Innovation & UX Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Innovation & UX Lead Company: QBE Insurance Group Location: Madison, WI, USA; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York, NY, USA Job Type: Full-time Category: User Experience (UX) / Design Operations Date Posted: May 20, 2026 Experience Level: 10+ Years Remote Status: Hybrid (2-3 days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the establishment and scaling of the Human-Centered Design (HCD) and User Experience (UX) practice across the organization, defining critical standards, tools, and governance frameworks.
• Drive the adoption of design thinking methodologies and disseminate knowledge, skills, and scalable toolkits to empower delivery teams for consistent self-service application.
• Build, develop, and manage a high-performing team of human-centered designers to ensure robust HCD capability across the enterprise.
• Oversee the application of HCD across all programs of work, managing operational aspects, reporting, and practice-level performance metrics to demonstrate impact and adoption.
• Develop and implement customer-led strategies within large-scale programs, translating strategic vision into actionable implementation plans with a focus on customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a strategic leadership function within QBE Insurance Group, focusing on embedding Human-Centered Design (HCD) and User Experience (UX) as a core capability. It requires not only design expertise but also strong operational management, stakeholder engagement, and team leadership skills to drive widespread adoption and impact across diverse business initiatives. The emphasis on scaling the practice and enabling self-service suggests a strong operational component, bridging the gap between design strategy and execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Establish and mature the Human-Centered Design (HCD) and User Experience (UX) practice, including the definition and implementation of standards, governance, and operational workflows.
• Develop and maintain scalable HCD/UX toolkits, playbooks, and best practices to facilitate consistent and efficient application across various delivery teams and projects.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of skilled human-centered designers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance.
• Oversee the execution and operational management of HCD initiatives across a portfolio of programs, including tracking adoption, reuse, and measuring outcomes against defined performance indicators.
• Develop and implement customer-led strategies for large-scale initiatives, ensuring a deep understanding of customer needs and translating these into tangible digital solutions.
• Lead a diverse portfolio of HCD projects, collaborating closely with business stakeholders to design innovative customer experience solutions that align with strategic objectives.
• Engage and manage relationships with stakeholders, including executive leadership, to understand strategic priorities, commercial context, and secure buy-in for HCD initiatives.
• Apply a Human-Centered Design lens to analyze and optimize business ecosystems, identifying, defining, and prioritizing customer needs and pain points.
• Design and execute comprehensive user research, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods to gather insights into customer, partner, and employee needs.
• Provide thought leadership by staying abreast of customer trends, emerging HCD best practices, and competitive influences within the insurance industry to inform strategic direction.
• Ensure all HCD activities and deliverables comply with relevant regulatory and legislative obligations, integrating QBE's internal procedures into daily operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a leadership role responsible for building and operationalizing an HCD/UX function. This involves not just design execution but also practice management, team building, and strategic integration across the organization, aligning with typical GTM and operations leadership expectations for driving customer-centricity.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Tertiary Degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.

Experience:

• Proven experience in User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Design, with a strong portfolio demonstrating successful project delivery.
• Experience delivering UI and UX within an Agile development environment, understanding iterative processes and collaboration.
• Demonstrated experience with A/B and multivariate testing methodologies to optimize user interfaces and experiences.
• Experience interpreting analytics and testing results, with a preference for proficiency in tools like Google Analytics.
• Familiarity with commercial insurance products and processes, including underwriting, policy lifecycle management (new business, renewals, endorsements), and broker/agent distribution models.
• Experience within the Financial Services industry, particularly insurance, is highly beneficial and preferred.

