Sr. Director, UX Research - AI

ServiceNow•Santa Clara, CA

12h•$254,500 - $445,400•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Director of UX Research who is passionate about leveraging AI technologies to create empowering and supportive experiences for people at work. You will be joining our 130+ UX Research & Insights (UXRI) Organization, in our rapidly scaling global Experience Team (EX) of over 1000 UX Professionals (Research, Design, Product Content, and Ops). Together we are working to create product experiences that people love. This is the perfect role for a research executive who is passionate about changing the world of work, and the evolving needs of businesses digitizing the way they work, while supporting distributed, global teams. Businesses know that the employee experience is everything, and they must provide experiences that foster loyalty, collaboration, productivity, and support the employee through their career. As a leader you will have a massive impact on how businesses evolve to provide predictive, empowering and productivity-boosting experiences for their employees and technology teams by putting AI to work. This leader must bring an AI-native mindset — not just familiarity with AI concepts, but hands-on fluency with modern AI practices such as evaluation frameworks, prompt engineering, and human-in-the-loop workflows — and the executive gravitas to influence decision-making at the highest levels of a complex, matrixed organization. This role leads a UX research team that focuses on delivering AI-driven product experiences that resonate with our customers. Our researchers, spanning diverse backgrounds such as HCI, Human Factors, Cognitive and Experimental Psychology, Product Market Research, and Behavioral Sciences, collaborate seamlessly with product management, engineering, and design teams across the product development lifecycle. At ServiceNow, UX research has an integral role, driving innovation and propelling our products forward. We value diversity and inclusion, recognizing that varied perspectives foster creativity and innovation. Success in this role hinges not only on empathy and understanding but also on a profound grasp of how cross-functional collaboration drives delivery success and enhances end-user outcomes. Our unwavering commitment to research and development fuels ServiceNow's success, shaping the future of AI-driven enterprise solutions.

Requirements

15+ years of research experience and 8+ years of experience managing and developing strong research managers.
Extensive experience in UX research, particularly focused on AI technologies and their application in digital workflows.
Proven track record in leading research teams to deliver impactful insights that drive product experiences and innovation.
AI-native orientation with demonstrated fluency in current AI/ML practices — including evaluation frameworks, responsible AI, and generative AI product development — and experience translating that knowledge into research strategy.
Solid organizational experience, managing multiple teams, and a passion for developing strong, diverse managers and team members.
Strong executive presence and a clear point of view, capable of influencing product leaders and C-level stakeholders in complex, matrixed organizations through human-centered data and strategic storytelling.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or equivalent experience in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Human Factors, or related fields.
Expertise in user interface design, usability evaluation techniques, and statistical analysis within the context of AI-driven products.
A thought leader in AI and up to date with the latest trends in Generative AI. Needs to be a strong ambassador for the team internally and externally.
Exceptional leadership skills, inspiring global teams to deliver innovative solutions that anticipate and meet user needs.
Experience in creating and executing new and innovative research programs, strategies and approaches that help the team scale and have greater impact.
Experience leading with a hybrid (in-office and remote), distributed, global team, and finding creative ways to bring the team together to drive collaboration, relationship building and a strong culture.
Proven success operating in large, matrixed enterprise organizations, with the ability to build coalitions, navigate ambiguity, and drive consensus across competing priorities.
Deep alignment with ServiceNow's values — curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to making work better for everyone — with a track record of embedding those values into team culture and decision-making.
Passion for building a collaborative, high-trust culture that brings together varied perspectives and experiences to drive stronger outcomes.

Responsibilities

Build and develop a high performing team of UX researchers and managers focused on UX for AI technologies, fostering a culture of innovation and user-centricity.
Bring a strong, well-articulated point of view on the role of UX research in shaping AI-driven products, and champion that perspective with senior leaders across Product, Engineering, and Design.
Directly lead and manage managers and individual contributors.
Drive strategic initiatives to shape research programs and strategies specifically tailored to AI-driven product experiences, with a heavy focus on Generative AI.
Model and embed AI-native ways of working across the research organization — including modern evaluation methodologies, rapid prototyping with AI tools, and research-informed guardrails for generative AI experiences.
Navigate a large, matrixed organization to build alignment and influence product direction at the VP and C-suite level, partnering cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Design, and Marketing leadership.
Partner with stakeholders to define and prioritize research initiatives that align with business objectives and user needs.
Mentor and develop a diverse team of researchers, ensuring high-quality execution of all aspects of user research throughout the product lifecycle.
Communicate research findings effectively, translating complex insights into actionable recommendations for key decision-makers. Should be able to clearly communicate and rationalize strategy and product solutions to stakeholders based on tested and rationalized user-centered insights and data.
Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies in AI (especially Generative AI), continuously evolving our research methodologies and approaches.