Digital UX Strategist, Principal

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Digital UX Strategist, Principal

Company: Blue Shield of California

Location: San Diego, California, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: User Experience (UX) Strategy / Digital Product Strategy

Date Posted: March 17, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the definition of end-to-end experience strategy for Blue Shield of California's complex digital products, impacting member, provider, employer, and prospect journeys.

• Function as a senior individual contributor and thought leader, translating intricate business and customer needs into cohesive, scalable, and AI-enabled digital solutions.

• Influence core product strategy and elevate the quality of digital experiences, enabling personalized and modern interactions at scale.

• Collaborate within the Digital Experience, Design and Content (DEDC) team's User Experience group to shape the look, feel, and functionality of digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Digital UX Strategist," the core responsibilities and required skills indicate a role that blends strategic UX thinking with a strong understanding of product development and a focus on defining future-state digital capabilities. This role is less about day-to-day tactical design execution and more about setting the vision and strategic direction for digital user experiences. The emphasis on "AI-enabled" and "scalable solutions" suggests a forward-thinking approach to digital transformation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and articulate comprehensive, end-to-end experience strategies for complex digital ecosystems, encompassing user journeys for members, providers, employers, and prospects.

• Translate multifaceted business objectives and deep customer insights into actionable, cohesive, and scalable digital product strategies, leveraging AI and data-driven approaches.

• Serve as a senior individual contributor and recognized thought leader within the User Experience team and broader DEDC organization, guiding strategic decision-making.

• Influence the overall product strategy and roadmap, ensuring a consistent, high-quality, and personalized digital experience across all touchpoints.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, engineers, and other stakeholders to champion user-centered design principles and drive the adoption of innovative digital solutions.

• Champion the integration of AI and emerging technologies to enhance user experiences and deliver intelligent, personalized digital interactions.

• Mentor and guide junior team members and other stakeholders on UX strategy best practices, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a strategic, high-level impact. The role requires not just defining strategy but also translating it into tangible solutions and influencing organizational direction. The focus on "AI-enabled" and "scalable" solutions points to a need for strategic thinking that considers future technology advancements and broad adoption.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) strategy, digital product strategy, or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated success in defining and leading the execution of comprehensive experience strategies for complex digital products and platforms.

Required Skills:

• User Experience Strategy: Deep expertise in developing overarching strategies for digital products, encompassing user journeys, service design, and interaction models.

• End-to-End Experience Definition: Ability to map and design entire user lifecycles and complex journeys across multiple digital touchpoints.

• AI-Enabled Solutions: Understanding and application of AI principles in designing intelligent, personalized, and predictive user experiences.

• Product Strategy Influence: Proven track record of influencing product roadmaps, strategic direction, and investment decisions through compelling UX insights and proposals.

• Advanced Prototyping: Proficiency with industry-standard prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma for creating high-fidelity, interactive prototypes.

• Full-Stack Product Design: Comprehensive understanding and practical experience across UX, interaction design, visual design, and service design principles.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Exceptional ability to work effectively with product management, engineering, marketing, and business stakeholders to align on strategy and execution.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with digital platforms and technologies such as Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), mobile application development (iOS/Android), and modern front-end frameworks (e.g., Angular).

• Familiarity with data analysis and research methodologies to inform strategy and measure impact.

• Experience in the healthcare industry, understanding member, provider, and employer needs within this sector.

• Coaching and mentorship experience, guiding teams and individuals in UX strategy and execution.

• Knowledge of continuous discovery and continuous delivery methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+ years" experience level, coupled with the "Principal" title, signifies a senior leadership role. The emphasis on specific tools like Figma, AEM, and Angular, along with the broad experience in full-stack design, indicates a need for a highly skilled individual contributor who can also provide strategic guidance. The preference for healthcare industry experience is a strong indicator of the company's focus.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Strategic Case Studies: A curated selection of case studies demonstrating your ability to define and execute comprehensive end-to-end experience strategies for complex digital products.

• Problem-Solution Articulation: Clear articulation of the business and user problems addressed, your strategic approach, key decisions made, and the resulting impact.

