Lead Digital UX UI Designer (Hybrid)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Digital UX UI Designer (Hybrid)

Company: Belk

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Digital Design & User Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-05T00:00:00

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic definition and implementation of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design for Belk's digital platforms, ensuring alignment with overarching business objectives and customer needs.

• Champion a data-driven approach to design, leveraging user research, analytics, and A/B testing to continuously optimize digital customer journeys and enhance conversion performance.

• Provide strong team leadership and mentorship for a team of UX designers, fostering professional growth, establishing best practices, and scaling UX capabilities across the organization.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Merchandising, Marketing, and Analytics teams to deliver intuitive, engaging, and high-performing digital experiences.

• Contribute directly to complex design challenges through hands-on work, creating wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and interaction designs that elevate the digital customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Lead, indicating significant responsibility for strategic direction, team management, and driving operational excellence within the digital design function. The emphasis on "digital customer experience" and "conversion performance" strongly suggests a revenue-generating focus, aligning it with revenue operations principles. The hybrid nature implies a need for strong self-management and effective remote collaboration skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and champion the User Experience (UX) vision and strategy for Belk's digital platforms, ensuring seamless integration with business goals and customer-centric principles.

• Establish, maintain, and advocate for UX standards, frameworks, and best practices across the organization to ensure design consistency and quality.

• Lead, mentor, and coach a team of UX designers, providing constructive feedback, supporting career development, and fostering a collaborative and innovative design environment.

• Oversee the creation of wireframes, user flows, interaction designs, and prototypes for complex UX challenges, ensuring intuitive and engaging user journeys.

• Drive a culture of continuous optimization by utilizing experimentation, user research, and data analytics to identify friction points and implement data-driven design solutions.

• Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to translate business requirements into high-quality, user-centered digital experiences within an Agile framework.

• Collaborate effectively with Merchandising, Marketing, and Analytics teams to enhance the overall customer journey, improve conversion rates, and drive business outcomes.

• Facilitate workshops, design reviews, and user testing sessions to validate design concepts and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.

• Communicate complex design concepts, strategies, and decisions clearly and persuasively to diverse stakeholders, including executive leadership.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of design systems, ensuring scalability, consistency, and efficiency across digital touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed highlight a blend of strategic leadership, team management, and hands-on design execution. The emphasis on "UX strategy," "standards," "best practices," and "continuous optimization" points to a strong operational component, requiring the lead to not only design but also to build and refine the processes and systems that govern design work within Belk's digital ecosystem.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead-level UX/UI position.

Experience: 7-9 years of progressive experience in UX design, product design, or digital experience design, with a significant portion focused on leading initiatives for large-scale digital products or e-commerce platforms.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to define and champion UX strategy and vision for digital platforms.

• Expertise in creating wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and interaction designs that solve complex user problems.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating a user-centered design approach, problem-solving skills, and successful project outcomes.

• Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar.

• Demonstrated experience in leading, mentoring, and developing a team of UX designers.

• Excellent stakeholder communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the e-commerce or retail environments, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within these sectors.

• Familiarity with A/B testing, experimentation frameworks, and data-driven design methodologies for continuous improvement.

• Experience in building, maintaining, or scaling design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Knowledge of user research methodologies and usability testing best practices.

• Understanding of information architecture principles for complex digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "Strong portfolio demonstrating user-centered design and problem solving" is critical for operations roles. This is where candidates can showcase their ability to not just create designs, but to implement processes, measure impact, and drive tangible business outcomes through their work. The preference for e-commerce and A/B testing experience further emphasizes the operational and performance-driven nature of this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing complex UX/UI design challenges, ideally from large-scale digital or e-commerce projects.

• For each case study, clearly articulate the initial problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process followed (including research, ideation, prototyping, and testing), and the final solution.

• Quantify the impact of your designs with measurable success metrics, such as improvements in user satisfaction (e.g., NPS, CSAT), conversion rates, task completion times, engagement, or reduction in support tickets.

• Highlight experience with design systems, demonstrating understanding of their creation, implementation, and maintenance for consistency and scalability.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to document and standardize UX/UI design processes, including workshop facilitation, design review protocols, and user research methodologies.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or led the adoption of best practices and frameworks within a design team or organization.

• Illustrate your approach to leveraging data and analytics to inform design decisions and measure the effectiveness of implemented solutions.

