Associate UX Director at CapTech Consulting

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate UX Director

Company: CapTech Consulting

Location: Richmond, Virginia, United States (with potential for Charlotte, NC, USA)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: March 17, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ Years Professional Experience (AI-derived: 10+ Years)

Remote Status: On-site (with client/office availability; remote work possible when compatible)

🚀 Role Summary

Lead the design and delivery of sophisticated, intuitive, and impactful digital brand experiences that enhance customer relationships and influence user behavior within a consulting environment.
Drive end-to-end digital product and service design, from initial research and strategy to implementation, in partnership with cross-functional teams and clients.
Act as a strategic design leader, mentoring junior talent, nurturing client relationships, and contributing to the growth of CapTech's Customer Experience (CX) practice.
Utilize a strong understanding of product strategy, user research, information architecture, UI design, and usability testing to translate business goals into elegant design solutions.
Champion best practices in interaction design, accessibility, and inclusive design across various platforms, while exploring and integrating emerging technologies like AI-powered design tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as an "Associate UX Director / Lead Product Designer," indicating a blend of hands-on design execution and leadership responsibilities. The "Associate Director" title suggests a significant level of autonomy and client-facing strategic input, aligning with senior-level operations and GTM strategy collaboration. The emphasis on "product strategy" and "customer experience" points towards a strong connection with business objectives and revenue generation through user-centric design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Lead the creation of key 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 the talents of junior creatives and elevating the overall quality of client deliverables.
Present design concepts, rationale, and recommendations clearly and compellingly to clients and internal stakeholders, using persuasive communication skills.
Provide insightful and constructive feedback on the overall user experience, encompassing interactions, information architecture, content, layout, and alignment with strategic 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, facilitate workshops, and develop high-level roadmaps and actionable recommendations grounded in research, insights, and industry best practices.
Contribute to the continuous evolution of CapTech's CX methodologies, capabilities, and toolsets, participating actively in CX meetings and trainings.
Advocate for accessibility and inclusive design principles, ensuring compliance with standards like WCAG 2.2 across all digital solutions.
Explore and leverage AI-powered design tools and workflows to enhance creativity, efficiency, and the overall impact of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of tactical design execution and strategic leadership, common in senior operations roles that interface with product and marketing. The emphasis on client presentations, workshop facilitation, and roadmap development indicates a need for strong business acumen and the ability to articulate design's impact on business outcomes, akin to how Revenue Operations or Sales Operations leaders present business cases.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

8+ years of professional experience, ideally within a design consultancy or digital agency setting.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, delivering successfully against scope and budget constraints.

Required Skills:

Proven understanding of product strategy, heuristic analysis, information architecture, user research methodologies, user interface (UI) design principles, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.
Exceptional creative insight and drive, with the ability to deliver end-to-end digital experiences.
Strong strategic thinking capabilities to translate business goals and user needs into effective design solutions.
Excellent client presentation skills, with the ability to communicate design rationale confidently and persuasively.
Experience leading and motivating teams of researchers and designers to produce engaging, multi-channel digital solutions.
Proficiency in designing with Figma is mandatory.
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and PowerPoint.

Preferred Skills:

Familiarity with user research tools such as Optimal Workshop, UserTesting, and SurveyMonkey.
Familiarity with digital whiteboarding and collaboration 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 requirement for 8+ years of experience, coupled with a preference for consultancy backgrounds, suggests a need for candidates accustomed to fast-paced, client-driven environments. The specific tool requirements (Figma, Adobe Suite, Miro) are critical for daily operations and collaboration, mirroring the need for proficiency in specific CRM, BI, or workflow tools in revenue or sales operations roles. The emphasis on "product strategy" and "customer insight" aligns with operations roles that focus on understanding the customer journey and optimizing touchpoints.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

A comprehensive online portfolio is mandatory for consideration, showcasing a range of design projects and demonstrating a strategic approach to problem-solving.
Portfolio pieces should highlight end-to-end design processes, from initial research and strategy development through to final implementation and iteration.
Demonstrate proficiency in creating key design artifacts such as personas, customer journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.
Clearly articulate the user needs, business goals, and design decisions behind each project, showcasing your strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

Process Documentation:

