Expert User Interface Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Expert User Interface Designer

Company: Western Governors University

Location: Salt Lake City, UT, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: UI/UX Design & Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-15

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the evolution and consolidation of enterprise design systems to ensure visual consistency across student, employee, and public-facing platforms.

• Partner closely with engineering and product teams to create accessible, high-fidelity interfaces and maintain a robust component library.

• Drive the unification of multiple existing design systems into a cohesive, centralized experience framework for enhanced scalability and efficiency.

• Champion accessibility best practices and inclusive design principles, ensuring compliance with WCAG and ADA standards across all digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on User Interface (UI) design, distinct from User Experience (UX), with a strong emphasis on design systems, visual execution, and accessibility. The "Expert" title and the focus on consolidating multiple systems suggest a senior-level individual contributor role with significant influence on design operations and standards.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the creation, consolidation, maintenance, and evolution of enterprise design systems across multiple products and platforms.

• Partner closely with engineering and web platform teams to support scalable component libraries and consistent implementation standards.

• Define and maintain design tokens, reusable components, interaction patterns, and visual standards to ensure a unified digital ecosystem.

• Create polished, pixel-perfect user interfaces, high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and production-ready assets.

• Apply exceptional typography, hierarchy, color, spacing, layout, animation, and interaction design principles to enhance usability and engagement.

• Champion accessibility best practices (WCAG, ADA compliance) and advocate for inclusive design principles across all digital products.

• Collaborate with UX researchers/designers, engineers, product managers, accessibility specialists, and brand teams to deliver cohesive experiences.

• Present design rationale clearly and confidently to stakeholders and leadership.

• Mentor junior designers through active coaching, collaboration, and design feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities clearly indicate a senior role focused on strategic design system management, hands-on UI creation, and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on consolidating multiple design systems implies a significant project involving process standardization and operational efficiency improvements within the design function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Visual Communication, Graphic Arts, or a related field. Equivalent experience may substitute for degree requirements.

Experience: 6+ years of experience in UI design, visual design, interaction design, or related fields. Experience creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems in collaboration with engineering teams is essential.

Required Skills:

• User Interface Design (UI Design)

• Design Systems Management and Evolution

• Design Tokens and Component-Based Design Methodologies

• Strong Understanding of Responsive Web and Mobile-Native Design Patterns

• Visual Design Principles (Typography, Hierarchy, Color, Spacing, Layout)

• Interaction Design and Animation

• Accessibility Best Practices (WCAG, ADA Compliance)

• Prototyping and High-Fidelity Mockup Creation

• Excellent Communication, Presentation, and Stakeholder Management Skills

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within Agile product development environments.

• Higher education, student portal, or learning platform design experience.

• Agency or consulting experience.

• Experience designing for large-scale, multi-product ecosystems.

• Familiarity with design operations and workflow optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required qualifications emphasize a deep, hands-on expertise in UI design and design systems, highlighting the need for practical experience in scaling and maintaining these systems with engineering collaboration. The preferred qualifications suggest a candidate who can adapt quickly to the higher education context and has experience with efficient design processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of two comprehensive case studies detailing the creation, evolution, or significant contribution to an enterprise-level design system.

• Include examples of design tokens, reusable UI components, and interaction patterns developed and implemented.

• Demonstrate expertise in translating complex UX research and requirements into polished, pixel-perfect UI designs across various platforms (web, mobile).

• Present visual design excellence, including typography, color theory, layout, and hierarchy, with clear rationale for design decisions.

Process Documentation:

• Detail the methodology used for design system governance, including version control, contribution guidelines, and feedback loops.

• Illustrate workflows for collaborating with engineering teams on component implementation and ensuring design fidelity.

• Provide examples of how UI standards and accessibility guidelines were documented and disseminated to cross-functional teams.

• Showcase how design processes were optimized for efficiency, scalability, and consistency across a broad product portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, especially one that demonstrates the ability to manage and scale design systems. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process, the impact of their work on consistency and efficiency, and their deep understanding of accessibility within a large organizational context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $106,700.00 - $165,400.00 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Access to telehealth, and mental healthcare services.

• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options.

• Basic and voluntary life insurance coverage.

• Disability coverage (short-term and long-term).

• Supplemental coverages including accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity.

• Legal and identity theft protection services.

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k).

• Wellbeing program initiatives.

• Discounted WGU tuition for employees.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) for rest and relaxation.

• Flexible Paid Sick Time.

• 11 paid holidays annually.

• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

Working Hours: 40 standard weekly hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for an Expert UI Designer role in the US. The extensive benefits package reflects WGU's commitment to employee well-being and professional development, offering comprehensive support for regular full-time employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Higher Education Technology / Online Learning. WGU is a pioneer in competency-based education, focusing on accessible and affordable degree programs delivered online. This industry context means a strong emphasis on student success, educational innovation, and leveraging technology to impact learners at scale.

