VP, UX Studio Designer at BNY External Career Site

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: VP, UX Studio Designer

Company: BNY External Career Site

Location: New York, NY

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX Design

Date Posted: June 11, 2025

Experience Level: 8-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🎨 Role Summary

Provide expert guidance and technical leadership in complex user experience design activities, including user research, interactive design, and visual design within a financial services context.
Lead and mentor junior UX designers, fostering a culture of design excellence and continuous learning within the Design Hub's Accelerator teams.
Drive the creation of user-centered design solutions, translating research findings into impactful concepts, information architecture, wireframes, prototypes, and final specifications.
Champion the voice of the user across the organization, effectively communicating design rationale and advocating for intuitive, accessible, and effective user experiences in financial products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role title "VP, UX Studio Designer" suggests a senior individual contributor or a lead role within a specialized design unit ("Studio"). The description confirms a leadership component (mentoring) and a focus on complex design challenges within a project-based "Accelerator" team structure, indicating a blend of hands-on design and technical guidance.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Oversee and provide technical expertise for intricate user experience activities, encompassing comprehensive user research methodologies, usability testing, interactive design patterns, and sophisticated visual design execution.
Review and provide constructive feedback on documentation of user research findings, ensuring insights are actionable and effectively communicated to product management and development teams.
Guide the creation and refinement of user personas, journey maps, and other artifacts that accurately reflect user needs, behaviors, and goals within the financial services domain.
Lead participation in and provide expert guidance during the creation of innovative design concepts, detailed information architecture maps, intuitive user interface designs, low-fidelity wireframes, interactive prototypes, and precise design specifications.
Synthesize complex information and situations across multiple factors, including business requirements, technical constraints, and user needs, to inform design decisions and strategic recommendations.
Actively participate in and provide insightful design feedback during critique sessions, fostering a collaborative environment for design iteration and quality improvement.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues on the immediate design team and foster strong cross-functional collaboration with product, engineering, and business stakeholders.
Contribute to the optimization of design team processes and organizational workflows to enhance efficiency and the quality of design deliverables.
Mentor, train, and guide more junior designers, sharing knowledge and expertise to support their professional development and growth within the UX discipline.
Serve as a strong communicator and advocate for the user experience, ensuring user needs are prioritized and understood across the firm through clear communication, active listening, and persuasive articulation of design rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize leadership in technical UX activities and mentoring, aligning with a "VP" title in a design context, which often signifies a senior individual contributor or team lead with significant influence and expertise. The focus on "Accelerator teams" implies project-based work requiring adaptability and strong cross-functional skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Psychology, User Experience, Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical work experience. An advanced degree is preferred, demonstrating a deeper theoretical understanding and research capability in design-related fields.

Experience: 8-10 years of professional experience in user experience design. Experience specifically within the securities or financial services industry is a significant advantage, indicating familiarity with the unique complexities and regulatory considerations of designing for this sector. A strong portfolio showcasing diverse design projects and a robust design process is essential for demonstrating the required experience level.

Required Skills:

Extensive experience in leading and conducting comprehensive user research methodologies, including interviews, surveys, usability testing, and contextual inquiry.
Advanced proficiency in interactive design, including the creation of complex user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and interaction specifications for web and mobile applications.
Strong visual design skills, with the ability to translate brand guidelines and design systems into aesthetically pleasing and functional user interfaces.
Expertise in information architecture, including organizing complex content and navigation structures for large-scale digital products.
Proven ability to synthesize research findings and business requirements into actionable design concepts and solutions.
Experience providing technical guidance and mentorship to junior designers, fostering their skill development and professional growth.
Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively articulate design decisions and advocate for user needs to diverse stakeholders.
Experience working in cross-functional teams, collaborating effectively with product managers, engineers, and business analysts.