Showcase projects that illustrate a strong understanding of human-centered design methodologies and their application.
Provide examples of how you have collaborated with multi-disciplinary teams (e.g., developers, researchers, content strategists) to bring digital experiences to life.
Demonstrate experience in facilitating workshops, conducting user research, and performing heuristic or competitive analyses.
Highlight instances where you have contributed to the evolution of design methodologies, toolsets, or best practices within a team or organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, a portfolio would typically showcase process optimization projects, system implementations, data analysis dashboards, or ROI improvements. For this UX Director role, the portfolio is expected to demonstrate strategic design thinking, process adherence (user research, IA, prototyping), and the ability to translate business needs into user-centric solutions, mirroring the need for operations professionals to demonstrate process improvement and strategic alignment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

Comprehensive health coverage.
Disability insurance.
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO).
Paid family leave.
401(k) matching with no vesting period.
Modern Health: A mental health and well-being platform offering 1:1 care, group sessions, and self-serve resources.
Carrot Fertility: Inclusive fertility and family-forming coverage.
Fringe: A company-paid stipend program for personalized lifestyle benefits (e.g., streaming services, student loan repayment, fitness).
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) focused on diversity and inclusion.
Opportunities for philanthropic engagement and pro-bono projects.

Working Hours:

Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week.
Employees must be available to work on-site at client locations or CapTech offices as needed.
Remote work is possible when compatible with CapTech and client needs, suggesting a hybrid approach may be available depending on the project.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on industry standards for a senior UX/Product Design role in a consulting firm within the specified regions. The benefits package is robust and includes unique offerings like Modern Health, Carrot Fertility, and Fringe, indicating a strong focus on employee well-being and personalized support, which can be attractive to operations professionals seeking a supportive work environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting. CapTech collaborates with clients, including Fortune 100 companies, mid-sized enterprises, and government agencies, to achieve transformative results through technology.

Company Size: Large (LinkedIn data indicates CapTech has over 1,000 employees, with internal data showing 2,000-5,000 employees). This suggests a stable organization with established processes and ample opportunities for career development.

Founded: The company was founded with a passion for creating strong, lasting client relationships. This likely translates into a culture that values partnership, trust, and long-term engagement.

Team Structure:

The role sits within the Customer Experience (CX) team, focusing on User Experience (UX) and Product Design.
This team likely comprises UX Researchers, UX/UI Designers, Content Strategists, and Project Managers who collaborate on client projects.
As an Associate Director, you may lead engagement teams and mentor junior talent, implying a hierarchical structure with opportunities for leadership.

Methodology:

Emphasis on human-centered design, translating business goals and user needs into intuitive and impactful digital solutions.
A blend of strategic thinking and hands-on design execution, from research and ideation to prototyping and implementation.
Data-driven decision-making, leveraging user research, analytics, and insights to inform design choices.
Continuous improvement and evolution of CX methodologies and toolsets.
Exploration of emerging technologies, including AI-powered design tools, to enhance efficiency and creativity.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: CapTech's focus on technology consulting and client relationships suggests an environment that values expertise, problem-solving, and collaborative delivery. The company size implies structured processes and career paths, which can be beneficial for operations professionals seeking stability and growth. The emphasis on methodology aligns with the structured approach required in operations roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a senior leadership level within the UX/Product Design domain, equivalent to an Associate Director. It requires a blend of deep design expertise, strategic thinking, client management, and team leadership. In a broader GTM or operations context, this role would be responsible for influencing product strategy and user adoption, directly impacting client satisfaction and revenue potential.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into senior leadership within the CX practice, likely a Director or VP. You will also lead project teams, which may include junior designers, researchers, and other specialists.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, influencing the success of digital products and services that drive client engagement, user adoption, and ultimately, client revenue and retention. By ensuring intuitive and impactful user experiences, this role directly contributes to customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, key operational metrics.

