Experience Design Director (UI/ UX) at AKQA

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Experience Design Director (UI/ UX) Company: AKQA Location: Gurgaon, Haryana, India Job Type: Full-Time Category: Design Leadership / User Experience Operations Date Posted: August 20, 2025 Experience Level: 10+ Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

Lead and mentor Experience Design teams, fostering a culture of innovation, creativity, and high-quality output aligned with AKQA's mission and values.
Act as a senior design custodian for clients, providing strategic guidance and challenging conventional thinking to drive impactful digital experiences.
Champion human-centered design (HCD) principles and user experience (UX) best practices across all projects, ensuring user needs and business goals are met.
Drive growth for the creative practice in India by representing AKQA's design capabilities and contributing to new business development initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior leadership opportunity within AKQA's design practice. While not explicitly labeled "Revenue Operations" or "Sales Operations," the emphasis on client relationships, driving business growth, and leading creative output positions it within a strategic operational capacity for the design and client services functions. The "operations" aspect is in managing and optimizing the creative delivery process and client engagement lifecycle.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Lead, inspire, and nurture project teams and direct reports, guiding them to deliver their best work through hands-on practice and mentorship.
Serve as the senior-most creative leader for the studio, driving the design and creative practice by establishing best practices, demonstrating thought leadership, and delivering impactful creative output and storytelling.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary project teams to create innovative solutions, ensuring seamless integration of design with technology, strategy, and other disciplines.
Act as an escalation point for UX and Design teams across multiple projects and accounts, ensuring quality, efficiency, and adherence to design standards.
Develop and maintain strong client relationships, acting as a trusted consultant and advocating for design excellence and strategic solutions.
Drive new business development initiatives, actively participating in client pitches and contributing to the growth of AKQA's creative practice in India.
Ensure project outcomes are of the highest quality, meeting both business objectives and user needs by championing human-centered design (HCD) and user experience (UX) principles.
Identify opportunities for quality improvement and efficiency gains through cross-discipline collaboration and the application of advanced design methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design direction, team management, and business development. The "operations" component is evident in managing project quality, team efficiency, and client engagement processes within the creative delivery framework.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic background in Design (e.g., Graphic Design, Interaction Design, HCI, Industrial Design), Digital Media, or a related field is highly advantageous.
Continuous learning and formal training in advanced design methodologies, leadership, and business strategy are expected.

Experience:

10+ years of progressive experience in Experience Design (UI/UX), with a significant portion in leadership roles managing design teams and client engagements.
Proven experience partnering with Fortune 500 companies to shape and deliver innovative, large-scale digital solutions.
Demonstrated experience in leading end-to-end experience design projects through discovery, definition, solution, and build phases.
Experience in defining and maintaining career development plans for direct reports, including regular check-ins and mentorship.

Required Skills:

Brand & Experience Strategy: Ability to define and articulate strategic design directions that align with brand identity and business objectives.
Concept Development & Ideation: Proven ability to generate innovative ideas and translate them into compelling design concepts.
Storytelling & Pitch Structuring: Expertise in crafting persuasive narratives and structuring presentations to effectively communicate design vision and value.
Information Architecture (IA): Deep understanding of organizing and structuring content for optimal user navigation and comprehension.
Interaction Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in designing intuitive user interactions and creating high-fidelity prototypes using industry-standard tools.
Interface Design (UI): Strong visual design skills and the ability to create aesthetically pleasing and functional user interfaces.
Digital Product Design Systems: Experience in developing and maintaining robust design systems for scalable digital products.
Product Roadmaps Definition: Ability to contribute to or define product roadmaps from a design perspective, aligning with business strategy.
Service Design: Understanding of service design principles to create seamless and holistic customer journeys.
Wireframing: Proficiency in creating low-fidelity wireframes to articulate layout, functionality, and user flow.
Workshop Facilitation: Skilled in leading workshops with clients and internal teams to drive collaboration, ideation, and problem-solving.
Visual Design: Exceptional aesthetic sensibility and mastery of visual design principles.
Figma & Adobe Creative Cloud: Hands-on expertise in industry-standard design and prototyping tools like Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite.
Accessibility Standards & Inclusive Design: Expertise in WCAG and inclusive design practices to ensure experiences are usable by all audiences.
Human-Centred Design (HCD): Championing and applying HCD principles throughout the design process.
User Experience (UX) Principles: Solid understanding and application of core UX principles.
Leadership & Mentoring: Ability to provide leadership, inspire teams, encourage creative thinking, and mentor direct reports.