Preferred Skills:

Experience designing for complex financial applications, trading platforms, or enterprise software.
Proficiency with advanced prototyping tools and animation software.
Experience contributing to or managing design systems and pattern libraries.
Knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and best practices in design.
Experience working in an Agile or Lean UX development environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize the blend of research, interaction, and visual design skills expected at a senior level. The preference for financial services experience highlights the domain-specific knowledge required, which is crucial for designing within a highly regulated and complex industry. The 8-10 years of experience aligns with a VP-level role in design, indicating a need for significant leadership and technical depth.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Your portfolio should showcase a diverse range of complex UX projects, demonstrating your end-to-end design process from problem definition and research through ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
Include detailed case studies that clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your role in addressing it, the methodologies you employed (especially user research and testing), your design decisions, and the impact of your solutions.
Showcase your ability to create high-fidelity prototypes and visual designs that reflect attention to detail, consistency with design systems (if applicable), and a strong understanding of visual hierarchy and interaction patterns.
Demonstrate your technical proficiency with relevant design tools and your ability to prepare design specifications for developer handoff.

Process Documentation:

Clearly document your research and discovery phase, including how you gathered user insights, analyzed data, and defined user needs and project goals.
Illustrate your ideation and iteration methods, showing how you explored different design solutions, sketched, wireframed, and rapidly prototyped based on feedback and testing.
Detail your validation and testing approaches, explaining how you conducted usability testing, analyzed results, and iterated on your designs based on user feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a VP-level design role, the portfolio review will focus heavily on the strategic thinking, problem-solving approach, and the ability to lead complex projects to successful outcomes. Case studies should go beyond just showing final designs and deeply illustrate the thinking and process behind the work, demonstrating leadership and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The expected base salary range for this position is $109,000.00 to $156,000.00 per year. This range is based on market data assessed by The Bank Of New York Mellon and is subject to adjustment based on individual experience, skills, qualifications, and market location. This is a base salary range and is part of a total compensation package that may include commission earnings, discretionary bonuses, and short/long-term incentives.

Benefits:

Highly competitive compensation package, including the base salary range mentioned above, potentially supplemented by performance-based incentives and bonuses.
Comprehensive benefits programs designed to support employee health, financial well-being, and personal resilience.
Access to flexible global resources and tools to support your life's journey, indicating support for work-life balance and personal development.
Generous paid leaves, including vacation, sick time, and potentially other forms of leave to support personal and family needs.
Paid volunteer time, reflecting a commitment to community engagement and corporate social responsibility.
Company-sponsored benefit programs, the specifics of which would be detailed upon offer but typically include health insurance, retirement plans (e.g., 401k), and other wellness programs.

Working Hours: Full-time employment, typically involving standard business hours. The hybrid work model suggests flexibility in work location, requiring a balance between on-site presence in New York, NY, and remote work, which can offer flexibility for managing creative workflows and team collaboration across locations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided by the company is specific and transparent, which is beneficial. The benefits listed are common for large financial institutions and indicate a focus on employee well-being and professional growth, which is attractive to senior design professionals. The hybrid model is increasingly common and offers a balance of collaboration and flexibility.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Financial Services. BNY Mellon is a leading global financial services company, deeply embedded in the world's financial system. Designing for this industry involves navigating complex regulations, ensuring high levels of security and trust, and creating intuitive interfaces for sophisticated financial products and services. The focus on "nearly 20% of the world’s investable assets" highlights the scale and impact of the design work.

Company Size: 10,001+ employees globally (approximately 50,000+ employees). Working in a large organization like BNY Mellon means navigating established processes, collaborating with numerous stakeholders across different business units, and contributing to design initiatives that impact a vast user base. The size also suggests opportunities for specialization and career progression within the design function.

Founded: 1784. BNY Mellon has a long and storied history, being one of the oldest financial institutions in the United States. This long history indicates a strong foundation but also potentially established ways of working that design teams may need to navigate or influence towards modernization. The focus on being a "leader in the industry" and a "top home for innovators" suggests a drive towards embracing new approaches, including in design.

