Senior UX Operations Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Operations Manager

Company: Bank of Montreal

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-time (categorized as OTHER in source data, but typically full-time for this level)

Category: UX Operations / Design Operations (DesignOps)

Date Posted: 2025-06-10

Experience Level: Senior Level (typically 7+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead strategic initiatives to enhance collaboration, unification, and efficiency within the Experience Design organization through robust UX Operations practices.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive roadmap of operational improvements and training programs for the design team.
• Manage and mentor a small team of individual contributors, fostering their professional growth and operational expertise.
• Collaborate closely with Design Directors and Heads of Experience Design to define, launch, and execute key operational projects and training initiatives.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Proactively identify operational bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement across the Experience Design organization.
• Develop, prioritize, and manage a strategic UX Operations roadmap aligned with design team goals and business objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of 1-2 individual contributors focused on operational support and initiatives.
• Design, scope, and execute operational training programs to enhance team skills, collaboration, and efficiency.
• Collaborate with Design Directors and Heads of Experience Design to define operational strategies, project scopes, and success metrics.
• Establish and refine standardized design processes, tools, and workflows to promote consistency and scalability.
• Implement and manage tools for design project management, asset management, documentation, and communication.
• Develop metrics and reporting mechanisms to track operational efficiency, team performance, and the impact of DesignOps initiatives.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the design team, encouraging adoption of best practices and new tools.
• Champion accessibility standards and responsive design principles within operational processes and training.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration between the design team and engineering, product management, and user research teams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Post-secondary degree in a related field (Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Business, or a related discipline) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience: Typically 7+ years of relevant experience, with a significant portion in design operations or managing operations within a design function. Experience managing individual contributors is required.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Design Operations (DesignOps) principles and practices.
• Proven experience developing and managing operational roadmaps and strategic initiatives.
• Experience leading and mentoring a team of individual contributors.
• Strong understanding of User Experience (UX) design processes, methodologies, and workflows.
• Expertise in establishing and optimizing design tools, platforms, and systems.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to decision making.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a focus on cross-group collaboration and stakeholder management.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and drive outcomes in a complex organizational environment.
• Strong business acumen and ability to align design operations with business requirements and goals.
• Intermediate knowledge of User Interface (UI) Design principles and practices.
• Advanced proficiency in Usability Evaluation and Design Thinking methodologies.
• Understanding of Accessibility standards and Responsive Design principles.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific DesignOps tools (e.g., project management software tailored for design teams, design system management platforms, asset management systems).
• Experience in the financial services industry or a highly regulated environment.
• Knowledge of Change Management principles and practices.
• Experience developing and delivering training programs for design professionals.
• Familiarity with Agile and Lean methodologies in a design context.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

While this is an Operations role, a portfolio demonstrating an understanding of design processes and the operational challenges within a design team is beneficial. Focus on:

• Case studies illustrating operational improvements you led within a design team.
• Examples of process documentation, playbooks, or guidelines you created.
• Demonstration of how you implemented or optimized design tools and workflows.
• Examples of metrics or reporting dashboards you developed to track design performance or efficiency.

Process Documentation:

Be prepared to discuss your experience in:

• Documenting design workflows, from research and discovery through ideation, testing, and handoff.
• Creating and maintaining design system documentation and governance models.
• Developing operational guidelines for design collaboration, file management, and version control.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $92,400.00 - $171,600.00 CAD per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance coverage.
• Tuition Reimbursement program to support continuous learning and professional development.
• Accident and Life Insurance for financial security.
• Retirement Savings Plans to help build long-term financial stability.
• Additional benefits may include performance-based incentives and discretionary bonuses based on company and individual performance.

Working Hours: Standard business hours, typically 40 hours per week. Flexibility may be required based on project deadlines and global team collaboration needs, typical for a senior role in a large financial institution.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Financial Services

Company Size: 10,001+ employees (Large Enterprise)

Founded: Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817, making it one of the oldest banks in North America. This history implies a well-established, potentially more formal, but also stable and influential organizational structure and culture.

Team Structure:

• Part of the broader Customer Solutions group, indicating a focus on customer-facing products and services.
• Reports to a Design Director, suggesting a structured design leadership hierarchy.
• Opportunity to collaborate with Director-level and Head of Experience Design, positioning this role as a key operational leader supporting senior design management.
• Manages 1-2 Individual Contributors, indicating direct leadership responsibility for a small operational team.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-centered design processes, prioritizing user and business requirements.
• Utilizes user research and testing to inform design decisions.
• Employs wireframes, flows, sketches, and customer journeys for communication.
• Likely utilizes a blend of methodologies, potentially including Agile or Lean UX, given the large enterprise context and focus on digital experiences.

Company Website: https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: Senior Manager level, indicating a leadership role focused on operational strategy and team management within the design function. This role is positioned to significantly influence the efficiency and effectiveness of the Experience Design organization.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to a Design Director, providing a clear line of communication to senior design leadership and involvement in strategic discussions. Manages a small team, offering direct leadership experience.

Design Impact: This role has a significant indirect impact on design outcomes by optimizing processes, tools, and team collaboration. By improving operational efficiency, the Senior UX Operations Manager enables the design team to focus more effectively on creating impactful user experiences, ultimately influencing product quality and business success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential for advancement to Director-level roles within Design Operations or broader Design leadership, overseeing larger teams or more complex operational portfolios.
• Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of DesignOps, such as design systems management, research operations, or design program management.
• Exposure to strategic planning and execution at a senior level within a large financial institution, building valuable enterprise-level experience.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Corporate Office Environment. As an on-site role within a major financial institution, the work environment is likely a professional corporate office setting, located at 33 Dundas Street West in Toronto.

