Sr. UX Operations/Program Manager

Overview

Aquent has an EXCITING opportunity for a Sr. UX Operations/Program Manager in Austin, TX!

Note:  This is a hybrid position.  It will be required that you are able to work on-site 3 days/week at our client’s office in Austin.  

To be considered for this role, you must:

• Currently live in the Austin, TX area and be willing to work on-site 3 days/week.
• Be authoirized to work in the United States and not require sponsorship of any kind during the duration of the assignment

Our client is looking for an experienced, collaborative, and adaptable lead design operations specialist who is passionate about supporting and enabling user experience design teams to do their best work. The Experience Design (XD) Team crafts effortless mobile, web and desktop experiences that are grounded in empathy and informed by insights and thoughtful planning. The XD teams are a multi-disciplinary group of professionals with expertise in Design, Content Strategy, and Research. The teams collaborate across the enterprise to build exceptional digital experiences for millions of clients. Users of our client’s products are passionate about the tools and experiences we provide, and we create experiences that inspire trust, simplify the complex, demystify investing, and empower our clients to truly own their tomorrow.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• You will be responsible for the day-to-day program management of 1-2 design teams while contributing to horizontal initiatives that support the organization as a whole.
• Uses expert knowledge of user experience design teams, organizational structures, and product development processes to help with the strategic management of the XD Team.
• Help manage the overall portfolio of work, including intaking demand and organizing it against current team capacity.
• Understand XD operational processes, navigate organizational dynamics, and contribute to the operational improvements.
• Help to establish and define standard processes, ceremonies, and work practices across the team.
• Oversight and management of XD initiatives to ensure they are well-coordinated, consistently applied, align with the prioritization, and meet the goals of the XD organization.
• Manage prioritization of the work at the team or portfolio level
• Create schedules, estimates, and timelines that align to standard processes to keep projects on track and delivering on time
• Schedule and facilitate design ceremonies with the right audience at the right time.
• Help host design reviews and critiques at the organizational level
• Provide clear and transparent reporting of team and project status to keep internal and external teams informed of project progress, blockers, and dependencies
• Effectively communicate relevant information related to team, project, or org initiatives in a way that is clear, consistent, and aligned to the goals of the XD organization.
• Help facilitate the dissemination of design guidelines, standards, and processes to ensure consistency across the team
• Communicate and memorialize design ceremonies and outcomes
• Help support internal team communication
• Proving reporting and status related communications for your product design team
• Help support the learning and development curriculum, scheduling, and administration
• Assist in tooling management where needed related to tool usage, compliance, and management

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

• 6-10 years in product design focused on digital products or equivalent. Relevant roles include Product Design, Design Director, Product Management, and Program/Project Management
• 3+ years experience managing teams or projects
• Experience in all facets of user experience design, including practice, process tools, and cross-functional collaboration
• Expertise in Agile methodologies and software development processes like Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe and how user experience teams adapt their practices to work within these frameworks
• Experience creating timelines, communicating status, and gathering requirements for design teams related to digital product development.
• Knowledge of design systems and how user experience design teams utilize them in the design process
• Experience working with project management and design related tools like Figma, Sketch, Airtable, Jira, Rally, Clarity, Mircrosoft Sharepoint, and Planner

The target hiring compensation range for this role is $62.99 to $69.99 an hour. Compensation is based on several factors including, but not limited to education, relevant work experience, relevant certifications, and location.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands.

Our eligible talent gets access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through AquentGymnasium. 

More information on our awesome benefits: https://aquent.com/talent/talent-benefits!

Aquent is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We’re about creating an inclusive environment—one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive

Working with AQUENT provides you access to some pretty awesome perks:

• Subsidized (up to 85%!) Health, Vision and Dental Benefits, and Access to Fidelity 401(k) with Matching!
• FSA Program
• Weekly Direct Deposit
• Resume / Portfolio Review + Interview Prep. You’ll be set-up for success!
• Free Continued Learning: https://thegymnasium.com/
• Compare our benefits to other agencies, here: https://aquent.com/find-work/talent-benefits
• Who is AQUENT? www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z-n8nfytuM