Core Responsibilities
- Leads research across the product lifecycle, with an expanded focus spanning both advisor technology (e.g., financial planning and portfolio construction tools) and sales technology (e.g., CRM systems) to support evolving business priorities.
- Conducts end-to-end research using qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys), delivering insights that inform both product design and broader strategic decisions.
- Expands research beyond traditional user studies by exploring market trends, competitive dynamics, and the broader wealth management ecosystem, identifying opportunities for innovation and growth.
- Generates actionable insights that influence product strategy, market positioning, and new capability development, including shaping decisions on where and how Vanguard can compete and differentiate.
- Engages with a wide range of stakeholders, including financial advisors, sales partners, internal stakeholders, and industry experts, to develop a deep understanding of user needs and external market drivers.
- Synthesizes findings into clear, compelling narratives that align stakeholders, inform prioritization, and drive user-centered and business-aligned outcomes.
- Partners cross-functionally with product, design, and business teams to translate insights into solutions across digital and human touchpoints.
- Contributes to advancing research practices by promoting strategic thinking, elevating research impact, and supporting a culture of continuous discovery and innovation.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in user/UX research, human-centered design, or a related field, with experience spanning both discovery and evaluative research.
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience in a creative or technical field. Graduate degree preferred.
- Working knowledge of the wealth management, financial services, or adjacent industries.
- Demonstrated ability to apply qualitative and quantitative methods to uncover user behaviors and inform both product and business decisions.
- Experience conducting or supporting strategic research, including market, competitive, or ecosystem analysis preferred.
- Strong storytelling and stakeholder influence skills, with the ability to translate insights into clear business implications.
- Ability to operate across multiple domains (e.g., advisor-facing and sales-facing experiences).
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.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.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in user/UX research, human-centered design, or related field with discovery and evaluative research experience.
- Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training and experience in a creative or technical field.
- Graduate degree.
- Working knowledge of wealth management, financial services, or adjacent industries.
- Demonstrated ability to apply qualitative and quantitative research methods (interviews, usability testing, surveys) to inform product and business decisions.
- Experience conducting or supporting strategic research, including market, competitive, or ecosystem analysis.
- Strong storytelling and stakeholder influence skills to translate insights into business implications.
- Ability to operate across multiple domains (advisor-facing and sales-facing experiences).
Vanguard Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Vanguard and has not been reviewed or approved by Vanguard.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support appears unusually strong through a 401(k) design that includes a match plus an additional employer contribution, which can materially lift long-term total rewards. HSA seeding and an enhanced employer match further strengthen the savings-and-benefits value of the package.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellbeing and lifestyle support is reinforced by a sizable annual FlexFund stipend that can be applied across many day-to-day categories such as fitness, childcare, and other personal expenses. On-site or virtual clinics and fitness options add practical health and wellness convenience.
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Affordable Benefits — Healthcare and related benefits are positioned as comparatively affordable via heavily subsidized medical plans and broad coverage options. This affordability can offset moderate base pay for employees who place higher value on out-of-pocket cost reductions.
Vanguard Insights
What We Do
We are a community of 30 million who think – and feel – differently about investing. Together, we’re changing the way the world invests. Since our founding in 1975, helping our investors achieve their goals is our sole reason for existence. With no other parties to answer to and therefore no conflicting loyalties, we make every decision—like keeping investing costs as low as possible—with only your needs in mind. Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment companies, offering a large selection of high-quality low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, advice, and related services. Individual and institutional investors, financial professionals, and plan sponsors can benefit from the size, stability, and experience Vanguard offers. As of April 30, 2019, we managed more than $5.6 trillion in global assets. In addition, we have 189 funds in the United States and 225 funds in global markets. For Commenting Guidelines & Important information, visit here: http://vanguard.com/linkedin Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.