Required Skills:

• Human-Centered Design (HCD): Deep understanding and practical application of HCD principles and methodologies.
• User Experience (UX) Design: Expertise in user research, journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.
• User Interface (UI) Design: Proficiency in designing intuitive, accessible, and engaging user interfaces.
• Agile Methodology: Experience working within Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) and collaborating with cross-functional agile teams.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to effectively engage, influence, and manage expectations of stakeholders at all levels, including executive leadership.
• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a strong ability to present complex ideas and findings clearly and persuasively (Presenting with Impact).
• Design Thinking: Proven ability to facilitate and apply design thinking workshops and processes.
• Research Analysis: Skill in designing and executing user research and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to derive actionable insights.
• Critical Thinking: Ability to analyze complex problems, identify root causes, and develop innovative solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Google Analytics: Proficiency in using Google Analytics for website and application performance analysis.
• A/B & Multivariate Testing: Experience designing, implementing, and analyzing results from optimization tests.
• Commercial Insurance Domain Knowledge: In-depth understanding of insurance products, processes, and distribution channels.
• Financial Services Industry Experience: Prior experience in the broader financial services sector, especially insurance.
• HTML/CSS: Basic understanding of front-end development languages for better collaboration with engineering teams.
• Risk Management: Awareness of risk management principles relevant to digital product development and implementation.
• Strategic Leadership: Ability to contribute to and drive strategic initiatives related to digital experience and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Tertiary Degree" requirement is a standard educational benchmark. The emphasis on Agile, A/B testing, Google Analytics, and domain-specific knowledge (commercial insurance) are critical for operations and GTM roles, indicating a need for practical, results-oriented experience. The blend of design skills with operational requirements points to a role that bridges creative strategy with practical implementation and performance measurement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrable case studies showcasing the end-to-end user experience design process, from initial research and ideation through to implementation and iteration.
• Examples of how user research (qualitative and quantitative) was conducted, analyzed, and translated into design decisions and product improvements.
• Prototypes, wireframes, and final UI designs for digital products or features, highlighting user-centered design principles and problem-solving approaches.
• Evidence of collaboration with cross-functional teams (e.g., product managers, developers, business analysts) throughout the design lifecycle.
• Metrics and outcomes demonstrating the impact of design initiatives, such as improved user engagement, conversion rates, task completion success, or reduction in support tickets.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of how design thinking frameworks and HCD methodologies were applied to solve business problems and create user-centric solutions.
• Documentation of processes for conducting user research, including methodology selection, participant recruitment, data collection, and synthesis of findings.
• Examples of developing and utilizing HCD/UX toolkits or playbooks to standardize design practices and enable self-service across delivery teams.
• Evidence of managing a portfolio of design projects, including prioritization, resource allocation, and tracking progress against defined objectives and timelines.
• Documentation of how design strategies were translated into actionable implementation plans and how their effectiveness was measured post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on establishing and scaling an HCD/UX practice, a portfolio must go beyond showcasing individual design work. It needs to demonstrate leadership in process development, team enablement, and measurable business impact. The emphasis on toolkits, playbooks, and operational oversight is crucial for this leadership position.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $137,500.00 - $258,000.00 USD per year. This range is provided as a national estimate and will be adjusted based on the specific role's complexity, location (Madison, WI; Atlanta, GA; New York, NY), and the candidate's professional background, including education and experience.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Working: A flexible approach combining remote work with 2-3 days per week in the office, promoting work-life balance.
• Paid Family Leave: 22 weeks of paid leave for family growth, with 12 weeks available to all parents on a gender-equal basis, supporting work-life integration.
• 401(k) Program with Company Match: Competitive retirement savings plan with a company match of up to 8%, aiding long-term financial planning.
• Well-being Program: Comprehensive support including holistic wellbeing coaching, gym membership, confidential counselling services, financial, and legal advice.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Financial support for professional certifications and continuing education, encouraging continuous skill development.
• Employee Network and Community: Active participation in six Employee Networks and opportunities for community involvement, fostering a sense of belonging and social responsibility.
• Annual Discretionary Bonus Plan: Eligibility for an annual bonus based on business and individual performance, recognizing contributions to company success.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are assumed to be approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid work arrangement offers flexibility within this framework, allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is substantial and reflects a senior leadership position, with significant variation expected based on geographic location and candidate experience. The benefits package is comprehensive, emphasizing holistic employee support, professional development, and work-life balance, which are attractive incentives for experienced operations and GTM professionals. The mention of a discretionary bonus plan indicates performance-based compensation beyond the base salary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Insurance (specifically, comprehensive insurance solutions). QBE Insurance Group operates globally, providing a wide array of insurance products and services. This industry context means the operations and UX efforts will likely focus on streamlining complex processes, enhancing customer trust, and ensuring regulatory compliance within a highly regulated sector. Company Size: QBE is a large, international organization, part of the Fortune 500. This size implies a complex organizational structure, established processes, and significant resources for innovation and technology, but also potential for bureaucracy. For operations professionals, this means opportunities for broad impact and career progression, but also the need to navigate larger systems and cross-functional dependencies. Founded: QBE Insurance Group was founded in 1886. This long history signifies stability, deep industry expertise, and a well-established market presence. It suggests a culture that values tradition and experience but also needs to adapt to modern digital demands and customer expectations.

