Lead User Researcher

Job Description

Lead User Researcher

About Scrumconnect Consulting

Scrumconnect Consulting is a multi-award-winning digital consultancy, recognised for delivering impactful and innovative technology solutions across UK government departments. Our work has positively influenced the lives of over 40 million UK citizens.

We are passionate about user-centred design, agile delivery, and building digital services that make a real difference. Our teams work at the forefront of innovation, helping organisations transform and deliver high-quality, scalable solutions that truly matter.

Role Summary

The Lead User Researcher is an expert practitioner responsible for setting research vision, driving best practice and aligning research activities across multiple delivery teams and complex client accounts.

Operating at SFIA Level 6, this role requires an experienced practitioner who can shape client capabilities, establish research governance and ensure research evidence directly informs executive strategy, policy alignment, product roadmaps and service transformation.

You will act as a trusted partner to senior client stakeholders, work alongside the Head of UCD to lead and grow our user research capability, and play a key role in driving Scrumconnect's business growth and consultancy impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish research vision, ethical governance, safeguarding frameworks and data privacy protocols across multiple projects and client programmes.

• Align research plans across teams to build a deep understanding of complex user needs, contexts and behaviours across the entire service life cycle (Discovery to Live).

• Engage with senior stakeholders to advocate for user-centred transformation.

• Embed inclusive research standards, accessibility guidelines and considerations for assisted digital needs across client organisations and consultancy engagements.

• Lead and oversee research quality, providing assurance and readiness for GDS Service Assessments and external standards.

• Champion modern research methodologies, including mixed-method approaches, quantitative analytics and AI-assisted research tools, to increase research speed and insight depth.

• Work with the Head of User Centred Design to recruit, line-manage, mentor and coach Senior and Mid-Level Researchers, fostering continuous learning within Scrumconnect's UCD practice.

• Support account growth, lead the UCD element of bid responses, shape client proposals and position Scrumconnect as a premier UCD partner across the public sector.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven track record as a Lead User Researcher establishing research strategies across large-scale public sector programmes or multi-team digital transformations.

• Deep expertise in research governance, ethical consent frameworks, safeguarding practices and GDPR compliance at an organisational level.

• In-depth knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including usability testing, contextual inquiry, co-design and applying data and analytics to inform design.

• Proven capability in line-managing, mentoring and developing researchers, establishing research standards and building practice capability.

• Strong commercial acumen, with experience supporting business development, shaping UCD bid proposals and contributing to pre-sales activity.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Scrumconnect Consulting, we believe that diversity drives innovation and better outcomes. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every individual is valued, respected, and supported.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and actively encourage individuals from underrepresented groups, including women, people with disabilities, and diverse communities, as well as those seeking flexible working arrangements.

As a Disability Confident Level 1 employer, we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and during employment to ensure equal opportunities for all.