Senior UX Researcher

Who We Are:

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior UX Researcher to join our CX team and play a pivotal role in transforming customer experiences for one of the UAE’s leading banking institutions. While the primary focus of this role is on conducting user research and usability testing to uncover key insights, you will also apply your expertise to define and recommend UX improvements that enhance the overall user journey. This is a strategic and insight-driven position with no visual design responsibilities, requiring a deep understanding of user needs and the ability to translate findings into actionable experience optimizations.

Key Responsibilities

1. User Research and Testing
   • Plan and execute moderated user testing sessions and other qualitative and quantitative research methods to uncover user needs, pain points, and behaviors.
   • Translate research findings into clear, actionable recommendations to improve customer experiences.
   • Identify friction points in key user journeys (e.g., credit card applications, account openings) and propose strategic solutions.
2. Experience Definition
   • Leverage insights from research to define user journeys, wireframes, and low-fidelity prototypes that optimize customer experiences.
   • Develop strategic recommendations for ideal-state user journeys, particularly for key banking products, such as credit cards.
   • Collaborate with internal teams to ensure alignment between business objectives and proposed UX solutions.
3. Data Analysis and Experimentation
   • Analyze behavioral data using UX analytics tools and integrate findings into iterative improvements.
   • Support A/B testing and experimentation workstreams, ensuring research insights inform test hypotheses and strategies.
   • Develop detailed test plans that include prioritized UX hypotheses, testing scenarios, and success metrics.
4. Continuous Improvement
   • Follow a cyclical process of research, define, test, and optimize, ensuring a seamless feedback loop between user insights and experience enhancements.
   • Present findings and solutions to stakeholders, advocating for a customer-centered approach to UX design.

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience defining and improving user experiences: At least 5+ years working on large-scale digital projects that include both user research and UX strategy/definition.
• Expertise in translating user insights into actionable recommendations, including wireframes, user journeys, and UX documentation.
• Strong ability to balance research with practical UX design thinking, ensuring findings directly inform and improve user journeys.
• Familiarity with tools like Axure (for low-fidelity prototyping or journey definition) is a plus, though no visual design is required.
• Experience working on financial services projects or other complex, multi-stakeholder environments is essential.

About You

• You are a detail-oriented UX professional with a strategic mindset, capable of balancing deep insights with high-level recommendations.
• You thrive in collaborative environments and can effectively communicate complex findings to a wide range of stakeholders.
• You are passionate about continuous improvement, always seeking opportunities to optimize user experiences through rigorous research and data analysis.

Why Join Us?

You will be part of a thriving CX team that spans three countries, yet serves clients across the region, and is known for its work with globally respected brands. While this role is dedicated to a single banking client, you will benefit from the knowledge, resources, and reputation of a broader team delivering best-in-class customer experiences across various industries.

Application Notes:
This is a strategic and research-focused role with no visual design responsibilities. Candidates with portfolios primarily showcasing UI/visual design work will not be considered.

#LI-EMEA

At VML, we are committed to fostering an all-inclusive work environment that is both rewarding and career-forward. Our Inclusion, Equity & Belonging initiatives, alongside the VML Foundation, reflect our dedication to giving back and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. Our people are the heartbeat of our organization—creators, doers, innovators, makers, and thinkers—who drive not just marketing, but meaningful experiences that resonate in every action and interaction.

VML is a WPP Agency. For more information, please visit our website, and follow VML on our social channels via Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.