Team Structure:

• The Innovation & UX Lead will likely manage a dedicated Human-Centered Design (HCD) team, comprising UX designers, researchers, and potentially UI specialists.
• This team will operate within a broader Digital or Technology organization, collaborating closely with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Business Unit stakeholders.
• The reporting structure will likely place the Lead under a Director or VP of Digital Experience, Product, or Technology, with significant interaction with senior leadership across the business to champion design thinking and customer-centric strategies.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasizing the use of analytics, user research, and testing (A/B, multivariate) to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Agile & Iterative Development: Working within agile frameworks to deliver solutions iteratively, incorporating feedback and adapting to changing requirements.
• Design Thinking & HCD: Embedding a systematic approach to problem-solving that starts with understanding user needs and progresses through ideation, prototyping, and testing.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Fostering strong partnerships with business units, IT, product, and marketing to ensure alignment and successful implementation of digital experiences.

Company Website: https://www.qbe.com/us/careers/benefits

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding QBE's long history and global presence is key. The insurance industry requires a strong focus on trust, security, and process efficiency, which will heavily influence UX and innovation efforts. The hybrid work model and comprehensive benefits suggest a company that is investing in employee well-being and modern work practices, despite its established industry.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a senior leadership level, responsible for establishing and scaling a critical function (HCD/UX). It requires strategic thinking, operational excellence, team leadership, and significant stakeholder management. The scope involves defining practice standards, managing a team, and influencing digital strategy across large programs. Reporting Structure: The Innovation & UX Lead will likely report to a senior executive within the Digital, Technology, or Product organization (e.g., VP of Digital Experience, Chief Digital Officer, Head of Product). This position requires direct engagement with executive leadership and cross-functional department heads to drive adoption and secure resources. Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on revenue and business outcomes by ensuring that digital solutions are user-centered, efficient, and meet customer needs. By improving customer experience, it can lead to increased customer acquisition, retention, higher conversion rates, and reduced operational costs through streamlined processes and reduced support inquiries. It drives innovation by fostering design thinking and identifying new opportunities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to expand the scope of HCD/UX practice across more business units or take on broader innovation leadership responsibilities.
• Operational Excellence: Opportunity to further refine and optimize the HCD practice, potentially leading to the development of new operational models for digital product development.
• Mentorship and Team Development: Grow as a leader by mentoring and developing a team of designers, building a pipeline of talent within the organization.
• Industry Influence: Contribute to industry best practices in HCD/UX within the insurance sector through thought leadership, speaking engagements, or publications.
• Executive Influence: Deepen relationships and influence at the executive level, shaping the digital strategy of QBE Insurance Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a strategic enabler of business outcomes through user-centric design. Growth opportunities are clearly tied to expanding influence, refining operational practices, and developing leadership capabilities, which are attractive for seasoned professionals looking to make a significant impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. Employees are expected to be in the office 2-3 days per week, with flexibility for remote work on other days. This model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. Office Location(s): The role is available in Madison, Wisconsin; Atlanta, Georgia; and New York City, New York. Candidates are expected to work from one of these designated office locations for their in-office days.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Office spaces are likely designed to facilitate collaboration, with meeting rooms, breakout areas, and open spaces for team work.
• Technology-Enabled: Access to modern technology, software, and tools necessary for UX design, research, and project management, including design software, collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized research tools.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular face-to-face interaction with design team members, cross-functional colleagues, and leadership, fostering strong working relationships and dynamic problem-solving.