• System Integration Examples: Showcase projects where you considered or integrated with various digital platforms (e.g., AEM, mobile apps, CRM, AI platforms) to deliver cohesive experiences.

• AI/Personalization Examples: If possible, include examples of how you've incorporated AI or personalization strategies into digital experiences to drive engagement or efficiency.

• Prototyping & Design Artifacts: High-fidelity prototypes (preferably from Figma) and key design artifacts that illustrate your strategic thinking and design execution capabilities.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in developing and documenting UX strategy frameworks, user journey maps, service blueprints, and interaction models.

• Showcase your process for translating strategic vision into actionable design requirements and collaborating with engineering teams for implementation.

• Evidence of how you measure the success of UX strategies, including defining key performance indicators (KPIs) and analyzing user data to iterate and optimize.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Principal-level UX Strategist, the portfolio should not just showcase design output but also strategic thinking, process, and measurable impact. The emphasis on "end-to-end," "AI-enabled," and "scalable solutions" suggests a need for candidates to demonstrate how they can influence and define complex systems and strategies, not just individual user flows.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision) as a core offering from a health insurance provider.

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k) with potential company match, reflecting financial well-being support.

• Paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick leave, and holidays, supporting work-life balance.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training, conferences, and certifications, aligning with the company's commitment to continuous learning.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses or incentives, reflecting a results-oriented culture.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time workweek of approximately 40 hours.

• Hybrid work model requiring 2 days per week in the San Diego office, offering flexibility for remote work the remainder of the week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on the AI-generated data. The benefits are inferred based on the company being a major health insurance provider and a large, established organization. The "2 days in office" policy is explicitly mentioned in the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare (Health Insurance and Services)

Company Size: Large Enterprise (implied by the Oracle Cloud ATS, number of employees, and comprehensive benefits/structure)

Founded: Blue Shield of California was founded in 1939. Ascendiun, its parent entity, is a more recent formation as of January 2025.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the User Experience (UX) team, which is part of the larger Digital Experience, Design and Content (DEDC) organization.

• Reports to the Sr. Manager of User Experience, indicating a clear reporting hierarchy within the UX function.

Methodology:

• A strong emphasis on user-centered design principles, translating business and customer needs into digital solutions.

• Commitment to leveraging AI and data-driven insights to personalize and enhance digital experiences.

• Focus on creating scalable and future-state digital products.

• Adherence to a hybrid workplace model that balances intentional in-person collaboration with flexibility.

• Values honesty, humanity, and courage, fostering a culture of integrity, empathy, and ambitious goal achievement.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to "create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable" provides a strong guiding principle for the UX strategy. The recent formation of Ascendiun as a parent entity suggests a period of integration and strategic alignment across its subsidiaries, which could present both opportunities and complexities for strategic roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Principal Individual Contributor. This level denotes a senior expert who is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, shape strategic direction, and serve as a thought leader. The focus is on deep expertise and strategic impact rather than direct people management, though mentorship is expected.

Reporting Structure: The Principal Digital UX Strategist will report to the Sr. Manager of User Experience. This indicates a clear line of reporting within the UX hierarchy, with opportunities to work alongside other senior strategists and designers.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on the company's ability to deliver effective, personalized, and modern digital experiences to its core stakeholders (members, providers, employers, prospects). By shaping future-state digital products and influencing product strategy, this role contributes directly to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the overall success of Blue Shield of California's digital transformation initiatives. The focus on AI-enabled solutions also positions the role at the forefront of technological innovation within the company.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Opportunity to take on increasingly complex strategic initiatives, potentially leading larger cross-functional strategy definition efforts or influencing strategy for multiple product lines within Ascendiun.

• Specialization in AI/Emerging Tech: Deepen expertise in applying AI and other emerging technologies to UX strategy, becoming a go-to expert for innovation within the DEDC organization.

• Mentorship & Influence: Grow influence within the organization by mentoring junior UX professionals, contributing to the development of UX best practices, and championing user-centered design across the enterprise.