Office Location(s): Primary location is 33 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario. This is a downtown Toronto location, likely well-served by public transit.

Design Workspace Context:

• Likely involves dedicated workspace within a larger office building.
• Access to meeting rooms and collaborative spaces for team and cross-functional interactions.
• Equipped with necessary technology for design operations management, potentially including tools for virtual collaboration given the size of the organization.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site. Standard business hours are expected, though some flexibility may be needed depending on operational demands and collaboration with teams in different time zones if applicable.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial screening call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications and fit.
• Interview(s) with the hiring manager (Design Director) to discuss experience, operational philosophy, and leadership style.
• Interviews with key stakeholders and cross-functional partners (e.g., Product Management, Engineering leads) to assess collaboration skills and understanding of organizational dynamics.
• Interview(s) with members of the design team or direct reports to assess leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Potentially a presentation or case study focusing on a past operational challenge or strategic initiative you led.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus your portfolio or presentation on projects where you significantly improved design team operations, efficiency, or collaboration.
• Present case studies that clearly outline the operational problem, your approach, the implemented solution, and the measurable impact on the design team or organization.
• Highlight your experience with implementing or optimizing design tools, workflows, and processes.
• Demonstrate your ability to communicate complex operational strategies and outcomes clearly and concisely.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss hypothetical operational challenges faced by a large design team and how you would approach them.
• Practice articulating your strategic thinking, problem-solving process, and approach to change management in a design context.
• If asked to present a case study, ensure it clearly outlines the business/operational context, your role, actions taken, and quantifiable results.

ATS Keywords:

• Design Operations, DesignOps, UX Operations, Design Program Management, Design Resource Management, Design Process, Workflow Optimization, Design Tools, Design Systems, Design Team Leadership, Operational Strategy, Process Improvement, Cross-functional Collaboration, Stakeholder Management, Team Management, Training & Development, Metrics & Reporting, User Experience (UX), User Research, Design Thinking, Accessibility, Responsive Design, Financial Services, Enterprise, Toronto.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

While not a hands-on design role, familiarity with common design tools is necessary to understand and optimize design workflows. Expected tools might include:

• Figma or Sketch (for understanding design file management and handoff processes).
• Adobe Creative Suite (understanding usage in creative workflows).
• Potentially Design System management platforms.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Jira, Confluence (common in large organizations for project tracking and documentation).
• Slack, Microsoft Teams (for team communication).
• Tools for design handoff to engineering (e.g., Zeplin, Abstract, or integrated Figma features).

Research & Testing:

Familiarity with tools used by the research team to understand and support their operations:

• User research platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Dovetail).
• Survey tools (e.g., Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).
• Analytics platforms (e.g., Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics) for understanding design impact metrics.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• A culture aligned to BMO's purpose, values, and strategy, emphasizing boldness and growing the good in business and life.
• Focus on fostering diversity and inclusion within the team.
• Emphasis on connecting work to the broader company purpose and setting inspirational goals.
• Value placed on collaboration across functional and operating groups to create value for stakeholders.

Collaboration Style:

• Interdependent team structure requiring strong collaboration across various groups (engineering, product, research).
• Focus on open communication and mutual support to achieve shared goals.
• Emphasis on building strong relationships to facilitate efficient workflows and problem-solving.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Navigating the complexities of a large, established financial institution with potentially entrenched processes and systems.
• Implementing change and driving adoption of new operational practices across a diverse design team and multiple stakeholders.
• Balancing the need for standardized processes with the flexibility required for creative work.
• Measuring the tangible impact of DesignOps initiatives on design efficiency and product outcomes within a large organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunities to deepen expertise in Design Operations methodologies and best practices through internal training or external conferences.
• Development of leadership and change management skills by leading operational initiatives and managing a team.
• Exposure to strategic decision-making processes within a major financial institution.
• Potential for cross-training or learning opportunities in related fields like product management or engineering operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Describe your experience optimizing design processes and workflows. How did you identify inefficiencies, and what steps did you take to improve them? (Prepare specific examples and metrics).
• How do you approach implementing new tools or technologies for a design team? What factors do you consider, and how do you ensure adoption?
• Discuss a time you successfully managed a complex operational project for a design team. What were the challenges, and how did you overcome them?

Company Culture Questions:

• How do you foster collaboration between design teams and cross-functional partners like engineering and product management? (Provide examples of successful collaboration strategies).
• Describe your leadership style and how you motivate and develop individual contributors on your team.
• How do you measure the success of Design Operations initiatives and communicate their value to stakeholders? (Be prepared to discuss specific KPIs).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure your presentation around 1-3 key case studies of operational improvements you led.
• For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the solution implemented, and the measurable impact (e.g., time saved, increased efficiency, improved collaboration).
• Include examples of any process documentation, playbooks, or dashboards you created as part of your operational work.
• Highlight your strategic thinking and ability to align operational initiatives with broader business goals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in Design Operations, team leadership, process improvement, and strategic initiatives within a design context. Use relevant ATS keywords.
• Prepare a portfolio or presentation showcasing specific examples of operational improvements, process documentation, or strategic projects you led for design teams, focusing on measurable impact.
• Research BMO's Experience Design team, their reported structure, and any publicly available information about their design processes or tools to demonstrate your understanding of their environment.
• Practice discussing your experience with managing operational challenges, implementing change, and fostering collaboration within a design organization.