Preferred Skills:

Landscape & Competitor Reviews: Ability to conduct thorough market and competitor analysis to inform design strategy.
Agile Methodologies: Experience consulting with clients and leading teams within agile frameworks.
Thought Leadership: Demonstrated ability to share insights and influence the design community and industry trends.
New Business Development: Active participation and contribution to client pitches and business growth initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills list is extensive, covering strategic, conceptual, technical, and leadership aspects of experience design. The emphasis on specific tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud, along with methodologies like HCD and accessibility standards, is critical for candidates to highlight.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Award-Winning Work: Showcase an award-winning portfolio that reflects world-class design execution and establishes you as a recognized industry leader.
Client Impact Case Studies: Present detailed case studies demonstrating your ability to shape innovative solutions at scale for Fortune 500 companies.
Process & Methodology Demonstration: Clearly articulate the design processes, methodologies (e.g., HCD, Agile), and tools used to achieve project outcomes.
ROI & Business Value: Illustrate how your design leadership has driven tangible business value, such as increased user engagement, conversion rates, or brand loyalty.
Strategic Thinking: Include examples of how you've translated business objectives and user needs into cohesive experience strategies and product roadmaps.

Process Documentation:

Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of how you've designed, documented, and optimized end-to-end experience design workflows.
System Implementation & Standards: Showcase experience in developing or contributing to digital product design systems and setting design standards.
Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate how you've measured the impact of design initiatives and used data to inform iterative improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is explicitly required, not just as a collection of work, but as a demonstration of leadership, strategic thinking, process execution, and quantifiable impact. Candidates should prepare to walk through their portfolio and discuss their role, the challenges, and the outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Estimated Range: ₹30,00,000 - ₹50,00,000 per annum (INR).
Explanation: This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior Design Directors (10+ years experience) in major Indian metropolitan areas like Gurgaon, considering the specialized skills in UI/UX, leadership, and client-facing responsibilities. AKQA is a global agency known for attracting top talent, which typically commands competitive compensation. The range accounts for variations in experience, specific client portfolio, and negotiation.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and potentially their dependents.
Retirement Savings Plan: Contributions to provident fund or similar retirement schemes as per Indian regulations.
Paid Time Off: Generous annual leave, sick leave, and public holidays.
Professional Development: Opportunities for training, workshops, conferences, and certifications to enhance skills in design, leadership, and strategy.
Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility with a hybrid approach, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work.
Employee Assistance Programs: Support services for personal and professional well-being.
Performance Bonuses: Potential for bonuses based on individual and company performance.
Global Collaboration: Opportunities to collaborate with international teams and work on diverse global projects.

Working Hours:

Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week.
The role may require flexibility to accommodate client needs, global team collaborations across different time zones, and project deadlines, especially during critical phases or new business pitches.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on location and seniority. Benefits are typical for a large, global agency and are expected to be competitive. The mention of a hybrid approach implies structure around in-office days, which candidates should clarify.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Marketing & Design / Technology Services / Advertising. AKQA operates at the intersection of technology, design, and marketing, creating innovative digital experiences for global brands. Company Size: AKQA is a large global agency. While specific employee numbers for the Gurgaon studio aren't provided, the company has a significant international presence, indicating a robust organizational structure and resources. This scale means opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and exposure to diverse projects. Founded: AKQA was founded in 2001. Its history reflects a commitment to innovation and a forward-thinking approach to digital transformation.

Team Structure:

Design Practice Leadership: The Director will be part of the Design Leadership Team, working alongside other discipline leads (e.g., Strategy, Technology, Creative).
Reporting Structure: The Director will likely report to a senior executive within AKQA India (e.g., Managing Director, Chief Creative Officer) and will manage a team of Experience Designers, UX Designers, and potentially UI Designers.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect close collaboration with strategists, technologists, project managers, account managers, and other creative disciplines to deliver integrated client solutions.