Work Schedule: While the core work is full-time (approximately 40 hours/week), the hybrid arrangement provides flexibility in daily scheduling, allowing professionals to manage personal commitments alongside work responsibilities. This structure supports deep work and focused design activities while ensuring team connectivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key component of the work environment, suggesting a modern approach to work that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration. The availability across multiple major cities offers location flexibility for candidates within the US.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will likely conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, leadership style, and understanding of HCD/UX principles and practice building.
• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their portfolio, showcasing past work, design process, and impact. This may involve a case study presentation on a significant project.
• Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with other designers, product managers, engineers, or business stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to integrate with existing teams.
• Executive Interview: Potentially an interview with a senior executive (e.g., VP or CDO) to evaluate strategic thinking, leadership potential, and alignment with company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio around compelling narratives that highlight the problem, your process, your role, and the outcome/impact.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include visuals (wireframes, mockups, research artifacts) and interactive elements where possible.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your design solutions (e.g., % increase in conversion, % decrease in error rates).
• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate your design process, emphasizing how you applied HCD principles, user research, and iterative design.
• Tailor to QBE: Research QBE's business, industry, and current digital initiatives to tailor your presentation and demonstrate how your skills align with their needs.
• Focus on Practice Building: For this specific role, emphasize any experience you have in establishing, scaling, or improving design practices, toolkits, or team capabilities.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: Be prepared for a design challenge, which might involve analyzing a problem statement related to insurance or customer experience and proposing a solution, or critiquing an existing digital product.
• HCD/UX Strategy: Anticipate questions about how you would approach building or scaling an HCD/UX practice at QBE, including stakeholder engagement strategies and measurement frameworks.
• Leadership & Collaboration: Prepare examples demonstrating your leadership, team management, and ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and potential design challenges highlights the practical, execution-oriented nature of this role. Candidates should prepare to articulate not just their design skills but also their ability to lead and operationalize a design practice.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX/UI Design Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (or similar industry-standard tools for wireframing, prototyping, and UI design).
• Prototyping Tools: InVision, Axure, Marvel (for creating interactive prototypes).
• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze (for remote usability testing and feedback collection).
• Collaboration Tools: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello (for project management, workflow tracking, and documentation).
• Design Systems: Experience with or ability to create and manage design systems for consistency and scalability.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics (explicitly mentioned as preferred), Adobe Analytics (or similar) for tracking user behavior and website performance.
• Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI, or built-in reporting dashboards within analytics platforms for creating insightful reports and dashboards.
• A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, Google Optimize (or similar) for running and analyzing A/B and multivariate tests.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly a CRM role, understanding how UX impacts CRM usage and customer data management is beneficial. Familiarity with Salesforce or similar enterprise CRMs might be helpful for understanding customer journeys.
• Workflow Automation: Awareness of how UX design can integrate with and improve automated workflows within business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern UX/UI design and research tools is essential. The mention of Google Analytics and A/B testing specifically points to a data-driven approach. An understanding of how design integrates with broader business systems like CRM and automation platforms is also valuable for a strategic role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A fundamental value, ensuring all design and innovation efforts are driven by a deep understanding of customer needs and aspirations.
• Collaboration & Intentionality: Valuing proactive, transparent, and effective collaboration across teams and departments to achieve shared goals. Intentional collaboration means working together purposefully and efficiently.
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Encouraging a mindset of exploration, experimentation, and a commitment to constantly seeking better ways to deliver value.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on data from user research, analytics, and testing to inform design choices and measure the impact of initiatives.
• Excellence & Impact: Striving for high-quality outcomes that deliver tangible business results and enhance the customer experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect a highly collaborative environment where the UX Lead works closely with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, Business Analysts, and other stakeholders to co-create solutions.
• Design Thinking Facilitation: Leading workshops and sessions to foster collaboration and innovation across different teams and levels of the organization.
• Open Communication: Encouraging a culture of open feedback, knowledge sharing, and constructive dialogue to drive continuous improvement in design processes and outcomes.
