The Research Manager will lead and coordinate research and insight-generation activities within the Innovation and Digital Transformation function. The role is responsible for shaping the research agenda, overseeing field and desk research, synthesizing business and user insights, and translating findings into strategic recommendations that inform product development, digital transformation initiatives, and service innovation.
The
role plays a critical leadership function in ensuring that innovation
initiatives are grounded in robust evidence, market intelligence, usage
analytics, and continuous customer feedback.
Deadline: 2026-03-31
Responsibilities
Research
Strategy & Leadership
- Develop and drive the departmental research agenda
aligned to digital and innovation strategy.
- Define research priorities based on business needs, product
pipelines, and emerging market opportunities.
- Provide methodological oversight to ensure consistency, rigor,
and institutional continuity.
- Guide and mentor junior research staff where applicable.
Field
Research & User Insights
- Oversee and conduct field visits, ethnographic studies, interviews,
and usability testing.
- Identify critical customer pain points, behavioral patterns,
and unmet needs.
- Ensure appropriate participant recruitment and stakeholder
engagement.
- Escalate key insights and strategic implications to senior
leadership for prioritization and action.
Desk
Research & Market Intelligence
- Lead trend analysis on local and international digital banking
developments, fintech innovations, and competitor activity.
- Monitor regulatory developments impacting digital products and
innovation initiatives.
- Interpret macroeconomic, technological, and regulatory trends to
inform strategic positioning.
Synthesis,
Analytics & Evidence Generation
- Lead thematic and quantitative analysis of research findings.
- Oversee the development of user personas, customer journey
maps, and opportunity frameworks.
- Ensure structured documentation and maintenance of
institutional research databases.
- Translate raw data into strategic insights and business cases for
decision-making.
Communication
& Executive Reporting
- Prepare and present insight reports, dashboards, and executive
summaries to senior management.
- Convert complex research outputs into clear, actionable
strategic recommendations.
- Support board or executive-level innovation reporting where
required.
- Ensure adherence to reporting standards and quality assurance
processes
Continuous
Improvement & Capability Building
- Introduce improved research methodologies, tools, and analytics
capabilities.
- Promote a culture of evidence-based decision-making within
Innovation and Digital teams.
- Stay updated on emerging research practices, digital tools, and
innovation frameworks.
Principal
Outputs for this role
- Strategic research agenda aligned to innovation priorities.
- Executive-level research briefs and insight reports.
- Market intelligence updates and competitor benchmarking reports.
- Structured and reliable research database.
- Actionable recommendations influencing product design and digital
transformation
Key Competencies and Skills
- Strategic Thinking & Insight Generation
- Advanced Analytical & Critical Thinking
- Research Leadership & Methodological Expertise
- Digital & Innovation Awareness
- Executive Communication & Influence
- Stakeholder Management
- Decision Support & Business Acumen
- Adaptability & Continuous Learning
Minimum Qualifications,
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, Economics, Data Science, Business
Analytics, Information Systems, Social Research, Sociology, or related
discipline.
- Postgraduate qualification (MBA, MSc, or equivalent) is an added
advantage.
- Professional certification in Research Methods, Data Analytics,
Business Intelligence, or Digital Transformation is desirable.
- Strong proficiency in Excel, Power BI/Tableau, and research tools.
Experience
- Experience presenting insights to senior stakeholders.
- Minimum 5–7 years relevant experience in research, analytics,
innovation, digital strategy, or customer insights.
- Demonstrated experience leading research initiatives or managing
research projects.
- Experience within financial services, fintech, digital platforms, or
innovation environments is highly desirable.
How to Apply
