Lead UX Researcher

Job Description

Lead UX Researcher

Locations: UK (Sunderland or Leeds) • Gibraltar • Ireland (Dublin)
Team: Product Design
Level: Lead Individual Contributor
Reports to: Head of Product Design

tombola is looking for an influential and highly experienced Lead UX Researcher to join our growing Product Design team. This is a strategic and hands-on role where you'll shape the direction of research across multiple squads and play a critical part in how insights drive product decisions.

If you’re passionate about elevating research craft, connecting insights to real business impact, and guiding fellow researchers to do their best work, this role offers the scope and influence to make a big difference.

What you’ll do

• Set the Research Strategy – Drive research priorities across multiple squads, aligning with product and business goals.

• Raise Quality Standards – Define and uphold best-in-class research planning, execution, and insight delivery.

• Influence Across Squads – Connect themes and opportunities across teams to inform broader product direction.

• Mentor & Elevate – Coach researchers at all levels, supporting their development and improving research craft across the organisation.

• Collaborate Deeply – Partner with Product, Design, and Tech to embed research in decision-making and prioritisation.

• Own Knowledge Management – Lead contributions to tombola’s research repository to ensure insights are scalable, shareable and reusable.

• Explore AI in Research – Introduce and evaluate AI tools responsibly, helping the team understand where they add value.

• Champion the Player – Advocate for player needs and ensure they remain central to product decisions.

• Deliver When It Matters – Lead complex, high-impact research studies hands-on where needed.

What you’ll bring

• Extensive experience in UX Research, leading large-scale or complex research initiatives.

• Strong strategic mindset with the ability to link insights to business outcomes.

• Deep expertise in qualitative methods and working knowledge of quantitative/mixed-methods.

• Experience mentoring and upskilling researchers.

• Excellent communication skills, especially with senior stakeholders.

• Strong collaboration experience across multiple squads or business areas.

• Curiosity and evolving knowledge of how AI can support research practice.

• A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for players.

Bonus skills

• Experience defining cross-squad research roadmaps.

• Familiarity with behavioural data or large-scale analytics.

• Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive research practices.

• Experience in gaming, gambling or entertainment industries.

Why tombola?

You’ll join a creative, player-centred organisation where research is valued, championed, and embedded in decision-making. You'll influence product strategy across multiple teams and help shape the future of UX research at tombola.