Virginia Jobs
User Experience Manager
Virginia Jobs, Virginia Beach, Virginia, us, 23450
Department:
University Life
Classification:
Administrative Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time
Location:
Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Salary: Salary starting in upper 60k's commensurate with education and experience
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
University Life Project & Process Management provides project and process management support, guidance, and training to the Division of University Life. We seek to continuously improve the student and staff experience through a journey management approach. We do this by gathering insights, prioritizing opportunities, and providing project management for process redesign efforts.
About the Position:
Reporting to the Director of University Life Project & Process Management (UL PPM), the User Experience Manager engages with users to confirm their needs, preferences, and behaviors for a select number of prioritized journeys. Directs the UL PPM's User Experience (UX) Research Team, consisting of undergraduate and graduate student staff. Conducts qualitative user research and summarizes findings into actionable opportunities. Additionally, provides support to the UL PPM team with redesign efforts.
Responsibilities:
Qualitative User Experience (UX) Research
Leads the planning, execution and analysis of qualitative user experience (UX) research initiatives on prioritized student journeys set by UL Leadership which focuses on understanding and improving the student experience;Supports the Director of UL PPM with the creation of the annual UX research plan aligned with UL strategic goals and student needs;Builds relationships with student engagement units, student advocacy units, Student Advisory Groups and Officers of Registered Student Organizations to facilitate collaboration, gather insights, and ensure that UX research efforts are informed by diverse perspectives and user input;Develops comprehensive user research plans that outline the objectives, scope, methods, and timeline for conducting research activities. Defines research questions, appropriate research methodology, participant criteria, data collection techniques, and analysis procedures to ensure that research efforts are structured and focused;Engages in proactive outreach and recruitment efforts to identify and enlist volunteers who meet the criteria for participation in user research studies;Manages communication with volunteers, provides necessary information about study requirements and logistics, and schedules research sessions based on participant availability;Designs study protocols;Develops interview guides or observation protocols;Conducts in-depth analysis ofqualitative UX research data to extract meaningful insights and identify actionable opportunities for improving the user experience;Presents research findings, insights, and recommendations to internal stakeholders, including UL PPM team members, leadership, and relevant departments; andEstablishes and maintains a centralized UX dashboard or repository to document and organize research findings, insights, and related documentation.User Experience (UX) Research Team Management
Supervises and manages UL PPM's UX Research Team;Develops and implements training programs to onboard new student staff members and enhance the skills of existing team members. Ensures that all team members are equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in their roles;Conducts regular reviews of the UX outputs produced by student staff members to ensure alignment with project goals, quality standards, and best practices in UX research;Provides ongoing coaching, feedback, and mentorship to student staff members to support their professional growth and development. Identifies areas for improvement and offers guidance on how to improve performance. Participates in UL's GROWTH program;Conducts bi-monthly reviews of standard operating procedures (SOPs) with the student staff to ensure adherence to established protocols and identify opportunities for process optimization and improvement;Utilizes project management platforms to organize, prioritize, and track tasks related to UX research projects. Ensures that deadlines are met, resources are allocated efficiently, and project objectives are achieved; andOrganizes and facilitates weekly well-being sessions for the UX Research Team to promote a positive and supportive work environment. Encourages team members to share experiences, discuss challenges, and engage in activities that contribute to their overall well-being and job satisfaction.Process Redesign Support
Collaborates with the UL PPM team to streamline processes, identifying inefficiencies and implementing improvements;Assists with actionable opportunity prioritization through organizational goals and user needs alignment review; andFacilitates requirements gathering, prototyping, and user testing to develop and validate future state designs for enhanced user experiences.User Experience (UX) Research Training
Supports UL PPM Team with providing UL Units with training on UX best practices;Assists in developing an annual training plan, ensuring comprehensive coverage of UX topics and needs;Contributes to the creation of UX training materials, ensuring relevance and effectiveness; andCollaborates in leading UX training sessions, ensuring engaging and informative delivery.Required Qualifications:
Master's degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience;Demonstrated experience in providing effective communication to audience recipients, including in written and presentation formats;Experience with gathering user insights;Experience with writing and presenting user research reports;Experience working in cross-functional teams;Experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds;Ability to communicate complex information to different audiences;Ability to solve problems, and meet the challenges and opportunities in Higher Education;Ability to oversee multiple projects simultaneously, while operating in a deadline-sensitive environment;Willingness and ability to learn/adapt efficiently in a fast-paced environment; andAbility to work with a diverse population of faculty, staff and students.Preferred Qualifications:
Professional experience typically obtained in 2 years in a higher education environment;Demonstrated leadership abilities and part-time staff supervisory experience;Experience with training, mentoring, and coaching students;Knowledge of UX methods such as user interviews, usability testing, journey mapping, service blueprinting, and persona creation;Knowledge of UX writing best practices (Ability to craft copy that guides the user through their experience of a service); andUX Certificate.Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for
User Experience Manager
at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with a Resume for review.