• Showcase experience with cross-functional process integration, particularly how UX/UI design collaborates with Product, Engineering, and Marketing throughout the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead role, the portfolio should not just display design work but also demonstrate the candidate's ability to operationalize design processes, manage projects, and drive measurable business results. The emphasis on "quantify the impact" and "measurable success metrics" is crucial for operations roles where ROI and efficiency are paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead Digital UX/UI Designer with 7-9 years of experience in a major US metropolitan area like Charlotte, NC, and considering the hybrid work model, the estimated salary range is $120,000 - $160,000 annually. This estimate accounts for the blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design, and team management responsibilities.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Covering medical needs for employees and their families.

• Retirement Savings Plan (e.g., 401(k)) with Company Match: Aiding long-term financial planning and wealth building.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Including vacation days, sick leave, and paid holidays, promoting work-life balance.

• Employee Discount Programs: Offering reduced prices on Belk merchandise, a significant perk for retail employees.

• Professional Development Opportunities: Including training, workshops, conferences, and tuition reimbursement for continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Hybrid Work Flexibility: Allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work, enhancing work-life integration.

• Life Insurance and Disability Coverage: Providing financial security for employees and their beneficiaries.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement requiring a certain number of days in the Charlotte office (specific days to be confirmed with the hiring manager). Flexibility may be offered at the discretion of the manager, especially for focused design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on common compensation structures for Lead UX/UI designers in comparable markets and experience levels. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific qualifications, interview performance, and Belk's internal compensation bands. The benefits listed are standard for a large retail organization and are tailored to support employee well-being and professional growth, which are key considerations for attracting and retaining talent in operations-focused roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (Department Store). Belk operates within the highly competitive and rapidly evolving retail sector, with a significant focus on digital transformation and enhancing the omnichannel customer experience. This context means operations roles are critical for driving efficiency, customer engagement, and revenue growth through digital channels.

Company Size: Belk is a large enterprise, historically employing thousands of individuals across its retail stores and corporate functions. This scale implies established processes, a need for robust operational frameworks, and opportunities for significant impact within a complex organizational structure.

Founded: Belk was founded in 1888, giving it a long-standing history and deep roots in retail. This heritage suggests a company that values tradition while also adapting to modern business demands, particularly in its digital endeavors.

Team Structure:

• The UX/UI Design team likely operates within a broader Digital or E-commerce division, reporting up through a Director or VP of Digital Product/Experience.

• This Lead role will manage a team of individual contributor UX/UI designers, potentially specializing in different areas of the digital product lifecycle (e.g., research, interaction design, visual design).

Methodology:

• Belk's digital operations likely follow an Agile or hybrid Agile methodology, emphasizing iterative development, cross-functional team collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Data-driven decision-making is a key operational principle, with a strong reliance on analytics, A/B testing, and user research to guide strategy and product development.

• The establishment and adherence to design systems serve as a critical operational component for maintaining brand consistency and design efficiency across all digital touchpoints.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Belk's position as a large, established retailer undergoing digital transformation is key. Operations roles here are vital for bridging the gap between legacy systems and modern digital customer engagement, requiring individuals who can drive change while respecting existing structures. The emphasis on data and design systems highlights operational efficiency and scalability as core tenets.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Lead" position, signifying a senior individual contributor role with management responsibilities. It represents a critical juncture in a UX/UI designer's career, moving from primarily executing design tasks to strategically guiding design efforts, mentoring others, and influencing organizational processes and standards. It is a stepping stone towards potential management roles (e.g., Design Manager, Director of UX) or Principal/Expert individual contributor tracks focused on deep domain expertise.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Digital UX UI Designer will likely report to a Director or VP of Digital Product Management, Digital Experience, or E-commerce. They will directly manage a team of UX/UI Designers, providing daily guidance, performance reviews, and career development support.

Operations Impact: The Lead's impact is directly tied to the performance of Belk's digital channels. By optimizing the user experience, they directly influence key operational metrics such as conversion rates, customer retention, average order value, and overall digital revenue. Their strategic direction shapes how thousands of customers interact with Belk online, impacting brand perception and driving business growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into a Design Manager or Director role, overseeing larger teams and broader strategic initiatives within the digital organization.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like UX research, interaction design for complex systems, or leading design system initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Developing skills in influencing and leading without direct authority across Product, Engineering, and Marketing departments.

