User Researcher (Innovation), CANCER RESEARCH UK

Guardian Jobs; Stratford; Hybrid; CAD 93,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare charity is seeking a User Researcher (Innovation) to lead user research projects aimed at delivering insights for new fundraising services. Responsibilities include synthesizing research findings, focusing on user-centered design, and engaging with diverse stakeholders to enhance innovation efforts. The ideal candidate will have extensive qualitative research experience and strong project management skills. This role offers a salary in the range of £50,000 - £53,000 with flexible working options.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Career development opportunities

Support for work-life balance

Qualifications

• Significant hands-on experience of carrying out qualitative and exploratory research.
• Strong storytelling skills to communicate insights creatively.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive research practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of exploratory user research projects.
• Synthesize multiple sources of insight to identify unmet needs.
• Communicate actionable insights through clear research artefacts.

Skills

Qualitative research

User-centered design

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Trend analysis

Job description

Overview

USER RESEARCHER (INNOVATION)

Salary: £50,000 - £53,000 per annum

Reports to: Director of Innovation

Directorate: Marketing, Fundraising & Engagement

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Stratford, London w/ high-flex (1 - 2 days per week in the office). We are open to further discussions around flexible working for the successful candidate.

Closing date: Tuesday 14 October 2025, 23:55

You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join us as User Researcher (Innovation). We need you to deliver deep audience understanding and insight across the full innovation process, from discovery through to delivery and evaluation. You’ll use qualitative and quantitative research methods to uncover unmet needs, behaviours and motivations, ensuring new fundraising experiences and services are grounded in real supporter insight. You’ll also contribute to sizing opportunity areas and the evaluation of concepts and pilots, helping the team learn what works, why and for whom, playing a critical role in embedding audience-first thinking into the development of new opportunities that support Cancer Research UK’s vital work.

What will I be doing?

• Leading the design, execution and delivery of exploratory and generative user research to inform innovation projects using multiple methodologies including in-depth interviews, ethnography, observation and co-creation
• Synthesizing multiple sources of insight (qualitative, quantitative, behavioural and cultural) to identify unmet & emerging needs that inform opportunity areas, new value propositions and areas for experimentation
• Translating ambiguous opportunity spaces and broad challenges into clear, focused, and actionable research questions that guide discovery and concept development
• Distilling findings into actionable insight, developing clear and inspiring research artefacts (e.g. insight decks, maps, videos, provocations) and experience principles to influence thinking and shape concepts
• Monitoring relevant trends across culture, behaviour, technology and adjacent sectors and uses this information to inform idea generation and strategic planning
• Working closely with Innovation Service Designer to deliver actionable insight and support translation into service concepts and prototypes
• Designing and facilitating co-creation activities with supporters & the public to develop and refine early-stage ideas
• Building strong relationships with internal stakeholders across innovation, fundraising, digital and strategy teams to embed audience-first thinking from the outset of development
• Commissioning and managing external research partners when needed, ensuring alignment with project goals, budget, and quality standards
• Contributing to the development of tools, methods, and capability within the innovation team to support ongoing audience understanding.

What are we looking for?

• Significant hands-on experience of carrying out qualitative and exploratory research, with a strong grounding in human-centred or design research approaches
• Confident using techniques such as in-depth interviews, ethnography, contextual inquiry, observation, and co-creation
• Extensive experience of working in innovation or product development environments
• Experience of independently planning and delivering research projects from scoping through to synthesis and communication of findings
• Strong storytelling skills, able to communicate insight creatively and persuasively to diverse stakeholders, including c-suite
• Comfortable with ambiguity and iterative ways of working, able to move between detail and big-picture thinking
• Collaborative and empathetic working style, with the ability to engage and influence colleagues across multiple disciplines
• Curious, outward-looking mindset with an interest in trends, behaviours and societal shifts, with experience turning these into insight-led opportunity areas for innovation
• Excellent project management and planning skills with ability to prioritise workload and manage ambiguity
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive research practices and a diverse, equitable approach to supporter understanding.

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.

• Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination
• Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism
• Human: Act to have a positive impact on people
• Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We’re looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively.

Please note that, Internally, this role is known as Innovation User Researcher.