Team Structure:

The role is within the "Design Hub," specifically structured as "Accelerator teams." This suggests a centralized design function that partners with different areas of the bank on a project basis.
Accelerator teams are described as partnering with areas that "have not historically worked with Design," indicating a focus on introducing and integrating design thinking into new parts of the organization.
The role reports to a "Lead Designer," suggesting a hierarchical structure within the Design Hub, where VPs may report to more senior design leaders.

Methodology:

While specific methodologies aren't explicitly stated, the emphasis on user research, testing, interactive design, and prototyping suggests a user-centered design approach.
The project-based nature of Accelerator teams may lend itself to Lean UX or Agile methodologies, allowing for rapid iteration and adaptation based on project needs.
The need to synthesize information across multiple factors implies a structured problem-solving approach, likely involving design thinking principles.

Company Website: https://www.bny.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context reveals a large, established financial institution with a new, centralized design function focused on integrating design into previously untouched areas. This suggests a dynamic environment where the VP, UX Studio Designer will play a key role in advocating for and implementing design best practices in a challenging domain. The historical context implies a blend of tradition and innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Vice President (VP) level role within the design function at BNY Mellon. In the design industry, a VP level typically signifies a senior individual contributor or potentially a lead role with significant technical expertise, leadership responsibilities (mentoring), and the ability to drive significant design initiatives. The responsibilities align with this, requiring the ability to handle complex design challenges, provide guidance, and influence design direction.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to a "Lead Designer." This suggests a path for growth within the Design Hub, potentially towards more senior leadership roles within the studio or the broader design organization at BNY Mellon.

Design Impact: As part of the Design Hub's Accelerator teams, this role has the potential to significantly impact areas of the bank that have not historically utilized design expertise. This provides an opportunity to demonstrate the value of design in driving business outcomes and improving user experiences in new domains within the financial services sector.

Growth Opportunities:

Advancement to more senior design leadership positions within the Design Hub or other design teams at BNY Mellon, potentially leading larger teams or overseeing broader design initiatives.
Specialization in specific areas of financial services design, such as wealth management, asset servicing, or corporate trust, becoming a subject matter expert within the industry.
Opportunity to mentor and develop a team of junior designers, building leadership and people management skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The VP title combined with reporting to a "Lead Designer" might suggest a structure where "Lead Designer" is a higher rank or a different type of leadership role (e.g., managing a specific area). However, within the context of a large organization and a specialized "Studio" or "Hub," VP often indicates a highly experienced individual contributor with leadership responsibilities like mentoring and guiding complex work, which aligns well with the job description. The "Accelerator" model provides unique exposure to diverse projects, fostering broad experience.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: The role is part of a "Design Hub" structured as "Accelerator teams" operating from a "Studio centric model." This suggests a dedicated space or operational model focused on design activities, potentially fostering a collaborative and creative environment. The hybrid work model allows for a blend of on-site studio collaboration and remote work flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary location is New York, NY. BNY Mellon's headquarters are also listed as 240 Greenwich St, New York, NY. Working in a major financial hub like New York provides access to industry events, networking opportunities, and a vibrant professional community.

Design Workspace Context:

The "Studio centric model" implies a dedicated space for design work, potentially equipped with tools and resources conducive to creative processes, collaboration, and design critique sessions.
Hybrid work allows for focused individual work remotely while offering opportunities for in-person collaboration, brainstorming, and team building at the New York office.
Being located in a major BNY Mellon office likely means access to various company amenities and resources.

