Associate UX Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate UX Director / Lead Product Designer

Company: CapTech Consulting

Location: Richmond, Virginia, United States (Also hiring in Denver, CO)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) / Product Design

Date Posted: March 17, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ Years Professional Experience (AI inferred 10+ years)

Remote Status: Primarily On-site, with potential for remote work based on client and company needs.

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a senior leadership position within CapTech's Customer Experience (CX) team, focusing on designing sophisticated, intuitive, and impactful digital brand experiences.

• The Associate UX Director will influence user behavior and strengthen customer relationships through the delivery of engaging digital products and services, bridging business goals with user needs.

• The position requires a blend of hands-on design work, strategic thinking, team leadership, and client relationship management to drive account growth and mentorship.

• The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker and servant leader, capable of inspiring teams and delivering high-quality, accessible, and innovative digital solutions independently.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Associate UX Director," the description clearly emphasizes hands-on design and leadership, positioning it as a Lead Product Designer role with director-level responsibilities. The AI's inferred experience level of "10+" is a reasonable assumption given the 8+ years requirement and the senior nature of the role. The "On-site" work arrangement is stated, but the allowance for remote work based on needs is noted.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end creation of user-centered design artifacts, including personas, customer journey maps, wireframes, responsive visual designs, and interactive prototypes, adhering to interaction design and usability best practices.

• Manage and mentor project teams, nurturing junior creatives and elevating the overall quality and impact of client deliverables.

• Develop and present compelling design concepts, strategies, and rationale to clients and internal stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and alignment with business objectives.

• Provide insightful and constructive feedback on all aspects of the user experience, including interactions, information architecture, content, layout, and visual design, ensuring alignment with goals and brand identity.

• Conduct competitive assessments, identify innovative design alternatives, and stay abreast of emerging design and technology trends to inform strategic recommendations.

• Lead client projects strategically by facilitating workshops, developing high-level roadmaps, and creating actionable recommendations grounded in research, insights, and best practices.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement and evolution of CapTech's CX methodologies, capabilities, approaches, and toolsets.

• Advocate for and champion accessible and inclusive design principles across web, native, and embedded applications, ensuring adherence to WCAG 2.2 standards.

• Explore and leverage AI-powered design tools and emerging technologies to enhance creativity, efficiency, and the overall impact of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level individual contributor and team lead role, emphasizing strategic thinking, client interaction, and team mentorship, consistent with an Associate Director or Lead Designer function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 8+ years of professional experience in a design consultancy or digital agency setting.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, delivering within scope and budget constraints.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in product strategy and translating business goals into user-centric design solutions.

• Deep understanding of heuristic analysis, information architecture, user research methodologies, and usability testing.

• Strong proficiency in creating detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and responsive visual designs.

• Exceptional creative insight and the drive to deliver end-to-end digital experiences.

• Mastery of Figma for design, wireframing, and prototyping is required.

• Proficiency with design software including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.

• Excellent written, verbal, conceptual, and visual communication skills for persuasive client presentations.

• Ability to lead client engagements, facilitate workshops, and develop strategic roadmaps.

• Demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate design teams.

• Comfort with enterprise-scale challenges and multi-channel digital solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with user research tools such as Optimal Workshop, UserTesting, and SurveyMonkey.

• Familiarity with collaborative whiteboarding and workshop tools like Miro and FigJam.

• Working knowledge of Agile product development lifecycles and practices.

• Familiarity with WCAG 2.2 Accessibility standards and Inclusive Design principles.

• Experience exploring and leveraging AI-powered design tools and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma proficiency, combined with other design tools and a strong portfolio requirement, indicates a need for a technically proficient and conceptually strong designer. The preferred skills point towards a candidate who is adaptable and knowledgeable about modern design and development practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio link is mandatory for application consideration.

• The portfolio must showcase a strong track record of designing sophisticated, intuitive, and impactful digital brand experiences.

• Demonstrate a strategic approach to problem-solving, illustrating how business goals and user needs were translated into thoughtful design solutions.

• Showcase end-to-end project delivery, from research and strategy through to implementation and refinement.

Process Documentation:

• Present case studies that clearly articulate the user research, ideation, design, and testing processes undertaken for each project.

• Illustrate the application of human-centered design principles, including personas, customer journey maps, and information architecture.

• Demonstrate proficiency in creating wireframes, visual designs, and interactive prototypes using tools like Figma.

• Clearly communicate the rationale behind design decisions, linking them to user insights and business objectives.

• Showcase experience with iterative design processes, user feedback integration, and usability testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for a portfolio link and the detailed nature of the responsibilities strongly imply that candidates will be evaluated on their ability to present detailed process documentation and demonstrate a strategic, human-centered design approach through their work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Comprehensive Health Coverage

• Disability Insurance

• Paid Family Leave

• 401(k) Matching with no vesting period

• Modern Health: Mental health and well-being platform with 1:1 care and group support.

