Head of UX

Nexthink
Full-time•Lausanne, Switzerland

šŸ“ Job Overview

Job Title: Head of UX

Company: Nexthink

Location: Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Leadership / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-02-27T14:37:51.866

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: On-site

šŸš€ Role Summary

  • Lead end-to-end user experience strategy and execution for a complex B2B SaaS platform, driving adoption, retention, and revenue.

  • Partner closely with CPO, Engineering leadership, and Go-To-Market (GTM) stakeholders to shape product strategy and accelerate product momentum.

  • Champion and build AI-driven product experiences, with a deep focus on agentic experiences, human-AI collaboration, trust, and explainability.

  • Critically assess, evolve, and scale the existing UX, Product, and Research organization, focusing on pragmatic improvements in skills, structure, process, and culture.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as an executive-level UX leader, implying significant strategic influence and responsibility for the overall product design vision and team development within Nexthink's B2B SaaS offering. The emphasis on "AI-forward" and "agentic experiences" indicates a need for a leader who can not only manage but also innovate in cutting-edge product development paradigms.

šŸ“ˆ Primary Responsibilities

  • Define and execute the end-to-end user experience strategy for Nexthink's B2B SaaS platform, aligning with business objectives and customer needs.

  • Collaborate with Product Management and Engineering leadership to influence product roadmap, prioritization, and delivery, ensuring UX is a core driver of product success.

  • Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing, multidisciplinary UX team, including senior design leaders, product designers, user researchers, and content strategists.

  • Drive the adoption and evolution of UX best practices, design systems, and research methodologies across the product development lifecycle.

  • Develop and articulate a clear design philosophy and product vision, representing UX externally to customers, partners, analysts, and at industry events.

  • Champion the integration of AI into product design, focusing on creating intuitive, trustworthy, and effective agentic experiences that enhance human-AI collaboration.

  • Critically evaluate the current UX and Research organization, identifying skill gaps, structural inefficiencies, and process bottlenecks, and implement pragmatic solutions for improvement.

  • Foster a culture of continuous learning, experimentation, and data-informed decision-making within the UX team.

  • Ensure UX decisions directly contribute to key business metrics such as user adoption, customer retention, product differentiation, and overall revenue growth.

  • Operate effectively within a global, multicultural organization, influencing stakeholders and driving alignment without relying solely on hierarchical authority.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a leader who is both a strategic visionary and a hands-on operator. The role requires not only leadership in design and research but also a deep understanding of how UX impacts business outcomes, particularly in the context of AI-driven B2B SaaS products.

šŸŽ“ Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, an advanced degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for executive-level UX leadership roles.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in UX/Product Design, with significant leadership experience in enterprise B2B SaaS environments.

Required Skills:

  • Proven ability to build, scale, and develop high-performing UX and Product Design teams.

  • Demonstrated experience defining and executing design strategy for complex, data-rich platforms serving enterprise customers.

  • Strong systems-thinking mindset, with experience designing across multi-product ecosystems and platform architectures.

  • Deep understanding of user research methodologies, design systems, prototyping, and data-informed decision-making.

  • Experience partnering closely with Product Management and Engineering to influence roadmap, prioritization, and delivery.

  • Strong executive presence with the ability to represent design vision internally and externally with customers and industry stakeholders.

  • High integrity, strong commercial awareness, and a customer-centric mindset.

  • Comfort operating within a global, multicultural organization and influencing without relying on hierarchy.

  • Ability to challenge assumptions constructively and bring fresh external perspectives.

Preferred Skills:

  • Hands-on experience building AI-driven products, with a clear point of view on UX for AI agents, automation, and human-in-the-loop systems.

  • Experience designing for "agentic" experiences, focusing on orchestration, trust, explainability, control, and human-AI collaboration.

  • Experience in enterprise or employee-facing products, especially in data-rich or complex domains.

  • Active embrace of AI in personal ways of working (design, research, prototyping, iteration, collaboration).