• Industry Influence: Contributing to industry best practices through public speaking, writing, or participation in design communities, enhancing personal and company brand.

• Strategic Impact: Taking on larger, more complex strategic projects that have a significant and measurable impact on Belk's business objectives and digital transformation efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Impact" section is crucial for framing this role within a business context. It's not just about making things look good; it's about driving quantifiable results that affect the company's bottom line, a core tenet of operations roles. Growth opportunities are framed around both people management and deepening technical/strategic expertise, common paths for senior operations professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This indicates a mix of remote work and in-office presence, designed to balance the benefits of focused individual work at home with the collaborative advantages of in-person interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Charlotte, North Carolina. This implies a need for candidates to be able to commute to this location on designated days, likely benefiting from the resources and collaborative environment of a corporate office setting.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment likely serves as a hub for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, cross-functional workshops, and building team cohesion. This is essential for strategic discussions and complex problem-solving in UX/UI design.

• Tools & Technology: Employees can expect access to necessary hardware, software licenses (Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.), and potentially specialized equipment for user testing or prototyping within the office.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-person interactions, fostering stronger relationships, clearer communication, and a more dynamic team culture, which is vital for a lead role managing designers.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is typical, with the hybrid arrangement offering some flexibility. The specific in-office days will be communicated by the hiring manager, allowing for planning and coordination. This structure aims to support efficient workflow management, ensuring both individual productivity and team synergy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment necessitates strong self-discipline and communication skills, akin to managing remote operations. The office serves as a center for collaborative "operations" like design sprints and strategic planning, while remote work allows for focused execution.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios, focusing on alignment with experience requirements and demonstrable UX/UI expertise.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Lead's direct manager to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and cultural fit. This stage will likely involve discussing past projects and operational approaches.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Candidates will be asked to present a selection of their best work from their portfolio, detailing their process, problem-solving, and impact. A practical design challenge may be given to assess problem-solving skills, design methodology, and ability to work within constraints.

• Team Interviews: Meetings with other designers, Product Managers, and potentially Engineering leads to evaluate collaboration style, communication effectiveness, and technical acumen.

• Executive Interview: A final conversation with a senior leader (e.g., VP of Digital) to discuss vision, strategic alignment, and overall fit within the company's digital transformation goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 case studies that best represent your leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to drive measurable results through design. Prioritize projects that showcase your experience with complex digital products or e-commerce.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the "why" – the business problem or user need. Detail your specific actions, the rationale behind your design decisions, and the measurable outcomes achieved. Use data to support your claims.

• Highlight Leadership: If applicable, detail your experience mentoring designers, establishing processes, or leading design initiatives. Showcase your ability to influence strategy and operationalize design best practices.

• Demonstrate Process: Show your thinking process, not just the final polished screens. Include sketches, wireframes, user flows, and prototypes to illustrate how you arrived at the solution.

• Quantify Impact: Ensure your case studies include quantifiable results. Use metrics like conversion rate improvements, user satisfaction scores, task completion rates, or engagement increases.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a design challenge is provided, thoroughly understand the business goals and user context.

• Outline Your Approach: Before diving into design, clearly articulate your approach, the research you'd conduct, and the key assumptions you're making.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your problem-solving methodology. It's often more important how you get to a solution than the final visual polish.

• Be Prepared to Justify: Be ready to explain every design decision, especially how it aligns with business objectives and user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio review and a design challenge, which are standard for design roles but also serve as critical evaluations of a candidate's operational capability – their ability to structure work, solve problems methodically, and deliver measurable results.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary), Sketch, Adobe XD. Proficiency in at least one, with familiarity across others, is expected.

• Collaboration & Workflow: Jira, Confluence (for Agile project management and documentation).

• Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom (for daily communication and virtual meetings).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (for understanding user behavior, traffic sources, and conversion funnels).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI (or similar tools for creating dashboards and reporting on key UX metrics).

• Experimentation Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, or internal A/B testing tools (for running and analyzing experiments).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM, understanding how UX/UI impacts customer journey within CRM context is beneficial. Familiarity with how customer data informs design decisions is a plus.

• Product Management Tools: Tools like Aha!, Productboard (for roadmap planning and feature prioritization).

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack highlights the operational tools used to support the digital design process. Proficiency in design software is a given, but the emphasis on analytics, experimentation, and project management tools underscores the data-driven and process-oriented nature of this role, essential for operations professionals.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the customer in all design decisions, ensuring user needs are at the forefront of product development.