Company Size: WGU is a large organization, employing a significant number of individuals across various departments, indicating a structured environment with opportunities for specialization and cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: WGU was founded in 1997, bringing decades of experience in online education and a well-established mission and operational framework. This history suggests a stable organization with evolving digital platforms.

Team Structure:

• The UI team is described as "small but highly impactful," supporting a broad portfolio of products. This implies a close-knit group that works with high visibility.

• The Expert UI Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Director, working within a broader design or product organization.

Methodology:

• The role operates within an Agile product development environment, requiring adaptability and iterative design processes.

• Emphasis is placed on a systems-thinking approach to design, focusing on scalability, consistency, and maintainability through design systems and component libraries.

• Data-driven decision-making is implicitly valued, as is a strong focus on user outcomes (student success) and accessibility.

Company Website: https://www.wgu.edu/

📝 Enhancement Note: WGU's mission-driven culture in higher education technology is a key differentiator. Candidates should understand the unique challenges and opportunities of designing for a student-centric, large-scale online learning platform. The "small but impactful" UI team structure suggests a need for proactive individuals capable of driving change.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an "Expert" level position, signifying a senior individual contributor role. It requires deep specialization in User Interface Design and Design Systems, with a focus on leadership, mentorship, and strategic influence rather than direct people management. Responsibilities extend to driving the evolution of the UI practice across the organization.

Reporting Structure: The Expert UI Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Manager, or Director within the product or design organization. They will collaborate extensively with Product Managers, UX Designers, and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is significant, directly influencing the scalability, consistency, and accessibility of WGU's digital products. By leading design system consolidation and implementation, the designer will enhance operational efficiency in product development, improve user satisfaction, and ensure compliance with accessibility standards, ultimately supporting WGU's mission of expanding access to education.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to become the go-to expert and lead the strategic direction of WGU's unified design system.

• Cross-functional Influence: Chance to influence design quality and best practices across multiple product teams and disciplines.

• Mentorship & Skill Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and refine leadership and communication skills.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in accessibility, design tokens, and component-driven development within a large-scale educational technology context.

• Potential for Senior/Lead Roles: Successful performance could lead to opportunities for Lead UI Designer or Senior Design System Engineer roles within WGU.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential for a UI specialist who wants to deeply impact an organization's design operations and strategy. The emphasis on leadership and mentorship, combined with the strategic importance of design systems, positions this role as a key growth path for experienced UI designers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Salt Lake City, UT, and is specified as "On-site." This suggests a traditional office environment where in-person collaboration is valued.

Office Location(s): Salt Lake City, UT, United States. Specific details about office amenities or accessibility would need to be confirmed directly with the hiring team.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to be collaborative, with opportunities for direct interaction with UX researchers, designers, engineers, and product managers.

• Access to standard design software, tools, and potentially a dedicated design system library will be provided.

• The environment supports a focus on detailed visual design, accessibility considerations, and the strategic implementation of design systems.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, the "Flexible Paid Time Off" and "Flexible Paid Sick Time" benefits suggest a culture that values work-life balance within the on-site framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: As an on-site role, candidates should expect a structured work environment conducive to team collaboration. The emphasis on cross-functional teams suggests ample opportunities for direct interaction and knowledge sharing within the Salt Lake City office.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the required skills and experience, with a strong focus on design system work and UI execution.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Candidates will likely present a selection of their work, focusing on case studies that demonstrate expertise in design systems, visual design, and accessibility. Expect detailed questions about your process, decision-making, and impact.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with UX designers, engineering leads, and product managers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to integrate designs into development workflows.

• Leadership/Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager or design leader to evaluate strategic thinking, mentorship capabilities, and cultural fit with WGU's mission-driven environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design System Contributions: Clearly articulate your role in creating, scaling, or consolidating design systems. Showcase specific components, design tokens, and guidelines you developed.

• Emphasize Visual Polish & Accessibility: Demonstrate exceptional UI execution, including typography, color, and layout. Explicitly detail how you incorporated WCAG/ADA compliance into your designs.

• Showcase Problem-Solving: For each case study, explain the problem you were solving, your process, the solutions you proposed, and the measurable impact of your work.

• Tailor to WGU: If possible, subtly align your portfolio examples with the needs of a large educational institution or demonstrate an understanding of user-centric design for learners.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design exercise or a deep dive into a specific design system challenge. This might involve critiquing an existing interface, proposing improvements to a component, or outlining a strategy for system consolidation.

• Practice articulating your design rationale clearly, concisely, and persuasively, especially when discussing trade-offs between aesthetics, usability, accessibility, and implementation feasibility.