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of strategic leadership, technical acumen in UX, and specific experience with complex B2B SaaS products, particularly those incorporating AI. The "10+ years" requirement signals a senior leadership position demanding substantial experience in scaling teams and influencing product strategy.

šŸ“Š Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrate a track record of successfully leading and scaling UX/Product Design teams in a B2B SaaS environment.

  • Showcase strategic leadership in defining and executing design visions for complex, data-rich platforms.

  • Provide examples of how UX decisions have directly driven key business metrics like adoption, retention, differentiation, and revenue.

  • Include case studies illustrating experience with AI-driven products, agentic experiences, and human-AI collaboration.

Process Documentation:

  • Illustrate experience in critically assessing and evolving existing UX/Research organizations, detailing methodologies for identifying gaps (skills, structure, process, culture) and implementing pragmatic solutions.

  • Showcase proficiency in User Research methodologies, Design Systems, and Prototyping, with examples of how these were applied to drive product improvements.

  • Provide examples of close collaboration with Product Management and Engineering leadership, demonstrating influence on roadmaps, prioritization, and delivery processes.

  • Document your approach to mentoring and developing senior design leaders and multidisciplinary UX teams.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Candidates will likely be asked to present a portfolio that not only showcases design output but also strategic leadership, team scaling capabilities, and a deep understanding of how UX impacts business outcomes, especially in the context of AI and complex B2B platforms.

šŸ’µ Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Head of UX/VP UX roles in Switzerland with 10+ years of experience in B2B SaaS and AI product leadership, a competitive annual salary range is estimated between CHF 180,000 - CHF 250,000. This range can vary based on specific experience, negotiation, and the candidate's precise skills in AI product development and team scaling.

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

  • Generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick leave).

  • Retirement savings plan (e.g., pension fund contributions).

  • Stock options or equity participation in a growing tech company.

  • Professional development budget for conferences, training, and certifications.

  • Relocation assistance for candidates moving to Lausanne, Switzerland.

  • Support for alternate Nexthink Hub locations (Madrid, London, Paris) if applicable to the candidate's situation.

  • Potential for hybrid work arrangements, balancing on-site collaboration with remote flexibility.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility often provided. The role's executive nature may require additional hours during critical project phases or strategic initiatives.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry data for senior UX leadership roles in Switzerland, considering the company's tech sector presence and the specialized nature of AI product experience. Benefits are standard for executive roles in multinational tech companies.

šŸŽÆ Team & Company Context

šŸ¢ Company Culture

Industry: Software (Digital Employee Experience Management Software)

Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees (Based on LinkedIn data for Nexthink)

Founded: 2004 (Based on LinkedIn data for Nexthink)

Team Structure:

  • The Head of UX will lead a multidisciplinary UX team, likely comprising product designers, user researchers, UX writers, and potentially design operations specialists.

  • This role reports directly to the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and will work in close partnership with Engineering leadership and GTM stakeholders.

Methodology:

  • Nexthink emphasizes data-driven insights to improve digital employee experiences, suggesting a strong reliance on analytics, user feedback, and performance metrics in their product development.

  • The company's focus on "proactive optimization" implies a methodology that prioritizes foresight, systemic problem-solving, and continuous improvement over reactive fixes.

  • With a "Head of UX" role emphasizing AI, expect a methodology that integrates AI tools for design, research, and product development to enhance efficiency and innovation.

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

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Nexthink is a leader in a specialized but growing market (Digital Employee Experience - DEX). The company's dual headquarters and global presence suggest a dynamic, international culture. The emphasis on innovation, data, and AI indicates a forward-thinking approach to product development.

šŸ“ˆ Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at the Executive/Senior Leadership level, specifically within the Product Development function. It is responsible for a critical aspect of product strategy and execution, directly impacting the company's success in a competitive B2B SaaS market. The scope includes managing a team, defining strategy, and influencing C-suite decisions.

Reporting Structure: The Head of UX will report to the Chief Product Officer (CPO). They will work in close alignment with Engineering leadership and other key GTM stakeholders, indicating a highly collaborative and integrated product development environment.

