Manager, Research & Insights

Candescent•Atlanta, CA

About The Position

Candescent is the leading cloud-based digital banking solutions provider for financial institutions. We are transforming digital banking with intelligent, cloud-powered solutions that connect account opening, digital banking, and branch experiences for financial institutions. Our advanced technology and developer tools enable seamless, differentiated customer journeys that elevate trust, service, and innovation. Success here requires flexibility in a fast-paced environment, a client-first mindset, and a commitment to delivering consistent, reliable results as part of a performance-driven, values-led team. With team members around the world, Candescent is an equal opportunity employer. Candescent is the leading cloud-based digital banking solutions provider for financial institutions. We are transforming digital banking with intelligent, cloud-powered solutions that connect account opening, digital banking, and branch experiences for financial institutions. Our advanced technology and developer tools enable seamless, differentiated customer journeys that elevate trust, service, and innovation. Success here requires flexibility in a fast-paced environment, a client-first mindset, and a commitment to delivering consistent, reliable results as part of a performance-driven, values-led team. With team members around the world, Candescent is an equal opportunity employer. Candescent is currently searching for a highly motivated and experienced Manager, Research & Insights, who will play a pivotal role in building and scaling Candescent’s Experience Research & Insights practice—establishing the systems, methods, and culture that keep our teams and client institutions deeply connected to the people we design for. This ideal candidate is a strategic leader who thrives in both vision-setting and hands-on execution. You’ll define the research strategy, lead a small but growing team, and actively contribute to framing studies, interpreting insights, and shaping product direction in close partnership with design and product teams.

Requirements

8+ years' experience in UX research, Experience Strategy, or Customer insights, ideally within a product-led or platform organization.
Proven track record in establishing or scaling a research function, setting standards, frameworks, and methodologies that drive measurable impact.
Deep understanding of research design, from ethnographic and qualitative to survey, analytics, and experimental testing.
Familiarity with AI-enabled research techniques, synthetic data, and emerging methods of user understanding.
Strong communication skills, able to translate complex insights into compelling stories and clear strategic direction.
Experience leading and mentoring small teams while remaining hands-on and collaborative.
Curiosity, empathy, and a passion for shaping products that make a real difference in people’s financial lives.

Responsibilities

Build and lead the research practice by defining the vision, strategy, and operational model for Experience Research & Insights at Candescent, including frameworks, processes, and standards.
Lead UX research projects and drive overarching research strategy across multiple product lines and geographies.
Manage and mentor a small central team of 2–3 researchers, fostering a culture of curiosity, rigor, and collaboration across the design and product ecosystem.
Integrate modern research methods including AI-enabled tools, synthetic personas, and data-driven testing to accelerate and enhance insight generation.
Develop and uphold research processes, collaborating closely with product management, design, and engineering to ensure insights directly inform product decisions and design outcomes.
Present and advocate for research findings and strategic recommendations to peers and executive stakeholders.
Champion customer connection by building programs that keep teams closely aligned with end-user needs—such as ongoing discovery, experience benchmarking, and continuous learning loops.
Contribute to and promote research guidelines, best practices, and standards across the organization.
Collaborate with Senior Designers and Product Managers to shape strategic research initiatives that inform the product roadmap.
Partner with Product Owners to translate research insights into actionable product features and user stories aligned with the broader product vision.
Conduct competitive analysis and monitor industry trends to inform research strategy and product positioning.
Perform in-depth qualitative and quantitative research to uncover user needs, behaviors, and motivations.
Collect, analyze, and report on user feedback to identify key trends and inform opportunities for experience optimization.
Collaborate with enabling functions (e.g., marketing, sales, operations) to communicate research findings and identify areas for improvement.
Create user journey maps and personas based on research insights to guide product design.
Support design teams with evidence-based recommendations for layout, interaction models, and product flow.
Facilitate usability testing and feedback loops to iterate and improve designs throughout the product lifecycle.
Work within an agile environment and champion the integration of research across the product development lifecycle, ensuring consistency and impact.