paced environment, balancing internal business priorities with external delivery and work on client projects. 
• Experience identifying and supporting new research and/or business opportunities. 

 Technical skills

• Able to design appropriate and engaging research, with ethical and inclusive consideration at its core - including user grouping and segmentation design, designing approaches and participant and research management. 
• Able to deliver research independently and through others using a variety of methods from discovery to evaluative research with transactional, operational users and/or governance stakeholders to understand people - behavioural context, culture and lived experiences to help define, improve and iterate products and services. 
• Able to independently analyse and synthesise qualitative data as well as lead and facilitate team members for continuous insight development throughout different stages of design and delivery and enables evidence-based learning decision making. 
• Able to own and manage research operations - quality assurance and governance, tooling, knowledge management at scale within client programmes and research practice team. 
• Able to effectively convey the value and impact of user-centred design and research design both within an organisation and in the broader public discourse. 
• Able to create visual and engaging artefacts for conducting, communicating research and
• representing users, and/or collaborate effectively with others to do so. 
•  Able to work in the open - confidently shaping and communicating the story of your work and impact.
• Able to proactive and reactive influence and build consensus, including facilitating difficult 
• discussions with teams, delivery and design leadership both at TPXimpact and with clients. 
• Able to hold and lead others through ambiguity on behalf of clients and teams – to build shared understanding, and help individuals and teams find clarity and direction. 
• Understanding and/or first hand experience in co-design, participatory, mixed method approaches. 

Desirable 

• Able to plan and manage budgets, including achieving margins, and revenue as part of successful programme, project delivery. 
• Able to influence how emerging technologies can be applied in our work and deliver best value for our clients