Customer Research & Insight Manager

United Utilities; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pension scheme

Company-funded healthcare plan

Flexible and hybrid working

Job summary

United Utilities is seeking an experienced Customer Research & Insight Manager to lead major research programmes, uncover meaningful customer insights and embed evidence-based decision-making across the organisation.

You'll influence senior stakeholders, shape future research priorities, champion the customer voice, and translate findings into actionable recommendations that drive measurable business outcomes.

Qualifications

• Degree or postgraduate qualification.
• Significant experience within a market research agency or client-side customer insight function.
• Strong technical expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Experience designing and delivering complex research programmes from start to finish.
• Proven ability to translate customer insight into strategic recommendations and measurable business impact.
• Experience managing multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrable project management, planning and organisational skills.
• Strong financial and budget management capability.
• Experience managing external suppliers and research partners.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, including experience presenting findings to senior stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to champion customer insight across a complex organisation.
• Knowledge of research governance, data protection requirements and industry best practice.
• The confidence to work independently while collaborating effectively across multiple business areas.
• Either existing experience in a management role or readiness to take the next step into a broader leadership position.
• Experience working within a regulated environment would be advantageous but is not essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end customer research and insight projects, from scoping and methodology design through to analysis, reporting and recommendations.
• Partner with stakeholders across the business to understand priorities and develop research programmes that support strategic decision-making.
• Design and deliver high-quality qualitative and quantitative research using robust and appropriate methodologies.
• Lead complex research programmes, including willingness-to-pay, business planning and regulatory research.
• Translate customer evidence into compelling stories and actionable recommendations, working with stakeholders to ensure insight informs decisions and drives measurable business outcomes.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior leaders, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Manage research suppliers, budgets and project delivery to ensure high-quality outputs and value for money.
• Lead and develop our In the Flow customer community panel, helping maximise its value as a strategic source of customer insight.
• Identify innovative research approaches, tools and techniques that enhance the quality and impact of insight.
• Monitor customer, regulatory and industry developments, translating emerging trends and evidence into actionable insight that informs business decisions and future research priorities.
• Champion the voice of the customer across the organisation and help embed customer evidence into key business decisions.

Skills

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Stakeholder management

Project management

Budget management

Supplier management

Data analysis

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Leadership potential

Education

Degree or higher

Tools

Research governance

Job description

Competitive Salary
Location: Lingley Mere, Warrington
Hybrid Working: 3 days per week onsite
Hours: 37 hours per week, Full Time

Help Shape Decisions Through Customer Insight

At United Utilities, understanding our customers is central to everything we do. From improving services and shaping future investment plans to meeting regulatory expectations, customer insight plays a critical role in helping us make the right decisions for the people and communities we serve.

We're looking for a talented Customer Research & Insight Manager to lead high-quality research projects, uncover meaningful customer insights, and ensure evidence-based decision-making is embedded across the organisation.

Reporting to the Customer Research & Insight Lead, you'll lead major research programmes, influence key business decisions and help embed customer insight across the organisation.

You’ll have the opportunity to influence senior stakeholders, present findings across the business, shape future research priorities, and champion the customer voice at every level of the organisation.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced insight professional who combines strong technical research expertise with commercial awareness, stakeholder influence and a passion for turning customer insight into meaningful action.

What You’ll Be Doing

You'll lead and deliver a wide-ranging programme of customer research and insight, ensuring customer needs and expectations are understood, communicated and embedded across the business.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead end-to-end customer research and insight projects, from scoping and methodology design through to analysis, reporting and recommendations.
• Partner with stakeholders across the business to understand priorities and develop research programmes that support strategic decision-making.
• Design and deliver high-quality qualitative and quantitative research using robust and appropriate methodologies.
• Lead complex research programmes, including willingness-to-pay, business planning and regulatory research.
• Translate customer evidence into compelling stories and actionable recommendations, working with stakeholders to ensure insight informs decisions and drives measurable business outcomes.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior leaders, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Manage research suppliers, budgets and project delivery to ensure high-quality outputs and value for money.
• Lead and develop our In the Flow customer community panel, helping maximise its value as a strategic source of customer insight.
• Identify innovative research approaches, tools and techniques that enhance the quality and impact of insight.
• Monitor customer, regulatory and industry developments, translating emerging trends and evidence into actionable insight that informs business decisions and future research priorities.
• Champion the voice of the customer across the organisation and help embed customer evidence into key business decisions.

What We’re Looking For

We're seeking an experienced research and insight professional who is comfortable balancing technical expertise, stakeholder engagement and project leadership.

You’ll bring:

• A degree or postgraduate qualification.
• Significant experience within a market research agency or client-side customer insight function.
• Strong technical expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Experience designing and delivering complex research programmes from start to finish.
• Proven ability to translate customer insight into strategic recommendations and measurable business impact.
• Experience managing multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrable project management, planning and organisational skills.
• Strong financial and budget management capability.
• Experience managing external suppliers and research partners.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, including experience presenting findings to senior stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to champion customer insight across a complex organisation.
• Knowledge of research governance, data protection requirements and industry best practice.
• The confidence to work independently while collaborating effectively across multiple business areas.
• Either existing experience in a management role or readiness to take the next step into a broader leadership position.
• Experience working within a regulated environment would be advantageous but is not essential.

Why Join United Utilities?

This is an opportunity to play a key role in one of the UK's largest customer insight programmes, helping shape the decisions that impact millions of customers across the North West.

In return, we offer:

• 26 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after four years, plus bank holidays
• Competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution
• Performance-related bonus of up to 10.5%
• Company-funded healthcare plan
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Life assurance
• Access to a comprehensive range of additional benefits

Join Us

At United Utilities, we're committed to delivering great customer experiences while building a stronger, more sustainable future for the North West.

As our Customer Research & Insight Manager, you'll be at the heart of helping us understand what matters most to customers. You'll lead complex research programmes, influence strategic decision-making, champion the customer voice, and ensure insight drives meaningful improvements across the organisation.

If you're an experienced insight professional who enjoys combining technical expertise with stakeholder influence, project leadership and commercial awareness, we'd love to hear from you.