Director, User Experience (Design Principal, Innovation)

The Hartford•Hartford, CT

10d•$144,000 - $216,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We’re determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals – and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future. The Hartford is hiring for impactful new roles in the Customer Office. This dynamic team is redefining how we understand, serve, and build trust with our customers by embedding customer-first thinking across the enterprise. As part of the Customer Office, you'll join a collaborative and innovative team that sets enterprise standards, drives strategic investments, and champions a culture where customer needs shape our decisions. If you're passionate about using customer intelligence to deliver frictionless, personalized experiences that make a meaningful impact, this is your opportunity to help shape the future of The Hartford. As Principal Experience Designer, Innovation at The Hartford, your ambition is to craft unparalleled, human‑centered experiences that connect people and foster trust—by convening smart, inclusive workshops that turn insight into action. The portfolio you’ll build won’t just showcase artifacts; it will tell the story of how facilitation, synthesis, and decision‑ready storytelling set expectations for what’s possible across journeys, channels, and operations. You understand that impact is measured not only by what ships, but by how it feels and what it frees customers and colleagues to do next. This role is for a builder of practice and culture…someone who transforms moments of truth into differentiators and equips teams across the enterprise to do the same. This role reports to AVP, Head of UX and is based in Hartford, CT on a hybrid schedule (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday in office).

Requirements

10+ years in UX design, with 4–5 years in a principal or strategic design role.
Proven expertise in leading design thinking workshops and experience strategy initiatives.
Mastery in inclusive facilitation, journey mapping, persona development, and synthesis.
Strong storytelling and visualization skills; able to communicate vision clearly across audiences.
Experience collaborating with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
Familiarity with design tools (Figma, Mural, Adobe XD) and journey analytics platforms.
Deep understanding of accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.
Portfolio demonstrating strategic design leadership and workshop facilitation required.
Portfolio must accompany resume and contain details of project work and your role in that project.

Nice To Haves

Background in insurance or financial services preferred; ability to navigate complex domains required.

Responsibilities

Lead, drive collaboration, and inspire cross‑functional teams through high‑impact facilitation—co‑creating future‑state journeys, service blueprints, conceptual prototypes and experience principles that set a north‑star vision and unlock decisive action.
Translate workshops into decisions: synthesize signal from research, data, and frontline insight into clear narratives, option sets, and phased roadmaps that balance customer value, business outcomes, and technical feasibility. Anchor accessibility and inclusivity at every step. Employ equitable research and facilitation practices and embedding WCAG‑aligned standards in concepts and deliverables.
Advance a reusable practice by codifying playbooks, canvases, and templates (e.g., alignment canvases, prioritization matrices, journey scorecards) so product, ops, marketing, CX, and technology teams can repeat and scale the methods.
Tell the story with clarity and energy and use exceptional storytelling to communicate the “why,” the trade‑offs, and the path to measurable outcomes to senior leaders and delivery teams alike.
Partner as a trusted advisor to product, engineering, data/analytics, business leaders, and fellow designers. Elevate design’s role and accelerating concept‑to‑pilot cycles.
Adopt a data‑informed approach. Define success signals (e.g., reduced avoidable contacts, increased self‑service completion, shorter cycle time), instrument the work with analytics partners, and iterate based on evidence.
Champion design culture and talent. Coach facilitators and designers, model healthy critique, and nurture a positive, innovative environment that attracts and grows top-tier talent.

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