• Agile Team Integration: Seamlessly integrating UX design activities within agile development sprints, ensuring close partnership with development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values align well with a user experience and innovation-focused role, emphasizing customer needs, collaboration, and data. The collaborative style suggests a dynamic environment where cross-functional teamwork is paramount.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling HCD/UX Practice: Establishing and scaling a robust HCD/UX practice in a large, established organization can be challenging due to existing processes, cultural inertia, and resource allocation.
• Driving Adoption: Ensuring consistent adoption of design thinking and HCD principles across diverse delivery teams requires strong change management and stakeholder buy-in.
• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the direct business impact of UX and design initiatives can be complex, requiring robust measurement frameworks and data analysis.
• Balancing Innovation with Regulation: In the insurance industry, balancing innovative digital experiences with strict regulatory compliance and risk management requirements is a constant challenge.
• Integrating with Legacy Systems: Working within an established company often means dealing with legacy systems that may present technical constraints for modern UX implementations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operational Excellence in Design: Opportunity to refine and optimize operational processes for design and innovation, potentially developing new frameworks for practice management.
• Strategic Influence: Deepen strategic leadership skills by influencing digital product roadmaps and company-wide innovation strategies.
• Industry Specialization: Gain deeper expertise in the insurance sector's unique UX challenges and opportunities, becoming a thought leader in this niche.
• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Develop advanced leadership skills by building and mentoring a high-performing design team.
• Cross-Functional Acumen: Enhance understanding of various business functions (underwriting, claims, sales) through close collaboration, broadening business acumen.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a leadership role focused on operationalizing and scaling a function within a large, established company. The growth opportunities are substantial and directly linked to excelling in these challenging areas, offering significant career development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach establishing and scaling an HCD/UX practice at QBE, considering our industry and organizational structure?" (Focus on phased approach, governance, toolkits, and stakeholder buy-in.)
• "Describe a time you had to influence senior executives to adopt a new design strategy or initiative. What was your approach and what was the outcome?" (Highlight communication, data-driven persuasion, and executive engagement.)
• "How do you measure the success and business impact of UX design initiatives, particularly in a complex environment like insurance?" (Discuss metrics, ROI, and linking design to business outcomes.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What are your thoughts on QBE's current digital presence or customer experience in the insurance market?" (Show you've done your research and can offer initial insights.)
• "How do you foster a collaborative and innovative culture within a design team and across cross-functional groups?" (Emphasize your leadership style, team-building strategies, and collaboration approaches.)
• "How do you balance the need for innovation with the regulatory and risk management requirements of the insurance industry?" (Demonstrate an understanding of industry constraints and how to navigate them.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the business problem or customer need your project addressed.
• Show Your Process: Walk through your HCD methodology, research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and testing phases. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Your Role: Be specific about your contributions, especially in leadership, practice building, or team management if applicable.
• Quantify Outcomes: Present data and metrics that demonstrate the positive impact of your work (e.g., user satisfaction, conversion rates, efficiency gains).
• Address QBE's Context: Frame your examples in a way that resonates with the insurance industry and QBE's strategic goals. For this role, emphasize any experience in scaling practices, managing designers, or implementing HCD frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design expertise but also strategic thinking, operational leadership, and the ability to drive change within a large organization. Emphasizing experience with practice building and measurable impact will be key for this specific role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Innovation & UX Lead position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday portal link: https://qbe.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/QBE-Careers/job/Madison-WI-USA/Innovation---UX-Lead_354781
• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in establishing and scaling design practices, leading design teams, and driving user-centered innovation, using keywords from the job description such as "Human-Centered Design," "UX practice," "design thinking," and "stakeholder management."
• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate your portfolio to showcase specific case studies demonstrating your ability to lead HCD/UX initiatives, manage projects, and quantify positive business outcomes. Emphasize any experience in developing toolkits, playbooks, or standardizing design processes.
• Research QBE: Understand QBE's business, its position in the insurance market, and its digital transformation efforts. Familiarize yourself with their current offerings and customer base to better articulate your value proposition.
• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your process, and demonstrating the impact of your work, especially in areas related to practice building and leadership.

⚠️ 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.