Lead User Experience Researcher

Location: Hybrid 4 days in office (Baltimore MD, Buffalo NY, Bridgeport CT, Washington DC, Philadelphia PA, Wilmington DE)

Overview

We are looking for a strategic and experienced Lead UserExperienceResearcher to elevate our product development through deep user insights. This role will shape product strategy, influence business decisions, and deliver actionable research that drives innovation and improves user experiences.You'llcollaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure our products are intuitive, inclusive,drive business value,andarealigned with real user needs.

Excellentcandidates will have experience

• Driving program maturity,establishingsenior leadership and executive level relationships, and putting in place repeatable, scalable, and quality research operations.
• Supporting multiple teams within a single program, and mentoring researchers aligned to different teams.
• Working in early-stage product programs,establishingwhat good looks like, accelerating quick wins, while still setting teams and the program up for long term, scalable, research success.
• Reviewing research project efficacy; both influencing short term project quality and success, andidentifyingand closing skill, outcome, and output gaps over the life of the program.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Influence

• Consistentlydemonstratethought leadership todefine a future state experience vision informed by research.
• Alongside the Head of UXR, continuously evolve the practice of User Experience Research
• Define and lead research strategies that inform product vision and business decisions.
• Advocate for user needs across the organization and influence senior stakeholders.
• Align research initiatives with companyobjectivesand growth opportunities.
• Partner with UX Design Leadsto influence design-related decision making at any level of the organization.
• Mentor UX Researchers alongside your peers and build knowledge of Research craft among product teams and senior leadership.

Mixed-Methods Research Expertise

• Demonstrate excellent methodological rigor across generative, evaluative, and mixed methods research, rethinking best practices anddemonstratingnovel use of research tools as needed
• Design and execute qualitative and quantitative studies (e.g.,interviews, ethnographic research, concept testing, persona research, diary studies, card sort analysis, tree testing,usability testing, surveys, JTBD).
• Synthesize insights from multiple data sources to uncover user pain points and opportunities.
• Translate findings into clear, actionable recommendations for product and design teams.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with product managers, designers, engineers,program managers,andbusiness line SMEsto embed research into the development lifecycle.
• Facilitateworkshops and co-creation sessions to align teams around user insights.
• Mentor and support team members in applying research methods.

Communication & Storytelling

• Deliver compelling presentations and reports that influence decision-making.
• Distill complex research findings into clear narratives tailored to diverse audiences.
• Champion data-driven storytelling across the organization.
• Use storytelling and persuasion to connect strategy and vision with day-to-day practicality.

Domain Expertise & Innovation

• Applyknowledge of the financial services industryto contextualize research.
• Stay current with industry trends, inclusive design, accessibility, and emerging technologies (e.g., AI/ML).
• Conduct competitive and comparative research to inform product positioning.

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and potentially manage a team.

Education and Experience Required

Bachelor's degree in HumanFactors, Psychology,Sociology, Anthropology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI),Design, or related field and a minimum of 7 years of experience in UX/User Research or in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 11 years education and/or relevant work experience.

Provenexpertisein mixed-methodsresearch and strategic insight generation.

Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.

Experience working in Agile environments and with cross-functional teams.

Experience mentoring researchers and scaling research practices.

Proficiencyin tools such asQualtrics,Optimal Workshop, User Interviews,JIRA,andMiro

Previous experience with leadership responsibilities

Education and Experience Preferred

Master's Degree in HumanFactors, Psychology,Sociology, Anthropology, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI),Design, or related field.

Experience inbanking and financial services

M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $136,000.00 - $226,600.00 Annual (USD). The successful candidate's particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation.

LocationRadnor, Pennsylvania, United States of America