• Potential for Management: While primarily an individual contributor role, demonstrated leadership and strategic success could open doors to future management opportunities within the UX or product strategy domain, depending on organizational needs and individual career aspirations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Principal" title signifies a high level of individual contribution and strategic influence. Growth opportunities are framed around expanding this influence, deepening specialized expertise, and potentially moving into leadership roles, aligning with a typical career path for senior individual contributors.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid workplace model, requiring intentional in-person interaction, collaboration, connection, creativity, and flexibility. This means dedicated office space designed for collaborative work, meetings, and focused individual work, balanced with remote work capabilities.

Office Location(s): The primary location for this role is San Diego, California. Specific office details would be relevant for candidates to understand commute and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is intended for purposeful collaboration, team building, and creative brainstorming sessions.

• Technology-Enabled: Access to necessary digital tools, collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized UX/design software and hardware.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities to interact directly with peers, managers, and stakeholders from product, engineering, marketing, and other departments, fostering a connected and integrated work environment.

Work Schedule:

• The role operates within a standard 40-hour workweek.

• The hybrid model allows for flexibility, with employees typically expected in the office two days per week. Employees living more than 50 miles away or in specific roles may have adjusted in-office expectations negotiated with their manager.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, emphasizing a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. This will be a significant factor for candidates evaluating work-life integration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, focusing on strategic case studies that demonstrate end-to-end experience definition, problem-solving, and impact. Be prepared to articulate your strategic process and decision-making.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your strategic thinking, leadership style, experience with complex journeys, and understanding of AI-enabled solutions.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Discussions with peers and stakeholders from product management, engineering, or other relevant departments to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to influence.

• Executive/Leadership Interview: A final interview with senior leadership to evaluate strategic vision, cultural fit, and alignment with company values and long-term goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Strategy, Not Just Design: Highlight your strategic thought process, how you identified problems, defined solutions, and influenced outcomes. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your case studies.

• Showcase End-to-End Thinking: Present projects that demonstrate your ability to envision and map complete user journeys across multiple platforms and touchpoints.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the positive impact of your strategic work (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user satisfaction, reduced operational costs, enhanced efficiency).

• Explain Your Process: Be ready to discuss your methodology for strategy development, user research, stakeholder alignment, and how you incorporated AI or personalization.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with the requirements of defining strategy for complex member, provider, and employer journeys in a healthcare context, and highlight any experience with AI-enabled solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential case study exercises or scenario-based questions that require you to think strategically about a given UX challenge within the healthcare domain.

• Practice articulating complex strategies concisely and persuasively.

• Familiarize yourself with Blue Shield of California's mission, values, and current digital initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess strategic thinking, collaboration, and impact. A strong portfolio that emphasizes strategic outcomes and a well-articulated process will be crucial for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for advanced prototyping and collaborative design. Expect to demonstrate proficiency in creating high-fidelity, interactive prototypes.

• User Experience Design & Prototyping Software: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other tools in the UX design ecosystem (e.g., Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision) may be beneficial.

• Collaboration Platforms: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for project management, documentation, and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Tools: Experience with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics for understanding user behavior, tracking KPIs, and informing strategy.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for surveys, user testing, and feedback collection.

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret and present data using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or built-in platform dashboards.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not the primary focus, understanding how UX strategy integrates with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for personalized member/provider experiences is valuable.

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with platforms like Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is explicitly mentioned as preferred, indicating its importance in the digital ecosystem.

• Web Development Frameworks: Familiarity with front-end technologies such as Angular and understanding of mobile application development (iOS/Android) is preferred, enabling better collaboration with engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, AEM, and Angular highlights key technologies. The role requires a strategic understanding of how UX integrates with these platforms and analytics tools to deliver cohesive, data-informed experiences.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Honest: Upholding the highest ethical standards in strategy development and stakeholder interactions; building trust through transparency.

• Human: Demonstrating empathy in understanding diverse user needs (member, provider, employer) and communicating strategies effectively to various audiences.

• Courageous: Taking initiative to define ambitious digital experience strategies, championing user needs even when challenging existing paradigms, and driving hard work to achieve strategic goals.

