Manager UX/UI Research and Strategy

UT Southwestern Medical Center • Dallas, TX

4d

About The Position

The Manager, UX/UI Researcher & Strategist reports to the Director, Digital Strategy and Engagement and provides leadership and oversight for user experience research and strategy within the Digital team in the Department of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs. The position leads user research, usability, interaction design, and UX strategy to improve digital experiences across UT Southwestern's online channels. Working within the broader digital strategy and priorities established by departmental leadership, the Manager serves as a subject matter expert and internal consultant for UX research and strategy. The role combines strategic thinking with hands-on project involvement and supports usability, accessibility, engagement, technical feasibility, and institutional brand standards.

The Manager leads complex UX projects, manages and develops the UX/UI team, conducts and oversees research, translates findings into actionable recommendations, and partners with cross-functional teams and institutional stakeholders. The role also helps establish UX research practices and standards, supports design systems and consistent digital experiences, and advises leadership on opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Architecture, Psychology, Human Factors, Design, Visual Communications, Digital Media, or a related field; additional years of experience in user experience design may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Two years of experience managing UX/UI Research and Design teams.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in UX research, UX strategy, user experience design, information architecture, usability, or related digital experience work.
• Experience leading UX initiatives and mentoring, managing, or providing direction to UX/UI professionals or multidisciplinary teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education, health care, academic medicine, government, agency, consulting, or another complex organizational environment.
• Experience contributing to UX research practices, usability programs, experience standards, or design systems.
• Experience with Agile, Scrum, Kanban, or similar methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead UX research and strategy for complex digital projects, defining research methods, experience strategies, usability approaches, mockups, deliverables, schedules, and quality standards in coordination with departmental leadership and project stakeholders.
• Manage, mentor, and develop the UX/UI team, including the Sr. UX/UI Strategist, by providing strategic direction, coaching, feedback, workload guidance, and professional development.
• Manage cross-functional dependencies and systems to support collaboration, alignment, and delivery of initiatives.
• Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative research and usability activities, including interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, usability testing, card sorting, and tree testing.
• Synthesize research findings, analytics, behavioral data, and stakeholder input into actionable recommendations.
• Develop and communicate UX deliverables such as research plans, personas, journeys, task flows, experience maps, site maps, information architectures, prototypes, wireframes, and strategic recommendations.
• Attend discovery sessions and research workshops to identify user needs, business objectives, content requirements, technical constraints, and opportunities, and facilitate alignment among multidisciplinary teams.
• Partner with digital strategists, developers, project managers, content professionals, designers, and institutional stakeholders to translate research and UX strategy into user-friendly, accessible, technically feasible, scalable, and sustainable digital experiences.
• Provide UX research and strategy oversight throughout project lifecycles and review designs, prototypes, websites, applications, and development builds for appropriate implementation of approved UX requirements, research findings, accessibility considerations, and experience standards.
• Contribute to UX research and strategy standards, methodologies, documentation, and reusable practices; support development and consistent application of design systems and component patterns.
• Monitor digital analytics, user behavior, research findings, emerging UX practices, and digital trends to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation.
• Evaluate tools, methodologies, accessibility practices, technologies, and industry trends, and recommend strategic improvements to leadership.
• Serve as an internal UX/UI consultant and subject matter expert, advocate for user-centered and inclusive design, communicate research and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences, and advise stakeholders on experience challenges.
• Coordinate UX research and strategy across concurrent initiatives, including scoping efforts, estimating resources, establishing priorities, managing dependencies and timelines, and communicating risks and opportunities within the department's strategic direction.
• Participate in digital planning and project discussions as the UX research and strategy subject matter expert and build institutional relationships through transparency, collaboration, and responsiveness.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage.
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare with no copay.
• Paid Time Off, available day one.
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS).
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit.
• Wellness programs.
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer.
• Competitive and comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees, including healthcare, PTO, paid holidays, on-site childcare, and merit increases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager