Design UX Researcher

Who are we?

Sanlam was established as a life insurance company in South Africa but has since transformed into a diversified financial services group that operates across the African continent, India, Malaysia and selected developed markets, with listings on the Johannesburg, A2X and Namibian stock exchanges. In 2018 the Group celebrated its centenary as well as 20 years since demutualisation and listing in South Africa and Namibia. Sanlam is one of the largest internationally active insurance groups in the world with a presence in 31 countries and has the biggest non-banking financial services footprint on the African continent.

The Group's business clusters (Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz and Santam) house the Group's business operations. The Group Office provides strategic direction and support to the five clusters, assisting them in realising their strategies and meeting their business objectives. The Group Office is responsible for governance and for the Group's centralised functions, which include: Finance, Actuarial and Risk Management, Strategy, Human Resources, Market Development and Sustainability.

Position Overview

The Design UX Researcher will play a dual role in driving strategic and operational research efforts to enhance both customer experience (CX) and product design. This role requires a seasoned researcher with expertise in human centered design, service design and UX research methodologies. This role will be instrumental in generating deep customer and user insights that inform business strategy, digital experiences and service innovation.

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced researcher who seamlessly blends design research, UX research and customer experience insights to inform product teams, CX measurement frameworks and business stakeholders. By collaborating with cross functional teams, including CX strategy, product, design and engineering, this role will ensure that customer needs are at the heart of all decision making and innovation. With expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, this role will ensure Sanlam’s products and services are grounded in customer understanding, including user needs and behaviours.

What will you do?

Strategic Research Leadership

• Define and drive the CX and product design research strategy aligned to business goals.
• Identify key research questions and priorities based on impact and feasibility.
• Develop research frameworks to uncover customer insights, pain points and innovation opportunities.

End-to-End Research Execution

• Design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research studies including interviews, usability testing and surveys.
• Analyse and synthesise research data to generate actionable insights that drive customer-centric outcomes.
• Create compelling deliverables to communicate findings to stakeholders at all levels.
• Lead usability and experience testing across digital touchpoints to enhance user satisfaction.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Insight Integration

• Collaborate with CX strategy teams to integrate findings into experience improvements.
• Partner with product managers and designers to embed insights into product development.
• Align survey and feedback insights with behavioural research across channel and operational heads.
• Identify emerging trends and market dynamics to inform CX innovation.
• Support market research efforts to help business teams understand customer expectations.
• Facilitate workshops to translate research insights into design and product strategies.

Mentorship and Thought Leadership

• Mentor and guide junior team members fostering a culture of learning.
• Stay current with industry trends and methodologies in design research, CX and UX.
• Contribute to the refinement of research processes, tools and best practices.

Qualification And Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Psychology, Design, Anthropology, Sociology, Marketing or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in design research, UX research, or service design research, with a proven ability to conduct research at scale.
• Background in financial services, insurance, or a similarly regulated industry is a plus.

What will make you successful in this role?

• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including ethnographic research, interviews, usability testing, surveys, and A/B testing.
• Strong ability to synthesise and integrate insights into strategic recommendations that drive customer and business value.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working in cross-functional teams and collaborating with CX strategy, product, design, and business stakeholders.
• Knowledge of service design principles and human-centered design methodologies.

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Core Competencies

Being resilient - Contributing through others

Collaborates - Contributing independently

Cultivates innovation - Contributing through others

Customer focus - Contributing through others

Drives results - Contributing through others

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.

Our commitment to transformation

The Sanlam Group is committed to achieving transformation and embraces diversity. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace as we believe that these are key components to ensuring a thriving and sustainable business in South Africa. The Group's Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.