Methodology:

Human-Centred Design (HCD): A core methodology, emphasizing user needs and iterative design.
Agile Principles: Often applied to project management and delivery, promoting flexibility and rapid iteration.
Data-Driven Insights: Leveraging analytics and user research to inform design decisions and measure impact.
Design Thinking: A problem-solving framework that emphasizes empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: AKQA positions itself as a leader in digital innovation. The culture likely emphasizes creativity, collaboration, continuous learning, and a strong client focus. The size of the company offers significant opportunities for professional development and exposure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, equivalent to a Director or Head of Department within a specialized creative/design practice. It signifies a significant level of responsibility, strategic input, and team management. In operations terms, it's akin to managing a key delivery function. Reporting Structure: The Experience Design Director will report to senior leadership within AKQA India and will be responsible for managing and developing a team of designers. This structure allows for direct influence on the creative output and strategic direction of the studio. Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on AKQA's revenue and client satisfaction by ensuring the delivery of high-quality, innovative design solutions that meet client business objectives. The Director's ability to drive growth for the creative practice also directly contributes to the company's financial performance.

Growth Opportunities:

Strategic Leadership Expansion: Opportunity to influence AKQA's global design strategy, expand the scope of the practice, or move into broader executive leadership roles within the agency.
Mentorship & Talent Development: Developing and nurturing emerging talent within the design team, fostering a strong pipeline of future leaders.
Industry Recognition: Contributing to thought leadership, speaking engagements, and award submissions to build personal and company brand equity within the design industry.
Cross-Disciplinary Expertise: Deepening expertise in areas like service design, product strategy, and emerging technologies through project exposure and internal training.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant career acceleration path. The "operations" aspect relates to managing a critical service delivery function and contributing to the business's strategic growth, providing a clear trajectory for career advancement within a global agency structure.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Work Model. AKQA emphasizes that great work happens when teams are together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. This means there will be required in-office days. Office Location(s): Gurgaon, Haryana, India. This location is a major business hub, offering access to talent and a vibrant professional ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Spaces: The office environment is designed to encourage collaboration, ideation, and cross-functional interaction. Expect shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated project areas.
Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software, hardware, and collaborative platforms necessary for executing world-class digital experiences.
Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with design peers, cross-functional team members, and leadership, fostering a dynamic and supportive work atmosphere.

Work Schedule:

Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week).
Flexibility is expected to meet client demands and project timelines, which may involve occasional extended hours. The hybrid model allows for a balance between structured office time and personal work preferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model requires candidates to be comfortable with a structured approach to in-office presence, balancing collaboration with individual work. The Gurgaon office location places the role within a key Indian business center.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: HR or recruiting team to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
Portfolio Review & Presentation: A key stage where candidates present their portfolio, discussing their role, design process, strategic thinking, and project outcomes. Expect to elaborate on leadership and team management experience.
Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with senior leadership, peers from other disciplines (e.g., Strategy, Technology), and potentially direct reports to assess leadership style, collaboration skills, and strategic vision.
Client Case Study Discussion: Potential for a deeper dive into specific client projects, focusing on problem-solving, innovation, and impact.
Final Interview: Typically with a senior executive (e.g., Managing Director, CCO) to discuss overall fit, vision, and long-term contribution.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your leadership, strategic thinking, design craft, and ability to drive business impact. Include examples of work with Fortune 500 clients.
Structure for Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the client's challenge, your role and responsibilities, the design process employed, key decisions made, the solutions developed, and the measurable outcomes (ROI, user adoption, etc.).
Highlight Leadership: Emphasize your role in leading teams, mentoring designers, and influencing client stakeholders.
Showcase Process: Demonstrate your understanding and application of HCD, design thinking, and other relevant methodologies.
Practice Your Narrative: Be prepared to present your portfolio concisely and compellingly, anticipating questions about your contributions, challenges, and learnings.

Challenge Preparation:

Scenario-Based Questions: Be ready to discuss hypothetical scenarios related to team management, client challenges, conflicting priorities, or driving innovation within constraints.
Design Strategy Discussion: Prepare to articulate your approach to developing brand and experience strategies, defining product roadmaps, and leveraging design systems.
Leadership Philosophy: Think about your approach to leadership, team building, mentorship, and fostering a positive creative culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is rigorous and heavily focused on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and a proven track record through a portfolio. Candidates should prepare to articulate their "operations" of design – how they manage processes, teams, and client relationships to achieve business goals.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Figma: Essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and design system development. Proficiency in advanced features is expected.
Adobe Creative Cloud Suite: Including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign for visual design, asset creation, and more.
Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with tools like Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or Axure for creating interactive prototypes.
Collaboration Platforms: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for team communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

Web Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics for understanding user behavior and performance metrics.
User Research Platforms: Experience with tools for user surveys, interviews, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey).
Data Visualization Tools: Basic understanding of tools like Tableau or Power BI can be beneficial for interpreting data and presenting insights.