Growth Opportunities:

Leadership Advancement: Progress to a full Director or VP of UX/Product Design within CapTech, leading larger teams and more strategic accounts.
Practice Development: Contribute to shaping CapTech's CX methodologies, service offerings, and internal training programs, becoming a thought leader.
Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like AI-driven design, accessibility, or product strategy, or expand into broader GTM strategy consulting.
Client Relationship Management: Develop and nurture long-term client relationships, leading to account growth and strategic partnerships.
Mentorship and Talent Development: Continue to mentor and develop junior talent, fostering the next generation of design leaders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Associate Director" title signifies a strong potential for career growth within CapTech. For operations professionals, understanding this path helps in evaluating how design leadership intersects with broader GTM strategy and operational efficiency. The emphasis on practice development and client relationship management mirrors growth paths in operations, where building expertise and managing key stakeholders are crucial.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: CapTech operates as a consulting firm, meaning employees will often work at client sites. The company also maintains its own offices, providing a collaborative workspace. The environment is likely dynamic, client-focused, and professional.

Office Location(s): While the primary posting is for Richmond, Virginia, Charlotte, North Carolina is also mentioned, indicating potential project assignments or team presence in these key consulting hubs. CapTech has multiple office locations across the US.

Workspace Context:

Client-Facing: A significant portion of the work may involve on-site client engagements, requiring adaptability and strong interpersonal skills.
Collaborative: Within CapTech offices or on client teams, expect a collaborative environment where designers, researchers, developers, and project managers work closely together.
Technology-Rich: Access to industry-standard design and collaboration tools (Figma, Adobe Suite, Miro) is fundamental.

Work Schedule:

Standard 40-hour work week is typical.
Consulting roles often require flexibility to meet client deadlines and project demands, which may occasionally involve extended hours.
The company aims to support work-life balance, with remote work possible when suitable for client and company needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The consulting nature of CapTech means the work environment is often project-based and client-centric. This requires adaptability and excellent communication skills, similar to operations roles that support multiple departments or client accounts. The potential for hybrid work, depending on client needs, is a common consideration in modern consulting and operations environments.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application, focusing on your resume and portfolio link.
Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: You will likely present a selection of your work from your portfolio, discussing your process, strategic thinking, design decisions, and impact. Be prepared to articulate how your designs solved specific business problems and met user needs.
Skills Assessment: This may involve a design challenge or a case study exercise, either pre-interview or during a dedicated session, to evaluate your practical design skills, problem-solving abilities, and approach to complex challenges.
Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Expect questions about your leadership style, team collaboration, client management experience, how you handle feedback, and your approach to mentoring.
Final Round: This may involve meeting with senior leadership to discuss your fit with CapTech's culture, vision, and strategic direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your skills in product strategy, user research, IA, UI design, and prototyping. Ensure they align with the requirements of an Associate UX Director.
Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role and responsibilities, the process you followed, the key challenges and decisions, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes or impact.
Showcase Process: Detail your thought process, research methods, and design iterations. Demonstrate how you translated user needs and business goals into tangible design solutions.
Highlight Leadership: If possible, include examples where you led a team, mentored junior designers, or influenced strategic direction.
Accessibility & AI: If applicable, highlight projects where you explicitly addressed accessibility (WCAG 2.2) or incorporated AI-powered design tools.

Challenge Preparation:

Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully understand the problem statement, target audience, and business objectives.
Time Management: Practice working within time constraints, prioritizing key aspects of the design process.
Articulate Rationale: Be prepared to explain your design decisions and trade-offs clearly and concisely.
Focus on Strategy: Demonstrate how your design choices align with broader business and user goals, not just aesthetic preferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a senior consulting role like this will heavily emphasize portfolio presentation and strategic thinking. Candidates should prepare to articulate not just what they designed, but why, and how it drove business value, mirroring the expectations for operations leaders justifying investments or process changes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Figma: Mandatory for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping. Proficiency expected for creating developer-ready assets and reusable components.
Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign are required for graphic design, image editing, and layout work.
Microsoft PowerPoint: Essential 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 studies.
Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with Miro and FigJam is preferred for facilitating workshops, ideation sessions, and collaborative design work.

