Customer Research Lead

nottingham, england, United Kingdom

Who are Experian?

We are the world’s leading global information services company. During life’s big moments – from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers – we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 20,000 people operating across 44 countries and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people, and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Our approach to flexible working

We care about work that works, whether that’s about where you work or adjusting your hours to fit better with your life. Our flexible working practices, including our hybrid working model where you can split your working time between the office and your home, support our belief that this balance brings long-lasting benefits for our business as well as ensuring that our people can balance successful careers with their commitments and interests outside of work. So that you can love where you work, please discuss what works for you with your recruiter during the hiring process.

Accepting you, for you.

We want you to feel accepted for who you are and to feel safe, valued and to help us build a culture of true belonging. Experian is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we take affirmative action to create a more inclusive and equitable world of work. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, Veteran status or whether you’re pregnant or on family leave.

Job Description

Role Profile: Customer Research Lead – Customer Innovation Team

The Customer Research Lead is a vital contributor to the Innovation Team, focused on leading customer research efforts to validate assumptions and accelerate product innovation. This role demands a comprehensive understanding of the customers' jobs to be done (JTBD), including functional, emotional, and social dimensions. Utilising these insights, the Lead will navigate the organisation's Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to streamline the innovation process, facilitating a quicker path to capital and investment. They bring extensive experience in customer research, showcasing an ability to conduct insightful conversations with both B2B clients and end consumers, and efficiently manage multiple projects within the PLM Innovation framework.

Core Responsibilities

Customer JTBD Analysis: Gain a profound understanding of the functional, emotional, and social jobs to be done by customers to inform research direction and innovation strategies.

PLM Framework Compliance: Utilise the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system effectively to advance product development and innovation initiatives.

Assumption Testing: Execute detailed customer research to confirm or refute product assumptions, applying both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Stakeholder Reporting: Synthesize, analyse and present data and insights through comprehensive reports for stakeholders and C-suite executives, offering clear, actionable recommendations.

Experiment Design: Craft and implement experiments within the PLM framework to promote product growth and scalability, focusing on innovative and efficient solutions.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Align research activities with the broader business objectives by working closely with product development, marketing, and GTM teams.

Role Impact

The Customer Research Lead is crucial in determining the direction of product innovation, ensuring that projects not only meet market demands but also position the organisation ahead of industry trends. De-risking resource and capital allocation to focus on priority initiatives through a nuanced understanding of customers JTBD, strong evidence and validation that customers want our solutions and are willing to pay and strategic use of the PLM & Innovation frameworks, this individual will contribute to maintaining the organisation's competitive edge.

Behaviour Enablers and Drivers

Curiosity : The extent to which a person is likely to tackle problems in a novel way, see patterns in complex information, and pursue deep understanding. Question the status quo and consistently search for different and better ways to do things. ’Wouldn’t it be great if we…’ Keeps an open mind constantly asking ‘What if?’, Avoid shutting down new ideas by saying ‘This is the way we do things here’. Adopt a problem solver, versus fault finder, mindset.

Customer obsessed : Relentlessly seek to develop ever deeper understanding of the jobs to be done of customers, clients, employees and stakeholders. Ensure all solutions are rooted in addressing key customer needs and problems. Deep insight into how customers made decisions between different solutions.

Collaboration : Incorporate cross-functional expertise resourcefully, recognizing that the smartest person in the room is often the room itself. Emphasised collective versus individual goals. Be transparent and frank whilst remaining respectful. Provide visibility and transparency on initiatives.

Risk-taking : Act confidently despite incomplete information, expect iteration and change, excel at experimentation, and celebrate judicious risk taking. Plan for different scenarios and alternative outcomes. Constantly ask ourselves ‘What don’t we know?’ and ‘How can we learn more?’. Design experiments to learn more about key assumptions. Reward teams for intelligent failure.

Empowering : Exercise initiative, seek out and leverage resources, and make confident decisions. Trust more junior employees to carry out tasks without approval. Look for ways people can bring ideas forward or speak up when something isn’t working. Own outcomes without shirking responsibility. Set teams up for success by removing obstacles and providing resources and support.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

Proven Expertise: Demonstrable background in customer research, with a focus on deciphering customer jobs to be done (JTBD).

PLM Proficiency: Knowledge of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Innovation systems and frameworks, with the capacity to integrate research activities with these processes.

Communication Excellence: Superior communication skills, adept atgaging customers and conveying complex findings to stakeholders in an accessible, compelling manner.

Analytical Acumen: Strong analytical skills, proficient in data interpretation to uncover insights and guide strategic decisions.

Proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with a strong ability to synthesize findings into actionable insights.

Innovative Mindset: Creative and strategic thinker with a history of conceptualising and executing experiments that drive product innovation.

Educational Background: A degree in Business, Marketing, Psychology, or a related field is required.

Desired Qualities

A commitment to professionalism, integrity, and a strong work ethic.

Flexibility and adaptability in response to changing priorities and project scopes.

Effective project management skills, capable of juggling multiple projects concurrently.

Experience in the B2B and technology sectors is beneficial.

Additional Information

Who are Experian?

We are the world’s leading global information services company. During life’s big moments – from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers – we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 20,000 people operating across 44 countries and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people, and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Our approach to flexible working

We care about work that works, whether that’s about where you work or adjusting your hours to fit better with your life. Our flexible working practices, including our hybrid working model where you can split your working time between the office and your home, support our belief that this balance brings long-lasting benefits for our business as well as ensuring that our people can balance successful careers with their commitments and interests outside of work. So that you can love where you work, please discuss what works for you with your recruiter during the hiring process.

Accepting you, for you.

We want you to feel accepted for who you are and to feel safe, valued and to help us build a culture of true belonging. Experian is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we take affirmative action to create a more inclusive and equitable world of work. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, Veteran status or whether you’re pregnant or on family leave.

Why choose us?

Our colleagues’ health and wellbeing are a top priority for us, that’s why our reward, benefits and wellbeing programmes are designed so you can come to work feeling your very best self. Our benefits focus on health, money, and lifestyle so you can tailor your benefits to your own personal needs. Whether it’s your physical and mental wellness, getting to work or preparing for the next big milestone in your life, we have a range of flexible options to have you covered!

To learn more about our culture and what it’s really like to work here, check out our interactive guide here:https://view.pagetiger.com/experianguideforcandidates/1

Could this be the role for you? Apply now to start your journey with Experian.

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Experian Careers - Creating a better tomorrow together

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