Design Research Manager

Company Description

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

Job Description

Visa's Global Product Design team is seeking an experienced, hands-on Design Research Manager with expertise in qualitative and quantitative user research to drive leading-edge product design. This Design Research Manager will be a player-coach with the opportunity to grow and build their own research team, under the umbrella of the larger Design Research organization, supporting one of Visa's growing product focus areas.
 
Design researchers at Visa are innovative thinkers and strategic problem solvers who are as analytical as they are creative. We value methodological rigor, kindness, inclusivity, accountability, and collaboration. In this role, you will lead the strategy and execution of full-scale research projects, delivering compelling research insights that distill the complexity of client challenges. You will play a vital role in developing new products and services directly for Visa's clients and partners, as well as help inform critical human insights employed by internal product, consulting, and account teams.
 
Role Responsibilities:
- Execute all phases of qualitative (and some quantitative) research, including scoping, research strategy, conducting, synthesizing, and reporting.
- Evangelize and promote design research, storytelling, and insights throughout the organization.
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different research methods, including when and how to apply them during each product phase. Be able to justify research and design decisions.
- Work across multiple clients to execute research, delivering actionable and timely insights.
- Create personas, journey maps, user flows, and other research artifacts.
- Support and facilitate design thinking workshops with stakeholders.
- Identify how to frame complex research problems, as well as evaluate agencies and vendors to support projects (when needed).
- Act as a change agent, sparking fresh ideas that elevate the research practice.
- Foster collaboration between Design, Research, Design Operations, and Product teams. Enhance Product's understanding of Research value and how to partner effectively.
- Represent the team successfully with all types of stakeholders, including Visa clients and partners.
- Manage a small team of early to mid-career researchers as a servant-leader. Support and elevate their careers and advocate for their success.
- Mentor other design researchers and lead by example in delivering excellent individual work.
 
Essential Functions:
- Experience combining qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to form holistic approaches to problem-solving.
- Experience managing participant recruitment processes and associated privacy and data considerations.
- Knowledgeable about accessibility guidelines and best practices.
- Ability to support design thinking workshops, including leading sessions and engaging with leadership.
- Must be results-oriented, and have the ability to work independently, prioritize many competing needs, including multiple urgent tasks, and effectively deal with ambiguity.
- Innate desire to share credit and support one's colleagues, putting the success of the team and the company ahead of personal gain.
- Refusal to compromise on commitments, quality, and the truth.
- Ability to build strong relationships while navigating multiple complex organizations, sometimes with competing agendas and differing values.
- Successful track record of developing relationships and engaging with colleagues across functions, levels, and geographies, including within a virtual environment.
- Excellent analytical abilities and attention to detail - no cutting corners.
- Top-notch stakeholder management/people skills, with experience managing challenging stakeholder relationships.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, problem-solving skills, customer service, and interpersonal skills.
- Knowledge of and experience with Visa products a plus, or knowledge of the fintech and payments space.
- Experience with tools like Mural, dScout, UserTesting.com, Figma, and Coda.

 

This is a hybrid position. Hybrid employees can alternate time between both remote and office. Employees in hybrid roles are expected to work from the office 2-3 set days a week (determined by leadership/site), with a general guidepost of being in the office 50% or more of the time based on business needs.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• 5 or more years of relevant work experience with a Bachelors Degree or at least 2 years of work experience with an Advanced degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 0 years of work experience with a PhD


Preferred Qualifications

• 6 or more years of work experience with a Bachelors Degree or 4 or more years of relevant experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or up to 3 years of relevant experience with a PhD
• Minimum 7+ years of work experience, including significant experience in a role with responsibility for design research, product design and design research planning, as well as execution and client management for complex UX research projects
• Experience and understanding of product management and innovation in the payments space a plus
• Qualitative expertise a must, quantitative skills a plus.

Additional Information

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting.  The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Visa is an EEO Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.  Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.

Visa will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable local law, including the requirements of Article 49 of the San Francisco Police Code.

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY: The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is to USD per year, which may include potential sales incentive payments (if applicable). Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position may be eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 (k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness Program.