Manager, Experience Design Research

161 Bay Street (93021), Canada, Toronto,Toronto, Ontario,
Manager, Experience Design Research
About Capital One Canada.
For 30 years, we've been on a mission to change banking for good and build relationships by making credit accessible, simple, intuitive and rewarding. We want to help Canadians succeed with credit, because we believe in people - in our customers, in our associates, and in talent like you!
About The Team
Our Experience Design (XD) team doesn't just inform design; we help shape product strategy and experiences. You will lead a highly skilled team that bridges the gap between 'what the customer does' (XD behavioral research) and 'how the customer feels' (CX metrics). We're looking for a team player and leader who can lead a team to bring actionable insights and metrics forward and help our teams drive measurable outcomes and create incredible experiences for our customers.
About You

• Strategic Research Leader: You are an expert at building and scaling high-performing teams, with a proven track record of hiring and coaching XD Researchers and CX Associates.
• Holistic Insights Strategist: You seamlessly harmonize top-down CX metrics (NPS, CSAT, Journey metrics) with bottom-up XD insights (ethnography, usability, discovery) to create a 360-degree view of the Canadian customer.
• Mixed-Methods Expert: You have a deep toolkit of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, from conducting deep-dive customer interviews and contextual inquiries to managing CX measurement programs.
• Agile XD Practitioner: You are a pro at navigating the full XD research lifecycle-utilizing lean and rapid testing (card sorting, tree testing, prototyping) within cross-functional agile teams to drive iterative design.
• Data-Driven Storyteller: You don't just report on user insights, behavior, and NPS trends; you translate them into compelling narratives that influence product strategy and design decisions.
• Impact-Focused Advocate: You believe research is only successful when it drives measurable outcomes. You use human-centered design to ensure every experience we build is simple, intuitive, and rewarding.

Key Responsibilities:
XD research strategy & planning

• Build, manage, and lead a high-performing team including XD Researchers covering a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods including customer interviews, surveys, contextual inquiries, diary studies, concept testing, desirability testing, card sorting, tree testing, usability testing, and other research techniques.
• Work closely with product management and engineering partners to align XD researchers with priority cross-functional agile teams delivering digital experiences.
• Lead the team to adopt lean, agile and rapid research approaches to drive iterative experimentation and innovative learnings that will impact our key experiences and innovations.
• Demonstrable ability to select the most appropriate methodology to uncover both product strategy-level questions as well as usability issues, and, where necessary, to adapt the appropriate method or to define new research methods.
• Ability to lead key priority research initiatives as an individual contributor when required for key priorities.
• Actively monitor and analyze research, metrics, data, and trends from internal sources, academic research, and industry published reports to inform and improve our research methods.
• Define standards and best practices for how XD research is done for the organization. Explore opportunities to democratize research support with partner teams where appropriate.

CX measurement strategy & planning

• Build and lead a robust CX measurement program, mentoring a CX Associate to track, analyze, and report on NPS, CSAT, and end-to-end journey health metrics.
• Partner with strategy, marketing, product, engineering and service teams to prioritize, plan, and deliver on CX measurement initiatives.
• Work closely with the team and partners to determine how to best leverage and drive outcomes from our CX metrics and insights.
• Present and communicate research, analysis, and CX metrics clearly and effectively across various organizations in engaging and useful formats.
• Define standards and best practices for how CX measurement is done for the organization. Explore opportunities to democratize research support with partner teams where appropriate.

Lead & develop teams

• Lead, manage, and elevate team members through career development, mentoring, and coaching
• Balance hands-on practice with stepping back to let your team of researchers and associates grow and develop their skills.
• Guide team members in strategy, research, alignment, prioritization, and analysis through lean and rapid research approaches
• Lead the team in creating templates and guidelines, best practices, and research documentation to facilitate a growing research team's work and decentralization where appropriate.
• Navigate conflict resolution within your team as well as within projects, teams and partner relationships.

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 years experience managing and leading XD research teams (as a formal people leader).
• Minimum 5 years of experience in UX/CX Research, with a proven track record in both qualitative (ethnography, usability etc.) and quantitative (NPS etc.) methods within an Agile product environment working with product, design, and engineering teams.
• Minimum 5 years of experience working on consumer web and mobile app products.
• At least 3 years experience leading and reporting on CX measurement programs and metrics.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Experience Design, User Experience, Human-Centered Design, Customer Experience, Social Science, Psychology, Research, or other related field, or equivalent experience.
• Proven ability to break down silos and unite cross-functional partners to turn research insights into business action.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect customer pain points directly to business KPIs and product strategy.
• Proven ability to deliver customer-centric solutions while navigating complex regulatory and legal requirements.

Working at Capital One.
Enjoy a hybrid work environment, with 3 days in the office. Build a comfortable workspace with our one-time, Work From Home allowance and enjoy our head office located conveniently across the street from Union Station.
Live well-physically, financially and emotionally. Receive support for you and those who are most important to you, with full coverage for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. With up to $3000 in mental health coverage and up to $5000 in tuition subsidies per year-and much more-you'll discover that Capital One is committed to helping you live your best life.
We may use your information for automated decision making. We may, for certain purposes, render a decision based exclusively on automated processing of your personal information as a part of the candidate screening process.
Capital One Canada is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We consider all qualified applicants and will meet the needs of those requiring reasonable accommodations.
If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1-800-304-9102 or via email at [email protected] . All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.
For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to [email protected]
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Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).