UX Research Lead

UX Research Lead - 12 month fixed term contract Sydney Write your story with a career at Zip Join Zip’s Product Design team, where curiosity and insight meet to shape meaningful customer experiences. Our UX Research function empowers product teams with the tools, frameworks and operational excellence needed to make confident, data‑backed decisions. As our User Research Lead, you’ll own evaluative research across our product ecosystem, ensuring our experiences are evidence‑led and grounded in what customers really need. You’ll also take ownership of ResearchOps, streamlining recruitment, processes and data compliance – so that our designers and product managers can focus on creating exceptional products. This 12‑month maternity leave cover is a hands‑on opportunity for someone ready to step into a lead position, balancing strategic influence with delivery. What you’ll own Lead UX research projects that help shape product decisions and measure impact across the customer journey Drive and manage ResearchOps, overseeing participant recruitment, incentive management, tooling and PII compliance Collaborate with Product, Design, Data Science and Marketing Research to ensure insights are cohesive, actionable and tied to business outcomes Coach and enable designers and PMs to conduct high quality research Champion empathy‑building programs that connect teams with customer realities Influence research planning and roadmap prioritisation, ensuring insights feed directly into delivery and strategic direction What you'll bring to the team Strong experience UX research (particularly evaluative), translating insights into recommendations that drive product impact Proven capability managing ResearchOps, including recruitment, compliance and process optimisation Experience working in agile, cross‑functional product environments Confidence engaging and influencing senior stakeholders across Product, Design and Data Excellent collaboration, storytelling and communication skills that inspire action A mindset that embraces AI and new tools to adapt, learn and grow An aptitude for identifying and managing risks. Whether you are a People Manager or an Individual Contributor, we are all leaders at Zip, therefore effective risk management is important to how we run our business and part of all our roles. Our values in your DNA: Customer First, Own It, Stronger Together and Change the Game What you’ll get in return As we write this next exciting chapter in our story, we will continue to move at pace and embrace change. For you, this might mean opportunities to learn new skills with hands‑on experience, broader responsibilities, or the buzz of seeing your work impact customers faster. Zip is a place where you’ll get out exactly what you put in. When you join the team, we’ll do our best to make sure you can be yourself and surround yourself with smart, friendly colleagues and leaders who have your back, so that you can make the big things happen. Zipsters tell us these are just some of the best things about working here. You’ll also receive: 25 days paid leave annually, including birthday leave and quarterly wellbeing days Family support policies including miscarriage bereavement leave and domestic violence leave Mental health and wellness initiatives, free access for you and family members to our EAP service Sonder, discounted private health insurance, and great rates on fitness sessions through ClassPass 2 days paid volunteering leave per year Fee‑free Zip products, and discounts with Zip merchant partners Team social events, epic offices, free breakfast daily, and weekly free lunches Be a part of a team that reflects the diversity of our customers We pride ourselves on being a workplace that provides equal opportunities to people of all ages, cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, veteran status, and everything else that makes you unique. Equally, we’re committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive. Please let us know if there are any adjustments that need to be made to ensure you have a fair and equitable experience. And finally…get to know us Zip Co Limited (ASX: ZIP) is a digital financial services company, offering innovative, people‑centred products that bring customers and merchants together. Operating in two core markets—Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and the US—Zip offers point‑of‑sale credit and digital payment services, connecting millions of customers with its global network of tens of thousands of merchants. We’re proud to be a values‑led business and our values—Customer First, Own it, Stronger Together and Change the Game—guide us in everything we do. #J-18808-Ljbffr