Operations Impact: The UX leader's decisions will have a profound impact on Nexthink's ability to acquire new customers, retain existing ones, differentiate its product in the market, and ultimately drive revenue. By optimizing the digital employee experience, the role directly contributes to customer satisfaction, product adoption, and competitive advantage.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Strategic Leadership Expansion: Potential to influence broader product strategy beyond UX, contributing to the company's overall technology and innovation direction.

  • Team and Department Growth: Opportunity to significantly scale and mature the UX function, potentially expanding into new areas like Design Operations or advanced UX research for AI.

  • Industry Influence: As a leader in AI-driven UX for B2B SaaS, there's potential to become a thought leader, speaking at industry events and contributing to the advancement of UX practices in AI.

  • Executive Advancement: For exceptional performance, potential for advancement to higher executive roles within Product or even broader organizational leadership.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: This role offers significant strategic influence and the opportunity to shape the future of a critical product area. Growth is tied to both the expanding scope of the UX function and the candidate's ability to drive business outcomes through design innovation, particularly in the AI space.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is primarily on-site in Lausanne, Switzerland, with potential support for relocation or consideration of alternate Nexthink Hub locations (Madrid, London, Paris). This suggests a commitment to in-person collaboration, team building, and fostering a strong office culture.

Office Location(s):

  • Primary: Lausanne, Switzerland (Dual HQ with Boston)

Workspace Context:

  • The emphasis on an on-site role indicates a collaborative environment where face-to-face interaction, brainstorming, and spontaneous problem-solving are valued.

  • As a leader, the workspace will likely involve a mix of personal workspace, meeting rooms for team and cross-functional collaboration, and presentation areas for sharing design visions and strategy.

  • Access to Nexthink's internal tools and technologies, including those supporting AI-driven product development and UX research, will be critical.

Work Schedule: While standard full-time hours (approx. 40/week) are expected, executive leadership roles often require flexibility to meet business demands, such as critical project deadlines, strategic planning sessions, and international stakeholder meetings. The role's hybrid potential suggests some flexibility may be available, but the core expectation is on-site presence.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement for Lausanne, with potential flexibility for other hubs, indicates a preference for collaborative work. This environment is conducive to rapid iteration, team cohesion, and direct engagement with product and engineering counterparts.

šŸ“„ Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, alignment with company culture, and relocation/visa considerations.

  • Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the CPO or another senior leader to delve into strategic vision, leadership philosophy, and alignment with Nexthink's product goals.

  • Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key Product and Engineering leaders to assess collaboration style, systems thinking, and ability to influence cross-functional teams. This may include discussions on AI product development strategies.

  • Portfolio Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their professional portfolio, showcasing strategic leadership, team scaling, and impactful design work, particularly related to B2B SaaS and AI.

  • Executive/Final Round: Meetings with other C-suite executives or senior leaders to evaluate overall fit, strategic contribution, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Focus on Strategy & Impact: Showcase how your UX leadership has driven tangible business outcomes (adoption, retention, revenue) rather than just individual design projects.

  • Highlight AI & Agentic Experience: Dedicate significant focus to case studies demonstrating your expertise in designing AI-driven products, human-AI collaboration, and agentic experiences.

  • Showcase Team Scaling: Provide evidence of your ability to build, mentor, and scale high-performing UX teams, including examples of developing senior leaders.

  • Demonstrate Systems Thinking: Illustrate your capacity to design for complex, multi-product ecosystems and platform architectures.

  • Articulate Your Vision: Be prepared to clearly articulate your design philosophy, your approach to evolving UX organizations, and your vision for the future of UX at Nexthink.

  • Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your leadership style, decision-making process, handling of challenges, and how you integrate AI into your own work.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Be ready for a strategic challenge, possibly involving assessing a hypothetical UX problem within a B2B SaaS context or outlining a plan to evolve an existing UX organization.

  • Prepare to discuss how you would approach integrating advanced AI features into a product like Nexthink's, focusing on user trust, control, and explainability.

  • Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, demonstrating strategic thinking and pragmatic problem-solving.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The interview process for an executive role like this will be rigorous, focusing heavily on strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and specific experience relevant to Nexthink's product and market. The portfolio presentation is a key opportunity to demonstrate strategic impact and AI expertise.

šŸ›  Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Axure RP (or similar advanced prototyping tools for complex workflows and AI interactions).

  • User Research: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Dovetail (for qualitative and quantitative data synthesis).

  • Design Systems: Knowledge and experience with building and maintaining robust design systems (e.g., Storybook, custom-built systems).

  • AI/ML Tools: Familiarity with AI/ML platforms and tools that can be integrated into UX workflows or product development (e.g., AI-powered design assistants, data analysis tools for AI model performance).

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, Pendo (for tracking user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion funnels).

  • BI Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (for creating dashboards and reporting on UX metrics and business impact).

  • A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO (for data-driven experimentation and optimization).

CRM & Automation:

  • CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot (understanding how UX impacts CRM data and sales/marketing processes).

  • Project Management & Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams (essential for cross-functional team collaboration and workflow management).

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The technology stack reflects the needs of a modern B2B SaaS company, with a strong emphasis on design, research, analytics, and collaboration. The inclusion of AI/ML tools highlights the company's forward-thinking approach and the expectation for the Head of UX to be adept in this domain.

šŸ‘„ Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of enterprise customers, ensuring that UX decisions directly translate to improved Digital Employee Experiences.

  • Innovation & AI Forwardness: A proactive embrace of new technologies, particularly AI, and a drive to pioneer new ways of working and building products.

  • Data-Driven Decision Making: A culture where insights from user research and product analytics are paramount in guiding strategy and design choices.

  • Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and strong partnerships across Product, Engineering, and GTM teams, fostering a shared sense of ownership and purpose.

  • Pragmatism & Impact: A results-oriented approach that balances design quality with speed and business impact, focusing on delivering measurable value.

  • Continuous Improvement: A commitment to constantly learning, evolving processes, and raising the bar for UX excellence.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-functional Integration: The Head of UX will be a key integrator, working closely with Product Management to define strategy and with Engineering to ensure effective execution.

  • Partnership with Leadership: A collaborative relationship with the CPO and Engineering leadership, characterized by mutual respect, constructive challenge, and shared goals.

  • Team Empowerment: Fostering an environment where the UX team feels empowered to contribute ideas, experiment, and take ownership of their work.

  • External Engagement: Actively engaging with customers, partners, and industry peers to gather insights, build relationships, and represent Nexthink's design vision.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Nexthink's culture appears to value innovation, data, and customer focus, with a strong emphasis on collaboration within a global team. The Head of UX will be instrumental in embedding these values within the UX function and ensuring they translate into exceptional product experiences, especially in the AI domain.

⚔ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Scaling a Mature Organization: Critically assessing and pragmatically evolving an existing UX/Research organization to meet future demands, especially concerning AI, without causing disruption.

  • Leading in AI Product Development: Navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in product design, including ethical considerations, explainability, and building trust in agentic experiences.

  • Balancing Strategic Vision with Execution: Ensuring that high-level strategic goals are translated into actionable design plans and delivered effectively by the team.

  • Influencing Without Hierarchy: Effectively driving UX quality and AI integration across a global, cross-functional organization where direct authority may be limited.

  • Demonstrating ROI of UX/AI: Quantifying and communicating the business impact of sophisticated UX and AI initiatives to executive stakeholders.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Deepening AI Expertise: Opportunities to immerse in cutting-edge AI research and its application in UX, potentially through dedicated R&D efforts or partnerships.

  • Strategic Product Leadership: Developing broader product strategy skills by closely partnering with the CPO and other C-suite executives.

  • Global Team Management: Honing skills in leading and developing diverse, international teams in a fast-paced tech environment.

  • Industry Thought Leadership: Potential to become a recognized voice in the field of AI-driven UX for B2B SaaS through speaking engagements and publications.

  • Executive Skill Development: Access to executive coaching or leadership development programs to further enhance strategic and operational capabilities.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant, reflecting the complexity of leading UX for a sophisticated B2B SaaS product with a strong AI focus. The growth opportunities are equally substantial, offering a path for significant career advancement and industry impact.

