Senior UX Researcher

Job Description

The Enterprise Digital & Analytics (EDA) team is passionate about creating a better journey for every user from beginning to end – and we're continually evolving our User Experience (UX) practice to meet our Card Members’ changing digital needs.

Within EDA, the User Experience Research (UXR) & Insights team is looking for a Lead UX Researcher. Reporting to the Director of UX Research and Insights, you’ll be responsible for leading a number of related projects, uncovering and translating user needs that drive customer-centered design solutions across our membership experiences, in our website and mobile app.

The right candidate will have demonstrated expertise in User Research, Design Thinking, and a proven track record of successfully consulting and partnering with Product Owners, Designers, and business stakeholders.

Primary responsibilities:

• Transform ideas, business opportunities, and creative vision into desirable outcomes for our users – establishing user needs and goals from the outset.
• Work under the guidance & direction of a Principal researcher, consulting with Product Owners and Designers to determine their insight needs, make appropriate recommendations, and craft research plans that align with their product roadmap.
• End-to-end responsibility for leading a number of research projects. From identifying the appropriate methods to get the data; to establishing timelines and dependencies; to conducting the research itself and delivering the results in a compelling way.
• Lead both generative and evaluative research - using a combination of methods, to drive product development and improvement.
• Work in a hybrid model, where research may be undertaken directly by you as a practitioner, in partnership with a vendor, or delivered entirely by a 3^rdparty, but led by you.
• Synthesize learnings across projects, integrate with other functions (e.g. Analytics) and lead socialization of findings.
• Drive the continuous improvement of the UXR team as we build the maturity of our function, helping educate stakeholders, as well as sharing best practice with peers and junior colleagues.
• Work across multiple markets to identify global solutions, across all stages of the customer lifecycle.
• May involve line management or contractor management responsibility, if leading an Analyst level role within the team.
• Portfolio of work as a research practitioner on end-to-end projects, demonstrating craft: from screener and test plan creation, to moderation/facilitation, and storytelling to socializing results and recommendations.

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law.

• 3 + years of UX Research / Digital Interaction experience with consumer facing digital products, websites and mobile experiences.
• Undergraduate Degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Interaction Design, Computer/Information Science, or similar; or equivalent practical experience.
• Proven experience in identifying research needs, matching those needs to research methods, and aligning approach with overall business strategy.
• Experience conducting research using of a range of qualitative and quantitative methods, from usability testing and contextual inquiry; to survey design and remote testing (using UserZoom or Qualtrics); to participatory design, ethnography, etc.
• Ability to synthesize multiple insights to arrive at recommendations that deliver customer-focused outcomes for the organization and communicate them effectively to Product Owners and Designers.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional partners to drive multiple research projects at pace and scale.
• Can manage multiple stakeholders and vendor partners effectively, to ensure project delivery.
• Strong communication, story-telling, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Comfortable working independently, and as part of a larger specialist team, with team members spread across multiple locations and timezones.
• Flexible, able to adapt to change in a fast-paced matrix environment and be able to hit the ground running.
• Experienced facilitator, running collaborative design workshops on topics such as design thinking, empathy + journey mapping, persona creation, etc.
• Experience guiding junior colleagues, coaching and guiding them in Analyst level roles.Why American Express?There’s a difference between having a job and making a difference. American Express has been making a difference in people’s lives for over 160 years, backing them in moments big and small, granting access, tools, and resources to take on their biggest challenges and reap the greatest rewards. We’ve also made a difference in the lives of our people, providing a culture of learning and collaboration, and helping them with what they need to succeed and thrive. We have their backs as they grow their skills, conquer new challenges, or even take time to spend with their family or community. And when they’re ready to take on a new career path, we’re right there with them, giving them the guidance and momentum into the best future they envision. Because we believe that the best way to back our customers is to back our people. The powerful backing of American Express.Don’t make a difference without it.Don’t live life without it. Depending on factors such as business unit requirements, the nature of the position, cost and applicable laws, American Express may provide visa sponsorship for certain positions.