CRM & Automation:

While not primary design tools, an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms impact customer journeys can be valuable for context.
Project Management Software: Proficiency in tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for managing project timelines and tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis is on advanced design and prototyping tools. While direct experience with CRM or automation isn't listed as mandatory, understanding their role in the broader customer journey is a plus for strategic roles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Excellence & Craftsmanship: A commitment to delivering work of the highest quality and pushing creative boundaries.
Innovation: A drive to explore new ideas, technologies, and approaches to solve client challenges.
Collaboration: Fostering a team environment where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated.
Client Focus: Dedication to understanding and exceeding client expectations, building strong, trusted relationships.
Continuous Improvement: An ethos of learning, adapting, and refining processes to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
Diversity & Inclusion: Embodying a culture where everyone feels they belong and has equal opportunities to progress.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Disciplinary Integration: Seamlessly working with strategy, technology, and other creative teams to deliver holistic solutions.
Open Communication: Encouraging transparent and constructive feedback exchange within the team and with clients.
Proactive Engagement: Taking initiative to identify opportunities, solve problems, and support team members and clients.
Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in mentoring junior team members and sharing expertise across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: AKQA's culture is built around innovation, collaboration, and a high standard of creative output. The Director is expected to embody and promote these values, acting as a role model for the team and contributing to a positive and productive work environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Balancing Client Demands with Innovation: Ensuring client project delivery meets immediate needs while still allowing space for creative exploration and strategic innovation.
Managing Diverse Teams: Leading and motivating a team with varied skill sets, experience levels, and creative approaches, fostering a cohesive unit.
Staying Ahead of Trends: Continuously adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of digital design, technology, and user behavior.
Driving Growth: Expanding AKQA India's design practice and client base through proactive business development and showcasing capabilities.
Maintaining Quality at Scale: Ensuring consistent, high-quality output across multiple projects and client accounts simultaneously.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Leadership Development Programs: Access to internal and external training focused on executive leadership, strategic management, and team building.
Industry Conferences & Events: Opportunities to attend and potentially speak at leading design and technology conferences to stay abreast of trends and network.
Cross-Regional Collaboration: Engaging with AKQA's global network of talent and expertise, learning from international best practices.
Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific areas like AI-driven design, immersive experiences, or advanced service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant leadership challenges that are also opportunities for growth. Tackling these challenges effectively will be key to success and career advancement within AKQA.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"How would you approach developing an experience strategy for a new digital product for a client in the [specific industry] sector?"
"Describe your process for creating and managing a digital product design system."
"How do you ensure that user experience principles are integrated into every stage of a project, from discovery to delivery?"
"What is your approach to challenging a client's assumptions or providing difficult feedback while maintaining a strong relationship?"
"How would you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within your design team?"

Company & Culture Questions:

"What attracts you to AKQA, and how do your values align with our mission and values?"
"How would you contribute to AKQA India's growth and establish best practices for our design practice?"
"Describe your ideal team environment and how you foster collaboration among diverse skill sets."
"How do you measure the success and impact of your design leadership and your team's work?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Tell a Story: For each project, frame it as a narrative: the problem, the journey, the solution, and the impact.
Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the business value of your design contributions (e.g., increase in conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, efficiency gains).
Showcase Leadership: Explicitly discuss your role in leading teams, mentoring designers, and influencing stakeholders. Highlight instances where you advocated for user needs or challenged the status quo.
Discuss Process: Be prepared to detail the methodologies (HCD, Agile, etc.) and tools used, explaining why you chose them.
Anticipate Questions: Think about potential questions regarding your decision-making, challenges faced, and how you handled them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a command of design processes, strong leadership qualities, and a clear understanding of how design drives business outcomes. Candidates should also research AKQA's recent work and client portfolio to tailor their responses.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Experience Design Director position:

Submit your application through the provided link on the AKQA careers page.
Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight your leadership experience, strategic thinking, collaboration with Fortune 500 clients, and achievements in driving impactful digital experiences.
Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 10+ years of experience, leadership roles, and proficiency in key skills such as Brand Strategy, UX/UI, Service Design, and Team Management. Use keywords from the job description.
Interview Preparation: Practice your portfolio presentation, focusing on storytelling, quantifying impact, and articulating your leadership philosophy and operational approach to design. Prepare for scenario-based questions.
Company Research: Thoroughly research AKQA's work, clients, values, and recent news. Understand their position in the industry and prepare to discuss how your vision and skills align with their goals.

⚠️ 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.

Experience Design Director (UI/ UX)