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User Research Manager, Microsoft
May 22 04
Source: CHI-Kids list
Microsoft Home and Retail User Research Manager
Do you find variety and diversity exciting and appealing? The Home and Retail Division User Experience team is looking for a user research manager to head up the research programs for the Macintosh, Kids and Education, and Works business units. The products in these businesses span the productivity, information retrieval, learning, and entertainment genres and represent both brand new and established products. Their success depends on appeal to a broad spectrum of customers ranging from novice to expert and from knowledge workers and small business owners to teachers, kids, students, and parents. Your customer-centered research programs will be critical to achieving that appeal and you will have the opportunity to manage some parts of the research and actually do other parts of the research.
Responsibilities of the position include the following:
· Assessing and prioritizing resource deployment and strategic direction of research across product lines based on understanding of business, technical and user constraints.
· Establishing and managing a diverse staff of full time and temporary employees, as well as outside vendors.
· Building and maintaining effective relationships with business unit leaders.
· Representing Microsoft consumer businesses and vision for press and customers.
· Contributing to the strategic direction of the Home and Retail User Experience team including initiation of strategic planning activities leading to the adoption of enhanced processes, new products or changes in staffing strategy.
· Budget forecasting and adherence.
· Coaching and employee development for full time staff.
· Individual research contributions to the Kids and Education business unit, focusing primarily on the Encarta line of products.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will hold an advanced degree in one of the following fields: Psychology, Human Computer Interaction or Human Factors, or other related discipline with a solid foundation and track record in research design including both quantitative and qualitative methods. They will have at least five years of experience in the industry, three years of experience managing other researchers, and success in working closely with other user experience disciplines, engineering functions and marketing. They will have deep understanding of how to influence product design through user research, including how to work effectively with teams to that end and how to coach other user researchers/usability engineers to do the same. They will be adept at customizing research plans to the unique needs of multiple businesses and at adapting leadership style to changes in business, product, organization or individual needs. Experience working on education, information retrieval or children’s software products is preferred but not required.
For more information, or to submit a resume please contact Kirsten Risden at kirstenr at microsoft.com.