UX Research Manager

Federato is on a mission to defend the right to efficient, equitable insurance for all. We enable insurers to provide affordable coverage to people and organizations facing the issues of today - the climate crisis, cyber-attacks, social inflation, etc. Our vision is understood and well funded by those behind Salesforce, Veeva, Zoom, Box, etc.

Federato’s AI/ML-driven platform leverages deep reinforcement learning to help insurance companies optimize the portfolio of risks they insure, allowing them to continue to provide fair and equitable pricing in difficult-to-price areas. Our category-defining ‘RiskOps’ solution drives better underwriting decisions by operationalizing underutilized data investments and surfacing real-time risk and portfolio insights. We focus on putting insurance underwriters back in the driver’s seat, helping them meet their goals while providing an important service to society.

The Product Design and Research Team
Imagine stepping into an industry as old as insurance and redefining how it works from the ground up. That’s what we do at Federato—design software that feels like a secret weapon for underwriters.  Our team of designers and researchers tackle intricate, high-stakes problems with a blend of speed and craft. Armed with AI, we’re not just modernizing insurance; we’re making a lasting mark on an industry that directly shapes people’s lives.

Role Overview

As our first User Research Manager, you’ll lay the foundation for a world-class research function within the Federato Product Design team. You’ll build and lead a small team of 2–3 researchers, partnering closely with Product, Design, and Engineering to ensure customer insights inform everything we do.

You’ll be hands-on from the start — planning and executing research yourself while creating systems and standards for how research gets done at Federato. From shaping our approach to B2B recruiting to driving longitudinal studies with underwriters, your work will uncover the nuanced needs of our users and help us build smarter, more intentional products.

Specifically, you will:

• Lead strategic and tactical research across the product lifecycle — from generative studies to usability testing
• Build out lightweight but scalable research operations: participant recruiting, incentives, panel management, tooling, and documentation
• Hire, coach, and manage a small team of researchers while maintaining an IC scope in the near term
• Establish best practices for rigorous, repeatable research in a complex enterprise environment
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to identify high-impact research opportunities and socialize findings across the org
• Advocate for user needs in product strategy, roadmap planning, and design reviews

• You’re an experienced B2B researcher with 6+ years in user research, including 2+ in a leadership or mentorship role
• You’ve done meaningful work in enterprise SaaS and understand the complexities of recruiting and researching niche professional audiences
• You’ve built or scaled research ops before — whether that’s participant panels, research repositories, or scrappy DIY solutions
• You’re comfortable working across the spectrum of research methodologies and know when to go deep or move fast (especially important for our fast-paced build teams)
• You’re as excited about enabling others as doing the work yourself, and have a track record of leveling up peers and stakeholders
• You communicate insights clearly and persuasively, shaping product direction through a deep understanding of user needs
• Bonus: Experience with insurance, fintech, or risk-based domains

Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate location, experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above. Total compensation package does include stock options, bonus, benefits and additional perks. 

Succeeding at Federato
Your capabilities will always be important, but feeling at home here is quintessential to your success. We move fast, are eager to listen to our users, take a first principles approach to solving problems, and value learning and the ability to change our minds. Most importantly, we're here to have fun. Our ability to make a difference starts with our people. We would love to work with you! 

You’ll thrive here if…

• You’re energized by supporting others and making teams more effective.
• You bring clarity to ambiguity through thoughtful systems and clear communication.
• You take ownership without being asked and feel energized by autonomy.
• You’re a creative problem solver who believes progress beats perfection.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status. We will provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation at [email protected]