Director, UX Research

Loblaw Companies Limited•Toronto, ON

2d•CA$145,000 - CA$195,000

About The Position

Loblaw Digital creates digital experiences that help millions of Canadians shop, save, and manage their everyday lives across brands like PC Express, Shoppers Drug Mart, PC Optimum, Joe Fresh and PC Health. Our UX Research team plays a critical role in shaping these experiences by conducting mixed-methods research across apps, websites, loyalty programs, and emerging digital products. We believe great customer experiences are built through deep understanding of the needs of customers, store colleagues, pharmacists, and the business to create solutions that are both human-centered and operationally effective. Working closely with Product Design, Product Management, Engineering, Merchandising, and Marketing, our researchers help embed customer insight into every stage of the product lifecycle.

Requirements

A People Leader: You have significant experience hiring, managing, mentoring, and inspiring high-performing research teams. You excel at fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and growth-oriented environment where researchers can thrive.
An Influential Collaborator: You build strong, productive relationships through clear communication, mutual respect, and a commitment to shared success. You confidently articulate your perspective while actively listening to and valuing diverse viewpoints. You provide direct, actionable feedback grounded in data and logic, and proactively address challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset.
Mixed-Methods Expert: You possess deep expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with a passion for building a thriving mixed-methods practice.
An AI-Native Research Leader: You understand how AI is reshaping the UX Research practice and are excited to evolve alongside it. You are comfortable leveraging AI-powered tools to accelerate synthesis, insight sharing, and operational efficiency, while applying strong judgment, research rigor, and strategic thinking to ensure high-quality outcomes.
A Strategic Thinker: You possess exceptional critical thinking skills, able to dissect complex problems, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop innovative research strategies that align with business objectives.
An Accountable Executor: You hold yourself and your team accountable for delivering high-quality work and achieving impactful outcomes. You proactively advocate for resources and support, navigate competing priorities effectively, and adapt strategies as needed to ensure success.
An Inclusive Champion: You are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and supportive work environment where all team members feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work. You celebrate successes and provide constructive feedback to promote continuous growth.
8+ years leading research initiatives, preferably with experience across multiple business verticals.
Proven track record of leading research teams within a fast-paced, large, digital product environment.
Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
Passion for advocating for the user and driving customer-centric decision-making.
Demonstrated experience influencing product strategy and design decisions through impactful research insights.
Experience leveraging AI-enabled research, synthesis, automation, or insight management tools to scale research impact and improve organizational decision-making.

Responsibilities

Lead and inspire a team of ~10 mixed-methods researchers, fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and excellence.
Champion a strategic vision for UX Research, maximizing its impact on product strategy, design decisions, and ultimately, the lives of millions of Canadians.
Oversee a portfolio of high-impact research projects, collaborating with your team to deliver actionable insights that drive product innovation.
Guide and evolve our Voice of Customer programs, ensuring customer feedback is rigorously collected, analyzed, and integrated into our product development process.
Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders (Product, Engineering, Merchandising, Marketing) to embed customer-centricity into every stage of the product lifecycle.
Be a champion for the customer, advocating for their needs and ensuring their voice is heard at all levels of the organization.
Lead the evolution of AI-native UX Research practices by leveraging AI-powered synthesis, automation, and scalable insight-sharing approaches to accelerate research impact while maintaining high standards for rigor, judgment, and customer empathy.