About the role
Weâre building a centralised UX Research capability within a FTSE 250 financial services organisation â and this role is a key part of that foundation.
As a midweight UX Researcher, youâll lead meaningful research that shapes product direction, builds shared confidence, and helps teams make better decisions earlier. Youâll be aligned to a specific business area (either Direct to Consumer or Advised) while sitting within a growing central UX Research team, giving you both focus and community.
This is a hands-on role for a confident researcher who can independently plan and deliver high-quality discovery research, work closely with designers and product teams, and clearly communicate insight to influence outcomes.
What youâll be doing
Lead generative and tactical discovery research end-to-end â from framing the problem through to insight and recommendations.
Select and apply appropriate research methods to meet research goals, with autonomy and confidence
Partner closely with UX Designers on tactical discovery, supporting early exploration and shaping ideas before evaluative testing
Conduct a mix of qualitative and quantitative research, including:
Moderated discovery interviews
Unmoderated think-aloud studies
Surveys
In-person observation where appropriate
Synthesise research into clear, actionable insights that teams can use immediately
Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders, tailoring the message to different audiences
Provide strong evidence to support decision-making, helping teams move forward with confidence
Contribute to the development of research practices, ways of working, and tooling as the function matures
What âgoodâ looks like in this role
You can run discovery research independently and know how to adapt when things change
Youâre comfortable making methodological decisions and explaining why youâve taken a particular approach
Stakeholders trust your work and understand the value of research because you communicate it clearly
Designers see you as a partner, not a handover point
Youâre confident speaking up when evidence challenges assumptions â and you do it constructively
You help establish thoughtful, pragmatic research practices rather than over-engineering process
Skills & experience weâre looking for
Proven experience working as a UX Researcher, leading studies independently
Strong grounding in qualitative research, with experience applying quantitative methods where appropriate
Confidence choosing and applying research methods to answer real product questions
Experience collaborating with designers and product teams in an agile or iterative environment
Ability to synthesise complex findings into clear, compelling insight
Comfortable presenting research outputs to a range of stakeholders
Experience working in regulated environments or financial services is helpful but not essential
How we work
Weâre establishing a research culture that values thoughtful execution â doing just enough research to make confident decisions, without slowing teams down. Youâll be encouraged to challenge norms gently, bring strong evidence to the table, and help embed research as a strategic partner rather than a gatekeeper.
You wonât be expected to line-manage in this role, but you will be expected to take ownership of your work and contribute to shaping how research shows up across the organisation.
About AJ Bell
AJ Bell is one of the fastest-growing investment platform businesses in the UK offering an award-winning range of solutions that caters for everyone, from professional financial advisers to DIY investors with little to no experience. We have over 644,000 customers using our award-winning platform propositions to manage assets totalling more than ÂŁ103.3 billion. Our customers trust us with their investments, and by continuously striving to make investing easier, we aim to help even more people take control of their financial futures.
Having listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2018, AJ Bell is now a FTSE 250 company.
Headquartered in Manchester with offices in central London and Bristol, we now have over 1,500 employees and have been named one of the UK's 'Best 100 Companies to Work Forâ for six consecutive years and in 2025 named a Great Place to WorkÂŽ.
At AJ Bell you can expect a friendly working environment with a strong sense of teamwork, we have a great sense of pride in what we do, and this is reflected in our guiding principles.
Our perks and benefits
Hybrid working
At AJ Bell, our people are the heart of our culture. We believe in building strong connections by working together. That's why we offer a hybrid working model, where youâll spend a minimum of 50% of your working time per month in the office. For new team members, an initial period will be full-time in the office to help you immerse yourself in our business and build valuable relationships with your colleagues.
AJ Bell is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and all employees are empowered to bring their whole self to work.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, religion, physical and mental disability, marital status and any other characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010. All decisions to hire are based on qualifications, merit and business need.
If you like the sound of the above, or just want to know more about the company and the role, we'd love to speak to you.