Director of Service Design and Research

Elsevier; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Director of Service Design and Research to lead a high-performing team focused on user-centric experiences. This role involves shaping strategic insights that align with business goals while enhancing user experiences across products and services. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in service design, user research, and leadership, driving innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of researchers and institutions. Join a dynamic environment dedicated to advancing research and education through intelligent technology and analytics.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Private medical benefits

Wellbeing programs

Employee discounts scheme

Access to learning resources

Sabbaticals

Parental leave

Health screening

Eye care vouchers

Emergency care access

Qualifications

• Proven experience in strategic thinking and problem-solving.
• Expertise in service design and user research methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead user research initiatives and develop strategic service design.
• Build and nurture a high-performing user research team.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Service Design

User Research

Collaboration

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Tools

User Research Tools

Analytics Software

Job description

Join to apply for the Director of Service Design and Research role at Elsevier

Join to apply for the Director of Service Design and Research role at Elsevier

Elsevier’s Academic & Government (A&G) is committed to advancing research, education, and institutional success through intelligent, purpose-driven technology and analytics. From empowering faculty and researchers with tools like Interfolio and Pure to enhancing institutional planning, research assessment, and academic discovery, our solutions support the full research and education lifecycle. By integrating data, workflows, and insights across teaching, research, and strategic decision-making, we help universities, colleges, funders, and governments navigate complexity, demonstrate impact, and drive meaningful outcomes in a rapidly evolving academic landscape.

About the Role:

The Service Design and Research Team is a strategic function within Elsevier Academic & Government’s UX team, focused on shaping user-centric experiences across products and services. Positioned at the intersection of research, design, and business strategy, the team provides critical insights into user behaviors, motivations, and needs, ensuring that Elsevier’s offerings align with the evolving expectations of researchers, institutions, and policymakers.

Responsibilities:

• User and Business Insight: Develop a strategic approach to service design and research that balances business goals with user needs.
• Leadership and Team Development: Build, nurture and Lead a high-performing user research and service design team, promoting continuous learning and professional growth.
• Service Design: Working closely with the product, engineering and business stakeholders you will oversee the development of service design frameworks that drive cohesive, end-to-end customer experiences.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Lead research initiatives that provide qualitative and quantitative insights, ensuring data-informed decision-making.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Influence: Act as a key advocate for research and service design at the executive level, demonstrating its impact on business outcomes.
• Technical and Operational Excellence: Implement scalable research operations, ensuring efficiency in data collection, synthesis, and dissemination.

Requirements:

• Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Anticipate challenges and proactively develop solutions that align with organizational goals.
• Service Design: Drive cohesive, end-to-end service experiences and connect touchpoints across product and services portfolios.
• User Research and Insights: Design and oversee user research initiatives, leveraging methods such as ethnographic studies, usability testing, and analytics.
• Collaboration and Communication: Build strong relationships across teams and functions, fostering collaboration in research and design efforts.
• Leadership and Influence: Inspire and motivate teams by setting a clear vision and demonstrating thought leadership in research and service design.

Work in a way that works for you:

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization. We offer numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance, and sabbaticals to help you meet your immediate responsibilities and long-term goals.

Working for you:

We know that your wellbeing and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We offer generous holiday allowance, health screening, eye care vouchers, private medical benefits, wellbeing programs, life assurance, access to a competitive contributory pension scheme, Save As You Earn share option scheme, travel season ticket loan, electric vehicle scheme, optional dental insurance, maternity, paternity and shared parental leave, employee assistance program, access to emergency care for both the elderly and children, RECARES days, access to employee resource groups, extensive learning and development resources, and employee discounts scheme via Perks at Work.

About the business:

Elsevier is a global leader in information and analytics, helping researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education, interactive learning, and exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world's grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Design, Consulting, and Information Technology

• Industries

  IT Services and IT Consulting, Technology, Information and Media, and Data Infrastructure and Analytics

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