Head of Advisor Experience Research

Champion the advisor voice and key user needs to transform and grow digital engagement

We’re seeking a strategic and emphatic leader to guide our advisor experience research function. You will join a high-performing Digital & Analytics (D&A) department within Vanguard’s Financial Advisor Services (FAS) division, and collaborate closely with UX, Digital Product Management, Data Science, and Sales. In this high-impact role, you will be the voice of the customer, championing the needs of FAS’ advisor clients as well as our own internal Sales Executives and Offer Specialists. As D&A pursues FAS’ 2030 priorities, you will be a key player in helping teams support integrated and personalized journeys across Sales and Digital, articulating how artificial intelligence changes the way our users interact with investment data, end-client insights, and analysis tools, and unlocking net new ways of reaching clients where they are.

In this role you will:

• Manage a talented, established team of researchers, ranging from junior to senior levels

• Act as a strategic partner to UX and Digital Product, ensuring user-centric insights are a key factor that shape and inform product roadmaps

• Manage a dedicated research budget and oversee the optimization of 3rd party partnerships that enable the team to effectively field studies

• Lead innovation in research methods by leveraging new technologies like artificial intelligence to inform decision-making

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• Foster a culture of curiosity, rigor, and impact
• Manage resource allocation across strategic initiatives
• Deeply understand each researcher’s aligned area of the business
• Upskill researchers to excel in a changing technological and business environment

Strategy & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with stakeholders to ensure research appropriately shapes and informs roadmaps
• Influence strategic decisions by effectively communicating research insights to peers and executives
• Manage stakeholder expectations around research timelines, feasibility, and trade-offs

Budget & Operations

• Manage annual research budget, including tools and vendor relationships
• Evaluate new vendors for research capabilities as needed
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and data privacy requirements across all research activities and processes

What it takes

• Undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of research training and experience. Graduate degree preferred (i.e. MBA or Masters and/or PhD in Human Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology, Sociology, Communications, Information Science, Marketing Research)

• 5+ years people leadership experience

• 5+ years progressively responsible and related work experience, managing a variety of projects from beginning to end. Accustomed to consulting with and influencing senior leaders, peers, and direct reports.

• Strong leadership and motivation skills to effectively manage the completion of responsibilities and objectives across a wide range of contexts and individual working styles
   

Special Factors

Sponsorship

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.