Posting Open Date: 7/10/2024
For Full Consideration, Apply by: 7/24/2024
Open Until Filled?: Yes
University Life
Classification:
Administrative Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time
Location:
Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Salary: Salary starting in upper 60k's commensurate with education and experience
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
University Life Project & Process Management provides project and process management support, guidance, and training to the Division of University Life. We seek to continuously improve the student and staff experience through a journey management approach. We do this by gathering insights, prioritizing opportunities, and providing project management for process redesign efforts.
About the Position:
Reporting to the Director of University Life Project & Process Management (UL PPM), the User Experience Manager engages with users to confirm their needs, preferences, and behaviors for a select number of prioritized journeys. Directs the UL PPM's User Experience (UX) Research Team, consisting of undergraduate and graduate student staff. Conducts qualitative user research and summarizes findings into actionable opportunities. Additionally, provides support to the UL PPM team with redesign efforts.
Responsibilities:
Qualitative User Experience (UX) Research
Leads the planning, execution and analysis of qualitative user experience (UX) research initiatives on prioritized student journeys set by UL Leadership which focuses on understanding and improving the student experience;Supports the Director of UL PPM with the creation of the annual UX research plan aligned with UL strategic goals and student needs;Builds relationships with student engagement units, student advocacy units, Student Advisory Groups and Officers of Registered Student Organizations to facilitate collaboration, gather insights, and ensure that UX research efforts are informed by diverse perspectives and user input;Develops comprehensive user research plans that outline the objectives, scope, methods, and timeline for conducting research activities. Defines research questions, appropriate research methodology, participant criteria, data collection techniques, and analysis procedures to ensure that research efforts are structured and focused;Engages in proactive outreach and recruitment efforts to identify and enlist volunteers who meet the criteria for participation in user research studies;Manages communication with volunteers, provides necessary information about study requirements and logistics, and schedules research sessions based on participant availability;Designs study protocols;Develops interview guides or observation protocols;Conducts in-depth analysis ofqualitative UX research data to extract meaningful insights and identify actionable opportunities for improving the user experience;Presents research findings, insights, and recommendations to internal stakeholders, including UL PPM team members, leadership, and relevant departments; andEstablishes and maintains a centralized UX dashboard or repository to document and organize research findings, insights, and related documentation.User Experience (UX) Research Team Management
Supervises and manages UL PPM's UX Research Team;Develops and implements training programs to onboard new student staff members and enhance the skills of existing team members. Ensures that all team members are equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in their roles;Conducts regular reviews of the UX outputs produced by student staff members to ensure alignment with project goals, quality standards, and best practices in UX research;Provides ongoing coaching, feedback, and mentorship to student staff members to support their professional growth and development. Identifies areas for improvement and offers guidance on how to improve performance. Participates in UL's GROWTH program;Conducts bi-monthly reviews of standard operating procedures (SOPs) with the student staff to ensure adherence to established protocols and identify opportunities for process optimization and improvement;Utilizes project management platforms to organize, prioritize, and track tasks related to UX research projects. Ensures that deadlines are met, resources are allocated efficiently, and project objectives are achieved; andOrganizes and facilitates weekly well-being sessions for the UX Research Team to promote a positive and supportive work environment. Encourages team members to share experiences, discuss challenges, and engage in activities that contribute to their overall well-being and job satisfaction.Process Redesign Support
Collaborates with the UL PPM team to streamline processes, identifying inefficiencies and implementing improvements;Assists with actionable opportunity prioritization through organizational goals and user needs alignment review; andFacilitates requirements gathering, prototyping, and user testing to develop and validate future state designs for enhanced user experiences.User Experience (UX) Research Training
Supports UL PPM Team with providing UL Units with training on UX best practices;Assists in developing an annual training plan, ensuring comprehensive coverage of UX topics and needs;Contributes to the creation of UX training materials, ensuring relevance and effectiveness; andCollaborates in leading UX training sessions, ensuring engaging and informative delivery.Required Qualifications:
Master's degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience;Demonstrated experience in providing effective communication to audience recipients, including in written and presentation formats;Experience with gathering user insights;Experience with writing and presenting user research reports;Experience working in cross-functional teams;Experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds;Ability to communicate complex information to different audiences;Ability to solve problems, and meet the challenges and opportunities in Higher Education;Ability to oversee multiple projects simultaneously, while operating in a deadline-sensitive environment;Willingness and ability to learn/adapt efficiently in a fast-paced environment; andAbility to work with a diverse population of faculty, staff and students.Preferred Qualifications:
Professional experience typically obtained in 2 years in a higher education environment;Demonstrated leadership abilities and part-time staff supervisory experience;Experience with training, mentoring, and coaching students;Knowledge of UX methods such as user interviews, usability testing, journey mapping, service blueprinting, and persona creation;Knowledge of UX writing best practices (Ability to craft copy that guides the user through their experience of a service); andUX Certificate.Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for
User Experience Manager
at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with a Resume for review.
Posting Open Date: 7/10/2024
For Full Consideration, Apply by: 7/24/2024
Open Until Filled?: Yes