UX Lead Job at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago

UX Lead

Recruiting Location: US-IL-Chicago

Department: Information Technology

Summary

The UX Lead will oversee and drive the user experience vision and strategy across products and platforms, ensuring they align with both user needs and business goals. This role requires a strategic thinker with hands-on UX design skills and a deep understanding of user-centered design principles. This leader will work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, balancing creative direction with practical implementation to deliver seamless, accessible, and innovative user experiences. The UX Lead will serve as a mentor to a team of UX designers, guiding best practices and fostering a collaborative, feedback-driven environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Define, communicate, and execute the UX vision and strategy across multiple products and platforms, aligning with business goals and user needs.
• Lead the design process from concept to execution, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and final visual design.
• Conduct and oversee user research, usability testing, and other validation methods to inform design decisions and prioritize features.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, developers, and other stakeholders to define product requirements and ensure design consistency.
• Create and maintain UX design standards, guidelines, and patterns to promote a cohesive and scalable design system.
• Provide hands-on design leadership, balancing high-level strategic thinking with the ability to execute detailed design tasks.
• Act as a user advocate, championing accessibility, usability, and best practices in user experience design across the organization.
• Mentor and support a team of UX designers, providing guidance, feedback, and professional development to enhance team performance.
• Monitor and report on key UX metrics, using data to continually refine design practices and inform future design decisions.
• Stay up-to-date on industry trends, new tools, and UX methodologies to ensure design practices evolve with the market.
• Present design solutions and advocate for UX improvements to senior leadership and stakeholders, effectively communicating the impact on business goals.
• Lead collaborative design sessions and workshops to foster alignment and generate innovative ideas within cross-functional teams.
• Ensure the integration of accessibility and inclusivity best practices into the UX process to reach diverse audiences and meet regulatory standards.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities (Duties) above satisfactorily and meet the requirements below. The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Education and/or Experience:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in UX/UI design, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in user research, UX/UI design, prototyping, and interaction design across web and mobile applications.
• Proficiency with design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, and InVision.
• Solid understanding of front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to collaborate effectively with development teams.
• Demonstrated experience with accessibility standards (WCAG) and incorporating inclusive design principles.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts to non-design audiences.
• Proven track record of managing multiple projects with competing deadlines, adapting to evolving priorities and shifting timelines.

Preferred:

• Experience in the professional services industry (e.g., legal, financial, accounting, consulting).
• Certification in UX design or design thinking methodologies.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and experience working in a Scrum environment.
• Knowledge of user behavior analytics and UX metrics tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar, or similar.

Other Skills and Abilities:

The following will also be required of the successful candidate:

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.