CRM & Automation:

While not explicitly mentioned for this UX role, an understanding of how design integrates with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for a holistic view of the customer journey. Familiarity with Agile development lifecycles is also a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, Adobe Suite, and presentation tools is critical. In operations, this would translate to essential tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Tableau, Power BI, or specific project management software. Proficiency in these tools is a baseline requirement for success.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values: CapTech's core values likely revolve around collaboration, client success, innovation, and integrity. For operations professionals, this translates to:

Client-Centricity: A commitment to understanding and exceeding client expectations, ensuring that delivered solutions provide tangible value.
Excellence & Quality: A drive to deliver high-quality work, paying attention to detail and adhering to best practices in design and delivery.
Innovation & Continuous Learning: An openness to exploring new technologies, methodologies, and approaches to solve complex problems and stay ahead of industry trends.
Collaboration & Teamwork: A belief in the power of diverse perspectives and cross-functional teamwork to achieve the best outcomes.
Integrity & Trust: Building strong, lasting relationships with clients and colleagues based on honesty and reliability.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: Close collaboration with project managers, user researchers, UI designers, content strategists, developers, and client stakeholders is fundamental.
Constructive Feedback Culture: An environment where ideas are shared openly, and feedback is given and received constructively to improve designs and deliverables.
Servant Leadership: The description mentions checking ego at the door, suggesting a collaborative leadership style focused on enabling the team and prioritizing the best ideas and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the company's values is crucial for cultural fit. For operations roles, this means aligning with a data-driven, process-oriented, and results-focused mindset, while also valuing collaboration and continuous improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Balancing Client Needs with Design Best Practices: Navigating client expectations, business constraints, and timelines while ensuring high-quality, user-centered design solutions.
Leading Diverse Teams: Effectively managing and mentoring teams of creatives with varying skill sets and experience levels, fostering a cohesive and productive environment.
Driving Strategic Impact: Translating user insights and design concepts into measurable business outcomes and demonstrating ROI to clients.
Staying Ahead of Technological Advancements: Continuously adapting to and integrating new design tools, methodologies, and emerging technologies like AI into the design process.
On-site Client Demands: Adapting to client site environments and requirements, which can vary significantly.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Formal Training & Certifications: CapTech offers programs for certification and tuition support, alongside digital on-demand courses.
Mentorship: Access to mentorship from senior leaders within the CX practice and across the firm.
Skill Development Paths: Structured pathways for developing expertise in specific design domains or leadership capabilities.
Industry Involvement: Opportunities to engage in professional development and industry events to stay current and network.
Exposure to Diverse Projects: Working with a wide range of clients and industries provides broad exposure and continuous learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, anticipating challenges related to cross-functional alignment, data integrity, process adoption, and technology integration is key. The growth opportunities here mirror those in operations, focusing on skill enhancement, leadership development, and strategic impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"Describe a time you had to balance competing client priorities with user needs. How did you navigate this situation, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on prioritization, communication, and strategic trade-offs).
"Walk us through a complex digital product you designed from concept to launch. What was your specific role, what were the key challenges, and how did you measure success?" (Prepare a detailed case study from your portfolio).
"How do you approach translating business objectives into user-centered design solutions? Can you provide an example?" (Demonstrate your understanding of product strategy and user empathy).

Company & Culture Questions:

"What interests you specifically about CapTech Consulting and our CX practice?" (Research CapTech's website, recent projects, and values).
"How do you stay current with design and technology trends, particularly in areas like AI-powered design?" (Showcase your commitment to continuous learning).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Select Impactful Projects: Choose 3-5 projects that best showcase your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and leadership potential.
Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, solutions, and measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively.
Articulate Your 'Why': Explain the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them back to user needs and business objectives.
Highlight Collaboration: Discuss how you worked with various stakeholders and team members.
Be Ready for Deep Dives: Be prepared to answer detailed questions about any aspect of your presented work.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations candidates, interview preparation should focus on articulating process improvements, system implementations, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration successes, using quantifiable results.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Associate UX Director position:

Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.smartrecruiters.com.
Portfolio Preparation: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, showcases 3-5 of your most impactful projects, and clearly articulates your strategic approach, design process, and the results achieved. Tailor your portfolio to highlight experience relevant to enterprise-scale challenges and client-facing roles.
Resume Optimization: Update your resume to prominently feature your 8+ years of experience, emphasize your expertise in product strategy, UX/UI design, research, and leadership. Quantify achievements wherever possible, especially those related to client success or business impact.
Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail, practice answering behavioral and situational questions, and research CapTech Consulting's approach to client work and their CX practice. Be ready to articulate your leadership style and your vision for user experience.
Company Research: Thoroughly research CapTech Consulting's website, their services, client case studies, and company values. Understand their positioning in the consulting market and identify how your skills and experience align with their mission and the specific requirements of this role.

⚠️ 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.

Associate UX Director