• Carrot Fertility: Inclusive fertility and family-forming coverage.

• Fringe: Company-paid lifestyle benefits stipend (e.g., for streaming services, fitness, student loan repayment, travel).

• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week.

• Employees must be available to work onsite at client locations or CapTech offices as requested, with flexibility for remote work depending on client and company needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is explicitly for Colorado. For other locations like Richmond, VA, the range might differ based on local market conditions. The benefits package is robust, with a strong emphasis on well-being, family support, and personalized lifestyle choices.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting. CapTech focuses on helping clients achieve their goals through technology, with a strong emphasis on customer experience.

Company Size: Mid-size to Large (implied by Fortune 100 clients and national presence). CapTech is an award-winning consulting firm with a significant national footprint.

Founded: The company was founded with a passion for building long-lasting client relationships, emphasizing partnership and results.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the Customer Experience (CX) team, which comprises UX and UI designers, user researchers, content strategists, and project managers.

• This role may involve leading engagement teams and mentoring junior talent within the CX practice.

• Collaboration is expected with cross-functional teams including project managers and developers.

Methodology:

• CapTech emphasizes a human-centered design approach, translating business goals and user needs into impactful digital solutions.

• The firm values strong relationships, collaboration, and delivering measurable results for clients.

• There is a focus on continuous learning, professional development, and staying ahead of design and technology trends.

• The company supports a data-driven approach to design and problem-solving.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: CapTech's culture appears to be a blend of client-focused delivery, professional development, and a collaborative, relationship-driven environment. The emphasis on CX suggests a strong commitment to user-centricity.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an "Associate UX Director," indicating a senior leadership level within the UX/Product Design domain. It requires significant experience and the ability to lead projects, teams, and client relationships with autonomy.

Reporting Structure:

• The Associate UX Director will likely report to a Director or Senior Director within the CX practice.

Operations Impact:

• The role has a direct impact on client success by designing digital experiences that enhance brand perception, improve user engagement, and drive business outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advancement to a full Director role within the CX practice.

• Specialization in specific industries or UX disciplines (e.g., Service Design, AI in Design).

• Opportunities to lead larger, more complex client engagements and accounts.

• Mentorship roles, contributing to the development of the broader UX practice at CapTech.

• Potential to contribute to CapTech's internal methodology development and thought leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Associate" title suggests a clear path for advancement to a full Director position, with significant opportunities for skill development, leadership expansion, and strategic impact within the consulting environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: CapTech is a consulting firm, so work environments will vary. The role requires availability to work onsite at client locations or CapTech offices. This suggests a mix of client-site engagements and potentially collaborative office spaces.

Office Location(s):

• Primary: Richmond, Virginia, USA

• Also hiring in: Denver, Colorado, USA

Workspace Context:

• The role demands collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams (PMs, researchers, designers, developers).

• Expect a dynamic environment that requires adaptability to different client project needs and team structures.

• Access to modern design tools and technologies is implied, with an emphasis on Figma.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time business hours are expected, with flexibility for remote work based on client and company needs.

• The consulting nature of the work may require adaptability to client schedules and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" requirement with potential for remote work highlights the client-facing nature of consulting. Candidates should be prepared for a blend of office, client site, and potentially remote work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio link to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Discussion focused on your experience, design philosophy, leadership style, and approach to client challenges. Expect questions about your background in product strategy, research, and design.

• Portfolio Presentation/Case Study: A session where you will present one or more key projects from your portfolio, detailing your process, rationale, challenges, and outcomes. This is a critical step to evaluate your strategic thinking and communication skills.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues (UX designers, researchers, PMs, developers) to assess collaboration style and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and long-term fit within CapTech.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase end-to-end UX/Product Design leadership and impact.

• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each project – research, strategy, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing, and final delivery.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the business impact and user success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user satisfaction, reduced task completion times).

• Tell a Story: Frame each project as a narrative: the problem, your approach, the challenges, your solutions, and the results. Emphasize your role and decision-making.

• Showcase Figma Proficiency: Include examples demonstrating your advanced skills in Figma, potentially including complex prototypes or component libraries.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to answer in-depth questions about your design choices, strategic thinking, and how you handle complex client dynamics.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design exercises or scenario-based questions related to common UX challenges, such as designing for a specific user flow, improving an existing interface, or strategizing a new digital product.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when discussing trade-offs and constraints.

• Consider how you would approach a new client engagement, from discovery to strategy and execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio and client presentation indicates that strong communication and strategic storytelling skills are paramount for success in this role and the interview process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Required for all aspects of design, wireframing, prototyping, and potentially generating developer-ready assets. Advanced proficiency is expected.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign for visual design, asset creation, and potentially presentation materials.

