Senior Director, Research
US NY New York / US TX Austin
Product – Product Design /
Employee - Regular/Permanent /
Hybrid
Inclusion at Bumble Inc.
Bumble Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and we strongly encourage people of all ages, colour, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, people with disabilities, and neurodivergent people to apply. We're happy to make any reasonable adjustments that will help you feel more confident throughout the process, please don't hesitate to let us know how we can help.
In your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example: she/her, he/him, they/them, etc).
About the Role
This is a strategic, high-impact leadership role responsible for shaping the future of Bumble’s user and market understanding. You will lead a cross-functional team spanning UX research, consumer insights, behavioral science, and analytics—unifying research across product, brand, and business strategy.
Key Responsibilities - Strategic Leadership
- Define and evolve a holistic insights vision—integrating UX, behavioral, and marketing research to form a unified understanding of the user journey.
- Lead the development of strategic research frameworks that guide long-term product evolution, brand positioning, and global expansion efforts.
- Foster alignment between product development, brand storytelling, and business KPIs through a common insights language.
- Serve as Bumble’s internal authority on user and market understanding, influencing product, design, marketing, and corporate strategy.
- Partner with C-suite and senior leaders to ensure user insights are embedded in decision-making at every level.
- Translate user behaviors, needs, and cultural trends into foresight that drives competitive advantage.
Key Responsibilities - Research Execution
- Oversee the design and implementation of qualitative and quantitative research studies, including usability testing, surveys, and ethnographic research.
- Ensure research methodologies are rigorous, ethical, and inclusive, capturing diverse user perspectives.
- Synthesize research findings into actionable insights that drive product enhancements and marketing strategies.
Key Responsibilities - Team Development
- Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing UX research team, fostering professional development and a collaborative environment.
- Establish best practices and standards for research activities, ensuring consistency and quality across projects
Key Responsibilities - Marketing Research Integration
- Collaborate with the marketing team to design and execute research that informs brand positioning, campaign effectiveness, and market segmentation.
- Leverage user insights to optimize marketing messages and strategies, ensuring alignment with user needs and behaviors.
Required Experience & Skills
- Experience: 15+ years in research leadership, with a strong track record across both product/UX and brand/marketing research; ideally includes experience at a fast-scaling consumer tech or mobile-first company.
- Leadership: Demonstrated experience managing large, global teams and influencing at the executive level.
- Expertise: Proven ability to synthesize qualitative and quantitative insights into compelling narratives that drive action; Deep understanding of modern research methodologies, behavioral science, and user-centered design practices; Skilled at navigating the intersection of product innovation, brand strategy, and commercial performance.
Who You Are
- A strategic thinker who thrives in ambiguous problem spaces
- A trusted partner to cross-functional stakeholders
- A thoughtful mentor and role model within the design team
- Passionate about Bumble’s mission to foster healthy and equitable relationships
$235,000 - $287,500 a year
For base compensation, we set standard ranges for all roles based on function, level, and geographic location. This position is also typically eligible to participate in our short- and long-term incentive programs. Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) match, Unlimited Paid Time Off Policy.
About Us
Bumble Inc. is the parent company of Bumble, Badoo, Bumble For Friends, and Geneva. The Bumble platform enables people to build healthy and equitable relationships, through Kind Connections. Founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2014, Bumble was one of the first dating apps built with women at the center and connects people across dating (Bumble Date), friendship (Bumble For Friends) and professional networking (Bumble Bizz). Badoo, which was founded in 2006, is one of the pioneers of web and mobile dating products. Bumble For Friends is a friendship app where people in all stages of life can meet people nearby and create meaningful platonic connections. Geneva is a group and community app for people to connect based on shared interests.