Work Schedule: Full-time, hybrid. The hybrid model requires a balance of working from the New York office and working remotely. Specific on-site requirements would likely be discussed during the interview process but are typically designed to optimize team collaboration and access to resources.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of a "Studio centric model" within a "Design Hub" suggests BNY Mellon is investing in creating a distinct environment for their design teams, even within a large corporate structure. This can be a positive indicator for designers seeking a dedicated creative space and culture. The hybrid model reflects current industry trends for balancing flexibility with in-person collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

The process will likely begin with a screening call, potentially focusing on your years of experience, background in financial services (if applicable), and alignment with the VP-level requirements. Be prepared to discuss your resume and highlight relevant experience.
Expect one or more rounds of interviews with members of the Design Hub team, including the Lead Designer and potentially other designers, product managers, or engineering leads. These interviews will likely delve into your portfolio, design process, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities.
A portfolio presentation will be a critical step. Be prepared to walk through 2-3 detailed case studies that showcase your most impactful work, particularly projects involving complex challenges or leadership in design.
A design challenge or exercise may be part of the process. This could range from a take-home assignment to a whiteboard session or a collaborative problem-solving exercise during an interview. This assesses your ability to apply design thinking and problem-solving skills on the spot.
Interviews will also assess cultural fit, communication skills, and your ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and mentor junior designers.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate your portfolio to specifically highlight projects relevant to complex problem-solving, user research leadership, and designing for sophisticated domains (ideally financial services).
For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used (quantifiable impact of research is a plus), key design decisions with rationale, and the outcome or impact of your work. Focus on demonstrating your strategic thinking and leadership in the design process.
Showcase your visual design skills but emphasize the process and thinking behind the visuals. Include wireframes, prototypes, and iterations to demonstrate your iterative approach.
Be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of your work, including tools used, collaboration with developers, and considerations for implementation.

Challenge Preparation:

If a design challenge is assigned, carefully read and understand the prompt. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
Structure your approach logically, outlining your process from understanding the problem to proposing solutions.
Focus on demonstrating your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to articulate your rationale clearly, even if the solution isn't fully polished.

ATS Keywords: User Experience Design, UX Design, Interactive Design, Visual Design, User Research, Usability Testing, Information Architecture, Wireframing, Prototyping, Design Systems, Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Axure, Financial Services, Securities Industry, Enterprise Design, Product Design, UI Design, Design Leadership, Mentorship, Cross-functional Collaboration, Agile, Lean UX, Problem Solving, Communication, Stakeholder Management, Design Thinking, Case Studies, Portfolio, Accessibility, WCAG.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process for a VP-level design role in a financial institution will be rigorous, focusing on both technical expertise and leadership potential. Portfolio review will be crucial for demonstrating a track record of impactful design work on complex projects. Preparation for design challenges and behavioral questions assessing collaboration and mentorship skills is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools is expected. This likely includes tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD for UI design and prototyping.
Experience with advanced prototyping tools like Axure or InVision for creating interactive and realistic user flows and demonstrating complex interactions.
Knowledge of design system management tools and version control for design assets (e.g., Abstract, Figma's built-in versioning).
Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) for visual asset creation and editing may also be required.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Experience with collaboration platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for team communication and project updates.
Proficiency in handoff tools such as Zeplin, Avocode, or Figma's inspection features to provide developers with accurate design specifications, assets, and redlines.
Experience with documentation tools, potentially Confluence or similar, for creating and maintaining design documentation, style guides, and design system guidelines.

Research & Testing:

Familiarity with user research tools for conducting surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics), remote usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), and gathering user feedback.
Experience with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure the impact of design changes.
Knowledge of tools for creating and analyzing user journey maps, empathy maps, and other research synthesis artifacts.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed in the original description, the required skills in research, interactive design, and visual design at a senior level necessitate proficiency in a range of industry-standard tools. The inferred list covers the likely technology stack for a UX team in a large financial institution.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

A culture that empowers employees to grow and succeed, suggesting a commitment to professional development and career advancement within design.
Being a "leader in the industry, awarded as a top home for innovators and for creating an inclusive workplace" indicates a value placed on innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company, which likely extends to the design team.
The focus on helping "make money work for the world" through "unique ideas and talents" suggests a value placed on impactful work and leveraging individual creativity to contribute to broader goals.
Operating from a "Studio centric model" with "Accelerator teams" partnering with different areas implies a value placed on collaboration, adaptability, and the strategic application of design across the organization.