• Data-Driven Excellence: A culture that values and utilizes data (user research, analytics, A/B testing) to inform strategy, validate hypotheses, and measure the impact of design solutions.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together openly, share insights, and provide constructive feedback to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement: Embracing a mindset of iterative design and process refinement, always seeking ways to enhance user experiences and operational efficiency.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Encouraging creative problem-solving and the adoption of new technologies and methodologies to stay ahead in the evolving digital retail landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The team actively collaborates with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Merchandising. This involves regular sync-ups, joint workshops, and shared ownership of project outcomes.

• Feedback Loops: An open culture for giving and receiving constructive feedback is essential, both within the design team and across departments, to ensure design quality and alignment.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings through design reviews, internal presentations, and documentation to elevate the collective expertise of the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values and collaboration style emphasize the operational aspects of design—how the team works together, makes decisions, and measures success. This aligns with the need for operations professionals to be team players who can drive efficiency and achieve results through collaborative efforts.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Execution: Effectively translating high-level UX strategy into actionable design tasks and ensuring consistent quality across a large digital ecosystem.

• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Navigating diverse stakeholder needs and priorities, ensuring buy-in for design decisions while managing project scope and timelines.

• Driving Adoption of Best Practices: Championing and embedding new UX processes, standards, and design systems across multiple teams that may have varying levels of familiarity or adoption readiness.

• Evolving Retail Landscape: Staying abreast of rapid changes in e-commerce, consumer behavior, and digital technologies to ensure Belk's digital experience remains competitive and innovative.

• Hybrid Work Dynamics: Maintaining strong team cohesion, effective communication, and consistent productivity across remote and in-office team members.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Leadership Training: Access to programs focused on people management, strategic leadership, and influencing organizational change.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Opportunities to attend leading UX/UI and e-commerce conferences (e.g., Nielsen Norman Group, UXPA) to gain insights and network.

• Skill Development: Training in emerging design tools, advanced research methodologies, accessibility standards, and data science principles relevant to UX.

• Mentorship Programs: Both receiving mentorship from senior leaders and providing mentorship to junior designers, fostering leadership growth.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Opportunities to learn about other areas of the business, such as merchandising, marketing analytics, or supply chain, to gain a more holistic understanding of the retail operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying challenges and growth opportunities is key for operations professionals to assess role fit and potential career trajectory. This section highlights the need for adaptability, strategic thinking, and a commitment to continuous learning, all critical for success in operations roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed a UX strategy for a complex digital product. What was your process, what were the key challenges, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, process, and measurable results.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints in your design process?" (Assess your understanding of operational trade-offs and stakeholder management.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Belk's current digital presence and how would you approach improving the user experience?" (Demonstrate research and strategic thinking specific to Belk's context.)

• "How do you foster a collaborative and data-driven culture within a design team, especially in a hybrid environment?" (Assess your leadership and operational management style.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process, the solution, and—most importantly—the measurable impact. Use a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or similar framework.

• Quantify Everything: Back up your claims with data. Show improvements in conversion rates, user satisfaction, task completion times, etc. This demonstrates your operational impact.

• Showcase Leadership: If presenting as a Lead candidate, highlight instances where you mentored designers, influenced strategy, or improved team processes.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, alternative solutions considered, and how you handled challenges or disagreements.

• Tailor to Belk: Briefly explain why your experience and approach are a good fit for Belk's specific challenges and goals in the retail industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice should be highly actionable and focused on demonstrating operational competencies—strategic thinking, process adherence, data-driven decision-making, and measurable impact—which are crucial for operations roles.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Digital UX UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Belk careers portal using the provided link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful UX/UI design case studies, focusing on those that demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and quantifiable business results. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your process, your specific contributions, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 7-9 years of experience, leadership responsibilities, expertise in UX strategy, design systems, and experience with e-commerce or retail environments. Use keywords from the job description and quantify your achievements whenever possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on clearly articulating your design process, strategic rationale, and the operational impact of your work. Be ready to discuss how you would apply your skills to Belk's specific digital challenges.

• Research Belk: Invest time in understanding Belk's current digital strategy, brand, and customer base. Consider potential areas for UX improvement and how your leadership approach aligns with their company culture and values.

⚠️ 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.