Senior UX Researcher

Sykes Cottages; Chester; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000

Job description

We are looking for a Senior UX Researcher to join our industry-leading Product Team, helping to shape user research and drive product decisions.

Salary: Up to £57,500 per annum

Work Days & Hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week

Location: Chester HQ (Hybrid-working policy, with a minimum of 2 days a week from the office post probation)

Team: Product

Reporting to: Lead UX Researcher

About Us

Sykes Holiday Cottages is a business with big dreams and bursting with ambition. We have pinned our sights on becoming the UK's number one holiday rental agency and will stop at nothing to reach our goal, combining over 30 years’ industry experience with our fierce company drive to become the best in the market for what we do. What started as a small, family-run company has now grown to be a 2000-strong workforce of ambitious, passionate professionals working under the Forge Holiday Group parent brand. Sykes Holiday Cottages is extremely proud to be B Corp Certified, which means we are part of a global community of businesses leading a worldwide movement for an equitable, inclusive and regenerative economy.

About the Role

As part of our central research team, you'll shape how we understand users and ensure research is at the heart of product decisions. Your primary focus will be on generative (exploratory) research—uncovering user needs, identifying opportunities and shaping the direction of our products and services.

While much of your work will be early-stage research, you’ll also support evaluative research when needed, ensuring the solutions we build truly meet user needs. But research isn’t just about gathering insights, it’s about making an impact. You’ll be a champion for user needs across the business, influencing stakeholders in Product and beyond to foster a research-led culture.

In this hands-on, high-impact role, you'll own research initiatives from discovery to delivery, collaborating with designers, product managers, analysts, engineers, and the Experimentation team. You’ll lead research, challenge assumptions, and embed user insights into every decision.

Your Responsibilities

1. Lead early-stage generative (exploratory) research to define user problems, uncover opportunities, and inform product strategy.
2. Own research initiatives from start to finish, balancing quick wins with long-term strategic insights.
3. Conduct research using a range of methods (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys, diary studies, and ethnographic research) to uncover insights and turn them into actionable recommendations.
4. Support evaluative research, refining solutions to meet user needs.
5. Identify knowledge gaps and initiate new research projects.
6. Translate findings into compelling, actionable insights, effectively communicating them to stakeholders.
7. Work with business stakeholders to advocate for research, providing guidance, training, and collaboration.
8. Work with the Lead UX Researcher to align the research function with strategy and best practices.
9. Champion user needs across the business, influencing stakeholders and fostering a research-led culture.
10. Coach and guide junior & mid-weight UX researchers, supporting their development.
11. Contribute to shaping the UX team and maintaining a high-performance environment.
12. Own key objectives, including personal growth and continuous learning.

Skills and Experience

By Being One Team, Owning it, Communicating Honestly and showcasing a devotion to Learning, Growing and Innovating, we remain true to our original ethos and ensure we stay true to our Customers, Owners and Colleagues alike.

All we ask is that you have the following:

1. Proven experience in UX Research, with a track record of leading research initiatives and influencing product decisions in a design or product environment.
2. Strong experience in both generative and evaluative research, applying appropriate methods to different product challenges.
3. Ability to translate research into actionable recommendations, ensuring insights drive meaningful impact.
4. Clear communicator, able to influence stakeholders and advocate for research.
5. Ability to collaborate across teams, embedding research into decision-making.
6. Experience facilitating research workshops, to align teams and stakeholders.
7. Comfortable working with qualitative and quantitative data, drawing meaningful insights.
8. Open to challenges, with a proactive research approach.
9. Familiar with A/B testing, experimentation, and data-driven decision-making.
10. Experience with tools such as Dscout, UserZoom, ContentSquare, or similar.
11. Mentoring experience for junior and mid-weight researchers.

Although standouts will also have:

1. Degree in HCI, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, Sociology, Design Research or related fields.
2. Experience shaping business strategies and managing teams.

Sykes Company Benefits:

1. 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays), plus an extra day off to celebrate your birthday.
2. Access to our annual STIP (annual company-wide bonus) scheme with an additional 10% of your salary.
3. Two additional paid volunteering days per year.
4. Enhanced maternity and paternity policy.
5. Opportunities for career progression, personal development and opportunities to be recognised.
6. Inclusive and supportive work environment with wellbeing initiatives and access to 24/7 mental health support.
7. Employee discounts, onsite gym, and wellbeing initiatives.
8. Comprehensive training and development opportunities.

Diversity and Inclusion: We encourage and welcome our people to bring their authentic and best selves to work every day. We know the power that comes from different ideas, backgrounds and perspectives. We recognise the role diversity plays in achieving our goals as a business. We actively welcome applications from as wide a range of backgrounds as possible. If you need any particular support or accommodations as part of your application process, please get in touch - our recruitment team are happy to help.

Apply now to be a part of our inclusive and supportive work environment!