Collaboration Style:

Expect a collaborative environment within the Design Hub and Accelerator teams, working closely with other designers, Lead Designers, and potentially more junior team members.
Collaboration with cross-functional partners (product, engineering, business) is essential due to the project-based nature of the Accelerator teams and the need to integrate design into different parts of the bank.
The expectation of providing design feedback and advocating for the user experience suggests a culture of open communication, constructive critique, and shared ownership of design outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values and awards provide insight into the broader organizational culture, which influences the design team's environment. The structure of the Design Hub and Accelerator teams points towards a dynamic and collaborative approach to integrating design across the business.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

Navigating the complexities and regulatory requirements of designing for the financial services industry, which often involves strict compliance standards and security considerations.
Integrating design thinking and user-centered methodologies into areas of the bank that have not historically worked with design, requiring strong advocacy, education, and change management skills.
Designing for a diverse user base with varying levels of financial literacy and technical proficiency, requiring thoughtful consideration of accessibility and usability for all users.
Working within a large, established organization may present challenges related to navigating internal processes, obtaining stakeholder buy-in, and influencing decision-making across different departments.
Keeping pace with evolving financial technologies and market trends while ensuring design solutions remain relevant, innovative, and user-friendly.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Opportunity to deepen expertise in designing for specific areas of financial services, becoming a recognized expert within the industry.
Development of leadership and mentorship skills by guiding and training junior designers.
Exposure to a wide range of projects and business areas through the Accelerator team model, fostering broad experience and adaptability.
Potential for professional development opportunities, such as attending industry conferences, workshops, or pursuing further education in design, finance, or related fields.
Opportunity to contribute to the growth and evolution of the Design Hub and its processes within BNY Mellon.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to designing within a large, regulated financial institution that is actively working to integrate design more broadly. The growth opportunities align with a senior-level role, focusing on deepening expertise, leadership development, and influencing organizational change through design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end design process in detail, using examples from your portfolio. Explain your approach to user research, how you translate insights into design solutions, and your methods for testing and iterating on designs.
Expect questions about how you handle design challenges with limited information or tight deadlines.
Be ready to discuss your experience with different design methodologies (e.g., Agile, Lean UX) and how you adapt your process to project needs.

Company Culture Questions:

Research BNY Mellon's values, recent news, and their focus on innovation and inclusivity. Be prepared to discuss how your values and working style align with their culture.
Think about examples of how you've collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, business stakeholders) in previous roles.
Prepare questions for the interviewers about the design team's culture, collaboration style, and how design is perceived and valued within the organization.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Select 2-3 case studies that best demonstrate your skills and experience relevant to the VP, UX Studio Designer role, particularly focusing on complex projects and your leadership in the design process.
Structure your presentation logically, starting with the problem, followed by your process (research, ideation, testing), key design decisions and rationale, and the impact or outcome of your work.
Be concise and articulate, focusing on the "why" behind your design decisions. Practice your presentation to ensure smooth delivery and time management.
Be prepared to answer detailed questions about any aspect of your projects, including challenges faced and lessons learned.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for a VP-level design role requires demonstrating not only technical proficiency but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and the ability to navigate complex organizational structures and industry-specific challenges. Tailoring your portfolio and examples to the financial services context will be highly beneficial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link.
Tailor your design portfolio to showcase projects that demonstrate your experience with complex UX challenges, user research leadership, and designing for sophisticated domains. Highlight case studies that illustrate your end-to-end process and the impact of your design solutions.
Optimize your resume for design roles by using relevant ATS keywords from the list provided. Clearly articulate your years of experience, educational background, and key skills, particularly those mentioned in the job description.
Prepare for the interview process by practicing discussing your portfolio case studies, articulating your design process and rationale, and preparing for potential design challenges and behavioral questions related to collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving.
Research BNY Mellon's business areas, design culture, and recent initiatives to demonstrate your understanding of the company and the financial services industry during interviews.

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

VP, UX Studio Designer