šŸ’” Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe your approach to assessing and evolving an existing UX/Research organization. What key metrics would you use to measure success?"

    • Preparation: Prepare a framework for organizational assessment (skills, structure, process, culture) and outline pragmatic steps for improvement. Have examples of metrics (e.g., team velocity, research impact, design system adoption, employee satisfaction).
  • "How would you define and champion UX for 'agentic' AI experiences within a B2B SaaS product like Nexthink's? What are the critical UX considerations for human-AI collaboration?"

    • Preparation: Articulate your POV on AI UX, focusing on trust, transparency, control, and user agency. Use examples of successful AI integrations and potential pitfalls. Discuss how to design for seamless human-AI teamwork.
  • "Walk us through a time you significantly influenced product strategy with UX insights. What was the outcome, and how did you measure success?"

    • Preparation: Select a powerful case study that demonstrates your strategic thinking, ability to leverage data/research, and impact on business metrics. Focus on the negotiation and collaboration process.

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What excites you most about Nexthink's mission and its position in the Digital Employee Experience market?"

    • Preparation: Research Nexthink's product, market position, recent news, and company values. Connect your passion for UX and AI to their mission.
  • "How do you foster a collaborative and innovative culture within a distributed/global UX team?"

    • Preparation: Share specific strategies for remote/hybrid team engagement, knowledge sharing, and building psychological safety. Highlight your experience with multicultural teams.
  • "How do you measure the ROI of UX initiatives, particularly those involving complex AI features?"

    • Preparation: Prepare to discuss a range of metrics from direct business impact (adoption, retention, revenue) to indirect benefits (efficiency, satisfaction, NPS). Be ready to discuss A/B testing, data analysis, and linking UX to financial outcomes.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure for Impact: Begin with an executive summary of your leadership philosophy and key achievements. Then, dive into 2-3 deep case studies that showcase strategic leadership, team scaling, and significant UX impact, with a strong emphasis on B2B SaaS and AI.

  • Quantify Everything: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach, the actions taken by your team, and the measurable business outcomes. Use data visualizations where appropriate.

  • Showcase AI Expertise: Ensure at least one case study prominently features your experience with AI-driven products, agentic experiences, or human-AI collaboration. Explain the specific UX challenges and solutions.

  • Highlight Leadership: Weave in examples of how you built, mentored, and scaled your teams, developed leaders, and fostered a positive UX culture throughout your presentations.

  • Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, decision-making, and challenges faced in each project.

šŸ“ Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, a deep understanding of B2B SaaS UX, and specific expertise in AI product development. The portfolio presentation is key to showcasing this expertise and impact.

šŸ“Œ Application Steps

To apply for this Head of UX position:

  • Submit your application through the Nexthink careers portal via the provided link.

  • Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your experience in B2B SaaS UX leadership, team scaling, and particularly your work with AI-driven products and agentic experiences. Select case studies that demonstrate direct impact on business metrics like adoption, retention, and revenue.

  • Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 10+ years of progressive UX/Product Design experience, emphasizing leadership roles, team management, strategic contributions, and any specific achievements related to AI product development or complex platform design. Use keywords like "B2B SaaS," "AI-driven products," "agentic experiences," "product strategy," and "team scaling."

  • Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, design vision, and approach to AI UX. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to present your portfolio confidently, focusing on strategic impact and quantifiable results.

  • Company Research: Deeply research Nexthink's products, market position, company culture, and recent news. Understand their approach to Digital Employee Experience (DEX) and their commitment to AI. Prepare thoughtful questions about the company, the team, and the strategic direction of UX.

āš ļø 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.

Application Requirements

Candidates must possess 10+ years of progressive experience in UX/Product Design, including significant leadership in enterprise B2B SaaS environments, with a proven track record of scaling high-performing teams. A strong systems thinker is required, capable of critically assessing and evolving existing UX organizations while demonstrating deep conviction in designing for AI-driven and agentic experiences.