• Data-Driven: Utilizing data and analytics to inform strategic decisions, measure impact, and advocate for user-centered design principles.

• Collaborative: Fostering strong partnerships across product, engineering, marketing, and business teams to ensure integrated and effective digital solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Strategic Partnership: Working closely with Product Managers to align UX strategy with product roadmaps and business objectives.

• Design & Engineering Alignment: Collaborating with UX designers and engineers to translate strategic vision into tangible, implementable digital experiences.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Regularly communicating strategy, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership and cross-functional teams to gain buy-in and drive alignment.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing expertise and best practices with other team members to elevate the overall UX capability within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values (Honest, Human, Courageous) are directly integrated into how an operations professional would embody them in their role. The emphasis is on strategic collaboration and influencing outcomes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Stakeholder Needs: Balancing the diverse and potentially conflicting needs of members, providers, employers, and internal business units within a large, regulated industry.

• Driving Strategic Alignment: Ensuring consistent adoption and implementation of the defined UX strategy across various product teams and digital initiatives.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Strategically embedding AI into digital experiences in a way that is genuinely beneficial to users and scalable for the organization, avoiding superficial implementation.

• Adapting to Healthcare Dynamics: Staying abreast of regulatory changes, industry trends, and evolving member expectations within the dynamic healthcare landscape.

• Balancing Innovation with Scalability: Developing cutting-edge digital experiences while ensuring they are robust, scalable, and maintainable within the existing technology infrastructure.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Conferences & Forums: Opportunities to attend leading UX strategy and digital health conferences to stay current with best practices and emerging trends.

• Specialized Training: Access to training programs focused on AI in UX, advanced service design, or specific digital health technologies.

• Internal Mentorship: Learning from senior leaders within Blue Shield of California and the broader Ascendiun Family of Companies, and mentoring junior colleagues.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining deeper insights into various business functions (e.g., product management, marketing, clinical operations) through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexities of working in a large, regulated industry like healthcare, with a focus on strategic decision-making and technological integration. Growth opportunities are tied to deepening expertise and expanding influence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed an end-to-end experience strategy for a complex digital product. What was your process, what were the key challenges, and what was the measurable impact?" (Focus on articulating your strategic framework, problem-solving, and outcome-based results).

• "How do you translate business goals and user needs into cohesive, scalable digital solutions, particularly when considering AI integration?" (Prepare to discuss your methodology for synthesis, strategic planning, and how you approach AI implementation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Blue Shield of California's mission and how do you see your UX strategy contributions aligning with it?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent initiatives. Connect your passion for user experience to their goals.)

• "How do you foster collaboration and influence stakeholders across different departments, especially when advocating for user-centered strategies?" (Prepare examples of successful cross-functional collaboration and influencing strategies.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around 2-3 key strategic projects that best showcase your end-to-end experience definition, AI/scalability considerations, and influence on product strategy.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach, the key decisions and trade-offs, the solutions you championed, and the quantifiable results.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Emphasize why you made certain strategic choices, not just what you designed. Highlight your role as a thought leader and strategist.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, and how you would apply your experience to Blue Shield of California's specific context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and a clear understanding of the impact of UX strategy on business outcomes, especially within the healthcare context and with an eye towards AI.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Strategy position:

• Submit your application through the Oracle Cloud candidate portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature 2-3 strategic case studies that best align with defining end-to-end experience strategies for complex digital products, particularly those involving AI. Ensure your process and quantifiable impact are clearly articulated.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 10+ years of experience in UX strategy, product strategy influence, AI-enabled solutions, and proficiency in tools like Figma. Use keywords from the job description and emphasize achievements with metrics.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your strategic methodologies, problem-solving approaches, and collaboration skills. Prepare to discuss your understanding of the healthcare industry and how you would contribute to Blue Shield of California's mission.

• Company Research: Deeply research Blue Shield of California's mission, values, recent news, and digital presence. Understand their commitment to innovation and customer experience to better tailor your responses and demonstrate cultural fit.

⚠️ 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.

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