SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE THAT YOU NEED

• Proven experience of persuading sceptical stakeholders in the value of user-centred design and research
• Experience of leading research planning across programmes of work and supporting other user researchers to plan research on complex projects
• Expertise in applying user research methodologies across different environments and on complex projects
• Strong track record of adapting research to meet the accessibility needs and/or assisted digital needs of participants
• Experience in identifying and effectively mitigating ethics and safeguarding issues, and supporting other user researchers to do this
• Proven experience of communicating research effectively; meeting the needs of different audiences
• Ability to line manage, coach or mentor user researchers at all levels
• Experience of successfully implementing community of practice and/or practice improvement initiatives
• An excellent working knowledge of the Government Digital Service (GDS) Digital Standard and Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) assessments, able to support others through the service assessments.

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING AT HIPPO

At Hippo, we’re dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that works for everyone. We understand that having a diverse team unlocks our capacity for innovation, creativity and problem solving. Only by building a community of diverse perspectives, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds can we create an environment where all can contribute and thrive.
We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups including women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and people with disabilities. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process that reflects our workplace culture. We are a registered Disability Confident Employer, Mindful Employer, Endometriosis Friendly Employer and a member of the Armed Forces Covenant. Hippo continually strives to remove barriers, provide accommodations and offer reasonable adjustments to ensure equity throughout our practices.
Hi, we’re Hippo.
At Hippo, we design with empathy and build for impact. We do this by combining data-informed evidence, human-centred design and software engineering. We’re a digital services partner who is genuinely invested in helping our clients thrive as modern organisations. Our delivery methodology is truly agile, from concept to reality, supporting innovation and continuous improvement to achieve your desired outcomes.
We firmly believe that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around. We take a human-centred approach to everything we do because we understand that complex problems require a service design approach. This means understanding how users behave and ensuring our solutions work for them in the real world.
Our combination of data, design, and engineering delivers bespoke digital services that make a positive and meaningful impact on organisations and society. We’re confident in our abilities, authentic in our approach, and passionate about what we do. If you’re looking for a digital services partner that can deliver real results, let us help you build for the future and make a lasting impact.

Hippo is looking for Lead User Researchers to join our growing team. You’ll figure out what people need from a service and use that to help design things that genuinely work for them. You’ll work closely with designers, product owners, and developers, testing services and guiding design decisions for our clients.
As a Lead Consultant, you’ll already be an expert in your field. You’ll also be a leader of people and teams, and an advocate for user-centred design approaches. Hippo will provide exciting opportunities to share your expertise with clients and team members, and to develop as a leader.
Please note, we are looking for candidates who are looking for growth at this level (lead), therefore the advertised salary band is the lower end of our full banding for this level of position, allowing for progression in the role.

What you’ll do

• Advise clients on how to solve complex problems using research, people-centred design and Agile methodologies
• Lead large research programmes across multiple teams, focusing on value for clients
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to design services that meet user needs
• Champion inclusive approaches in user research, within your programme of work and Hippo’s UR community
• Assure quality and support best research practice across projects in your work area
• Build supportive relationships with clients and stakeholders, yet challenge ideas and manage difficult conversations
• Oversee and support other user researchers to conduct high quality research and implement effective research ops processes
• Lead internal improvement work within Hippo to support the development of researchers; promoting best practice and quality assurance
• Line manage user researchers and advise other disciplines on getting the best from user research and researchers