Design Research Lead

As a Design Research Lead at the Innovation Foundation you will blend design research methodologies with traditional research approaches to generate continuous, high‑quality insights on the future of work—particularly for individuals most at risk of exclusion. Your work will sit at the intersection of human‑centred design, market intelligence, and strategic research.

You will uncover unmet needs through deep qualitative exploration, validate opportunities with quantitative data, and integrate public, proprietary, and primary sources into a cohesive body of insight. These insights will power our thought leadership, guide new venture creation, and shape how our solutions scale across markets.

Your research will ensure that innovations are both human‑centred and strategically grounded, informing decisions from opportunity selection to market expansion.

• Lead generative research to identify unmet needs among people falling out of the workforce.
• Conduct in‑depth fieldwork with underserved communities across diverse geographies.
• Facilitate co‑design workshops with experts, partners, and affected communities.
• Synthesize qualitative data to surface patterns, insights, and opportunities.
• Provide strategic intelligence on trends shaping employability and the future of work.
• Use public data, Adecco Group data, and primary field research to guide research direction.
• Manage participant sourcing and data collection through panels, surveys, and focus groups.
• Lead collaborations with research partners such as think tanks, universities, and agencies.
• Support partnership development through market and landscape analysis.
• Drive analysis and synthesis across all data sources to inform projects and organizational strategy.
• Translate qualitative and quantitative insights into clear design and strategic direction.
• Build compelling narratives that combine human stories with market evidence.
• Provide ongoing evidence‑based support to Venture Teams throughout solution development.
• Build alignment across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Strengthen research capabilities across the organization.
• Use research to inform scaling strategies, including territory prioritization and partner selection.
• Document insights and learnings to support consistent, scalable approaches.

• 5–7 years of applied research experience with strength in both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Strong foundation in design research and human‑centred design methodologies.
• Experience conducting market, ethnographic, or strategic research.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize data from multiple sources into actionable insights.
• Skilled at engaging underserved or hard‑to‑reach populations.
• Experience managing external research partners or research agencies.
• Strong storytelling skills that connect human insight with market evidence.
• Comfortable working across industries, sectors, and multi‑stakeholder environments.
• Experience leading research across different countries, languages, or cultural contexts.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage.
• Curious, strategic, and comfortable applying the right research method at the right time.
• Sees research as integrated throughout the innovation process.

It’s an exciting time to be part of our team. The Innovation Foundation is the global corporate foundation of the Adecco Group. Operating as a Social Innovation Lab, we support sustainable livelihoods by creating practical solutions to increase the employability and access to labour markets for underserved populations.

We do this by identifying people who are falling out of the workforce and their unmet needs. We then develop solutions to meet those needs, working with experts and end-users. Our prototypes are then taken out into the world with the right partners on the ground.

Empowered by the Adecco Group, the global Innovation Foundation leverages the vast know-how of a Fortune Global 500 company and the world’s leading talent advisory and solutions company. 

Growth and Development

You will have the opportunity to grow across a variety of interesting jobs and careers over our extensive portfolio of global brands. We empower our colleagues to work in the smartest, most efficient ways, achieving total balance between their jobs and their lives. We offer world-class resources for upskilling and development, satisfying your curiosity while sharing skills, knowledge, and expertise to grow together. Here, you can be yourself, and we aim to build on the attributes that make you, you

We believe that having an understanding of the hiring process helps you to prepare, feel, and be, at your best. As a global, multi brand organization with multiple different roles, our application process can vary.

On our career site, you will find some of the key steps you can expect to guide you along the way.

Inclusion

We believe in talent, not labels. We focus on the diverse and unique skills our people bring. Our culture of belonging and purpose ensures everyone can thrive and feel engaged. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to equity, equal opportunity, inclusion, and diversity.

Interview Process

Our interview process includes an initial phone screening, followed by a virtual round of interviews with Hiring Manager, HR team and senior leaders. This process helps us understand your fit within our team and allows you to ask questions about the role and our company. If you are a visionary leader with a passion for learning and development, we invite you to join us in making the future work for everyone.

Accommodations

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any additional accommodations or support due to a disability or other special circumstances, please let us know by contacting us. We will work with you to ensure your needs are met throughout the hiring process.

Posting date: 25-01-2026