UX Research Manager

Tala; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Tala seeks a UX Research Manager to lead user research initiatives aimed at improving financial services for underserved populations. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience and the ability to translate complex insights into actionable product strategies. Join Tala in its mission to empower users with accessible financial tools.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in managing and executing applied user research.
• Proficiency in creating research deliverables including reports and customer journey maps.
• Familiarity with research and UX tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end research initiatives and deliver impactful recommendations.
• Design, execute, and analyze a wide range of research studies.
• Mentor and manage a team of researchers.

Skills

Research skills

Project management

Collaboration

Tools

Figma

Maze

Alchemer

Job description

About Tala

Tala is on a mission to unleash the economic power of the Global Majority – the 4 billion people overlooked by existing financial systems. With nearly half a billion dollars raised from equity and debt, we are serving millions of customers across three continents. Tala has been named by the Fortune Impact 20 list, CNBC’s Disruptor 50 five years in a row, CNBC’s World's Top Fintech Company, Forbes’ Fintech 50 list for eight years running, and Chief's The New Era of Leadership Award. We are expanding across product offerings, countries, and crypto and are looking for people who have an entrepreneurial spirit and are passionate about our mission.

By creating a unique platform that enables lending and other financial services around the globe, people in emerging markets are able to start and expand small businesses, manage day-to-day needs, and pursue their financial goals with confidence. Currently, over nine million people across Kenya, the Philippines, Mexico, and India have used Tala products. Due to our global team, we have a remote-first approach, and also have offices in Santa Monica, CA (HQ); Nairobi, Kenya; Mexico City, Mexico; Manila, the Philippines; and Bangalore, India.

Most Talazens join us because they connect with our mission. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Tala, we’d love to hear from you!

The Role

At Tala, we’re working to improve the financial lives of millions of underestimated people by creating new, accessible, financial services around the world. We are scaling up in Mexico and new markets and we’re looking for a talented UX Research Manager to join us in our mission. The UX Research Manager will work with other Insights team members to help Tala identify and design new product features that empower our users to better manage their financial lives by interacting with our current and future customers.

What You'll Do

• Lead end-to-end research initiatives: Own the entire research lifecycle, from identifying research questions and opportunities that align with business objectives to delivering impactful recommendations.
• Execute research and drive insights generation: Design, execute, and analyze a wide range of research studies (surveys, interviews, focus groups, usability tests, etc.) to uncover needs and market trends. Utilize various methodologies following the Double Diamond framework to ensure comprehensive insights.
• Mentor, develop, and manage a small team of researchers: Provide guidance, performance feedback, and opportunities for growth and skill enhancement. Foster a collaborative and supportive team environment, ensuring team members are effectively contributing to research initiatives and achieving their professional goals.
• Translate research findings to influence product strategy: Translate complex research findings into clear, compelling, and actionable insights that directly inform product development and business strategy.
• Foster collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, building strong relationships to embed a deep understanding of our users across the organization.
• Be a subject matter expert: Develop a deep understanding of the financial services landscape, acting as a key voice of the customer in shaping new and exciting products for our users in Mexico and new markets.

What You'll Need

• 8+ years of experience in managing and executing applied user research, ideally in an innovative consumer fintech, financial institution, mobile or digital companies, or market research firms.
• Exceptional research skills and comfortable with a wide range of mixed methods, knowing when to combine different data points through triangulation to create compelling and trustworthy insights.
• Proficiency in creating practical research deliverables & artifacts including compelling research reports, customer journey maps, personas, research workshops, competitive teardowns, etc.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including planning logistics and adapting to changes smoothly.
• Familiarity with research and UX tools like Figma, Maze, Alchemer, etc.
• Bonus points if you have experience researching digital banking, financial services, or credit-related products.

Our vision is to build a new financial ecosystem where everyone can participate on equal footing and access the tools they need to be financially healthy. We strongly believe that inclusion fosters innovation and we’re proud to have a diverse global team that represents a multitude of backgrounds, cultures, and experience. We hire talented people regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.