• Microsoft PowerPoint: For creating client presentations and communicating design rationale.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Tools: Familiarity with tools like Optimal Workshop, UserTesting, and SurveyMonkey is a plus for conducting and analyzing user research.

• Presentation Tools: While not explicitly listed, tools for data visualization and reporting may be used in conjunction with PowerPoint or Figma.

CRM & Automation:

Collaboration & Workshop Tools:

• Familiarity with Miro and FigJam is a plus, indicating a need for strong collaborative skills in remote and hybrid environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is highlighted as a critical tool, suggesting that candidates with deep expertise in this platform will have a significant advantage. Familiarity with research and collaboration tools further supports the role's focus on user-centricity and teamwork.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client Focus: Delivering exceptional results and building strong, lasting relationships with clients.

• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to high-quality design and strategic thinking.

• Innovation: Staying ahead of design and technology trends, including exploring AI-powered tools.

• Collaboration: Working effectively within multi-disciplinary teams and across client organizations.

• Continuous Learning: Encouraging professional development, skill enhancement, and knowledge sharing.

• Inclusion & Diversity: Fostering a diverse environment where unique ideas and experiences are valued.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with project managers, user researchers, UI designers, content strategists, and developers.

• Emphasis on clear communication, constructive feedback, and shared ownership of project success.

• Facilitation skills are important for leading workshops and driving consensus among diverse stakeholders.

• A servant leadership approach is encouraged, focusing on empowering teams and fostering growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: CapTech's values emphasize professional growth, client success, and a collaborative, inclusive environment, which are key considerations for candidates seeking a long-term career in consulting.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Client Needs with User Advocacy: Effectively advocating for user needs while meeting client business objectives and technical constraints.

• Managing Multiple Stakeholders: Navigating complex client organizations with diverse priorities and communication styles.

• Leading Without Direct Authority: Inspiring and guiding project teams, often without direct line management, requiring strong influence and collaboration skills.

• Adapting to Rapid Technological Change: Staying current with emerging technologies, particularly AI in design, and integrating them effectively into workflows.

• Delivering High-Quality Work Under Pressure: Managing demanding project timelines and client expectations in a fast-paced consulting environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Deepening expertise in Figma, AI design tools, and emerging UX/UI technologies.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone project leadership, team management, and client relationship skills.

• Strategic Thinking: Developing strategic roadmapping, product strategy, and business consulting capabilities.

• Mentorship: Access to senior leaders for guidance and career advice, as well as opportunities to mentor junior talent.

• Industry Involvement: Engaging in professional development, attending conferences, and potentially pursuing certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant opportunities for professional growth by tackling complex challenges, expanding leadership capabilities, and staying at the forefront of design innovation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting stakeholder requirements with user needs. How did you resolve it?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, and user advocacy.)

• "Walk us through your process for developing a product strategy for a new digital experience." (Highlight your strategic thinking, research integration, and roadmap development.)

• "How do you approach leading and mentoring junior designers on a project?" (Showcase your servant leadership style and commitment to team growth.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about CapTech Consulting and our CX practice?" (Research CapTech's values, recent projects, and industry reputation.)

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative and inclusive team environment?" (Align your responses with CapTech's stated values.)

• "How do you stay current with design trends, particularly in areas like AI-powered design?" (Showcase your proactive learning and adaptability.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of the project's business and user goals. Then, detail your process step-by-step, highlighting key decisions and rationale. Conclude with the outcomes and lessons learned.

• Visuals: Use clear, well-organized slides that showcase your designs effectively. Embed interactive prototypes if possible.

• Storytelling: Narrate your journey through the project, emphasizing problem-solving, collaboration, and your unique contributions.

• Metrics: Quantify impact wherever possible. If direct metrics are unavailable, articulate the intended impact and how you would measure success.

• Figma Focus: Be prepared to discuss specific Figma features you utilized and how they benefited the design process or outcome.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership potential, strong communication skills, and a deep understanding of user-centered design principles, backed by concrete examples from your portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Associate UX Director position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided application link to submit your resume and mandatory portfolio link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects that demonstrate end-to-end UX/Product Design leadership, strategic thinking, and proficiency in Figma. Tailor your case studies to highlight client impact and problem-solving.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate 8+ years of relevant experience, emphasizing leadership, strategic contributions, and proficiency in key skills like Figma, product strategy, and user research. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on articulating your process, rationale, and quantifiable outcomes. Prepare to discuss your leadership style and approach to client challenges.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research CapTech Consulting, its CX practice, recent projects, and company values. Understand their approach to client delivery and innovation.

⚠️ 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.