• Prepare to discuss your experience mentoring junior designers and fostering design quality within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your portfolio and your ability to articulate your strategic and hands-on contributions to design systems and UI excellence. Expect to demonstrate both technical UI skills and collaborative leadership qualities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, given industry trends and design system focus), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Design System Management: Tools supporting design tokens, component libraries, and style guides. This could be within Figma, or paired with tools like Storybook for engineering handoff.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence (common in Agile environments for documentation and tracking).

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core responsibilities of this UI Designer role, but awareness of how UI integrates with broader customer journeys managed by CRM systems could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for a role focused on design systems and modern UI design. Candidates should highlight their experience with tools that facilitate component-based design, design token management, and seamless handoff to engineering teams.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Student Success Focused: All design decisions should ultimately support the learning outcomes and overall success of WGU students.

• Innovation & Adaptability: A willingness to pioneer new approaches in online education and adapt to evolving technological landscapes.

• Data-Driven & Evidence-Based: Utilizing data and research to inform design choices and measure impact.

• Collaboration & Inclusivity: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated, particularly concerning accessibility.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Designing for robustness and maintainability to support WGU's large student population and growing digital offerings.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Working closely and proactively with UX, Engineering, Product Management, Brand, and Accessibility teams is essential.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Openness to receiving and giving constructive feedback to elevate design quality and process.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, learnings, and resources, especially regarding design systems and UI standards.

• Systems Thinking Approach: Encouraging a mindset that considers the interconnectedness of UI elements and their impact across the entire digital ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: WGU's culture is deeply rooted in its educational mission. Candidates should demonstrate how their design philosophy and collaborative approach align with these values, particularly in creating accessible and impactful learning experiences.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Design System Consolidation: Merging multiple disparate design systems into a single, cohesive, and scalable framework presents a significant technical and organizational challenge.

• Balancing Brand Alignment with System Scalability: Ensuring that WGU's brand identity is consistently represented while maintaining the flexibility and scalability of the design system.

• Cross-Team Adoption: Driving adoption and adherence to the unified design system across various product teams with different priorities and existing workflows.

• Maintaining High Fidelity and Accessibility Standards: Consistently delivering pixel-perfect, accessible interfaces across a complex and evolving digital product suite.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Design Systems: Becoming a subject matter expert in advanced design system strategies, token management, and component architecture.

• Accessibility Mastery: Expanding knowledge and practical application of accessibility standards and inclusive design principles for diverse learners.

• Strategic Design Influence: Developing skills in influencing product strategy and design operations through expert contributions and leadership.

• Mentorship and Team Growth: Gaining experience in coaching and mentoring other designers, contributing to the overall growth of the design team.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Potential to attend relevant design and accessibility conferences to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers the chance to tackle complex, strategic design challenges with significant organizational impact. The growth opportunities are centered on deepening expertise in design systems, accessibility, and leadership within a mission-critical domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience leading the consolidation of multiple design systems. What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?"

• "How do you balance the need for brand consistency with the desire for design system flexibility and scalability?"

• "Walk us through your process for ensuring WCAG 2.1 AA compliance in your UI designs. How do you collaborate with developers on this?"

• "How would you approach establishing and maintaining a component library in collaboration with an engineering team?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about WGU's mission and its role in higher education technology?"

• "How do you see your expertise in UI design contributing to student success at WGU?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration with UX researchers, product managers, and engineers."

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact. Use visuals effectively, but focus on the story and your decision-making.

• Highlight Design System Contributions: Dedicate specific slides or sections to showcase your work on design systems, including examples of tokens, components, and guidelines.

• Emphasize Accessibility: Explicitly point out how accessibility was addressed in your designs and discuss your understanding of WCAG standards.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your technical approach, design choices, and problem-solving methodologies.

• Connect to WGU: If possible, draw parallels between your past work and the challenges WGU might face, demonstrating your understanding of their context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to articulate your strategic thinking, hands-on UI skills, and collaborative approach, with a strong emphasis on design systems and accessibility. Your portfolio should serve as the foundation for demonstrating your expertise, and your interview responses should provide context and depth to your presented work.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Expert User Interface Designer position:

• Submit your application online through the WGU Workday job portal.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies, specifically highlighting your experience with design systems, UI execution, and accessibility. Ensure these showcase your ability to scale and maintain design standards.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your 6+ years of relevant experience, focusing on keywords like "Design Systems," "UI Design," "Accessibility," "WCAG," "Design Tokens," and "Component Libraries." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio with clarity and confidence, ready to discuss your process, rationale, and impact. Anticipate questions about collaboration and leadership.

• Research WGU: Understand WGU's mission, its approach to competency-based education, and its role in the higher education landscape. This will help you articulate your alignment with the company's values and goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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