Lead UX Designer Part Time (Contract-to-Hire)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Designer Part Time (Contract-to-Hire) Company: Newfire Global Partners Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States Job Type: Part Time Category: UX/UI Design, Product Design, Healthcare Technology Date Posted: 2026-01-12T17:35:08 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Fully Remote (US-based candidates only)

🚀 Role Summary

• This part-time, contract-to-hire role focuses on leading the UX design for a senior fitness mobile application, emphasizing digital-first experiences, gamification, and senior-centric accessibility.
• The position involves significant client-facing responsibilities, including leading design workshops, managing stakeholder relationships, and translating client needs into actionable design strategies.
• The role requires a strong ability to coordinate and provide direction to other designers, working collaboratively with a distributed global team.
• This is an opportunity to make a substantial impact within the healthcare technology sector, with potential to transition into a permanent role leading client engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly for a Lead UX Designer with a strong emphasis on client facilitation and project leadership within the healthcare technology domain. The contract-to-hire nature suggests a performance-based transition to a full-time role, indicating a need for candidates who can not only design but also effectively manage client relationships and project lifecycles. The part-time nature (20 hours/week) is crucial for candidates to consider when evaluating compensation and workload.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end redesign of a senior fitness mobile application, from initial knowledge transfer through high-fidelity prototyping, user testing, and long-term vision development.
• Serve as the primary UX design contact for clients, ensuring their needs and feedback are integrated into the design process and fostering strong client relationships.
• Facilitate productive design workshops, stakeholder review sessions, and regular client check-ins to ensure project alignment and momentum.
• Collaborate with the VP of UX to define and communicate high-level design direction for client projects, guiding teams of 2-4 designers.
• Provide clear direction and constructive critique to mid-level designers focused on detailed design execution, ensuring alignment with the overall design vision and quality standards.
• Partner with the UX Research team to ensure research findings effectively inform and validate design strategies throughout the project lifecycle.
• Participate actively in project estimation, scoping, and proposal activities, contributing to the definition of realistic timelines, resource requirements, and project approaches.
• Develop and present compelling design strategies and solutions to diverse client audiences, building trust and credibility through clear articulation and demonstrated expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design leadership and client management. Emphasis on "turning early-phase ambiguity into clear design strategies" and "coordinating project teams" suggests a need for strong strategic thinking and organizational skills beyond pure design execution. The requirement to "pair with mid-level designers" indicates a mentorship aspect to the role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 5-8 years of progressive experience in UX/UI design, with a significant portion dedicated to leading client engagements and managing design projects.
• Proven experience working within the healthcare technology sector, understanding the nuances of digital healthcare solutions, patient engagement, and regulatory considerations.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating and directing design teams, including distributed or global team members, without formal management authority.

Required Skills:

• Design Strategy & Vision: Ability to define and articulate a clear design strategy, translate complex business requirements into intuitive user experiences, and set a compelling design vision for projects.
• Client Facilitation & Stakeholder Management: Exceptional skills in leading workshops, presenting design concepts, gathering feedback, and building strong, trusting relationships with diverse client stakeholders.
• UX Design Expertise: Mastery of the UX design process, including user research synthesis, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing methodologies.
• Digital Product Design: Proven experience designing user-centric digital products, with a specific focus on mobile applications and an understanding of modern mobile design patterns and best practices.
• Proficiency in Design Tools: Advanced skills in industry-standard design and collaboration tools such as Figma, Whimsical, and Miro.
• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Strong understanding of accessibility principles (e.g., WCAG) and experience designing for diverse user groups, particularly seniors.
• Gamification Principles: Familiarity with gamification techniques and their application in enhancing user engagement and motivation within digital products.

Preferred Skills:

• Consulting experience, with a track record of successfully advising clients on digital transformation and UX strategy.
• Experience with user research methodologies and the ability to collaborate effectively with UX Researchers.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and experience working within cross-functional product teams.
• Understanding of UI design principles and the ability to guide visual design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "5-8 years of experience in UX design, including leading client/stakeholder relationships and coordinating design teams on healthcare projects" indicates a mid-to-senior level role. The emphasis on "senior-focused or accessibility-centered design" as a plus signals a specific market niche the company is targeting.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5-8 years of UX design work, with a strong emphasis on projects that demonstrate leadership, client interaction, and strategic thinking.
• Include case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, user research insights, and measurable outcomes.
• Highlight projects specifically related to mobile applications, healthcare technology, or applications involving gamification and/or senior-centric design.
• Demonstrate your ability to facilitate workshops and manage stakeholder feedback loops within your case studies.
• Showcase proficiency with design tools like Figma, and collaborative tools like Miro or Whimsical, by including examples of your work within these platforms.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio entries should detail your approach to user research, from planning and execution to synthesizing insights into design strategy.
• Clearly outline your process for turning early-stage ambiguity into well-defined design solutions, including how you define project scope and objectives.
• Provide examples of how you have coordinated design efforts across teams, including delegation and feedback mechanisms.
• Demonstrate your understanding of user testing and validation, showing how you iterate designs based on user feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead UX Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing visual design and instead focus on the strategic and leadership aspects of UX, particularly in client-facing and team coordination contexts within healthcare. Demonstrating a structured approach to problem-solving and a clear understanding of the design lifecycle is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $69,985 - $84,495 per year (prorated for 20 hours/week)

Benefits:

• Contract-to-Hire Opportunity: Potential for transition to a permanent, full-time role with comprehensive benefits.
• Flexible Work Schedule: Part-time (20 hours/week) arrangement allowing for work-life balance.
• Remote Work: Fully remote position, enabling work from anywhere within the United States.
• Impactful Projects: Opportunity to work on transformative software solutions within the healthcare technology sector.
• Professional Development: Exposure to diverse client engagements and leadership opportunities across a global consultancy.

Working Hours:

• Approximately 20 hours per week. Specific daily or weekly scheduling will be coordinated with the hiring manager to align with project needs and client availability, with flexibility for remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary provided is an annual range and will be prorated for a 20-hour work week. Candidates should calculate their expected hourly rate based on this range. The "contract-to-hire" aspect is a key benefit, suggesting potential for long-term stability and a more comprehensive benefits package upon conversion.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Healthcare Technology, Software Development, Consulting Company Size: Newfire Global Partners likely falls into the mid-size to large enterprise category given its presence across four continents and specialization in complex software solutions for Fortune 500 companies and startups. This size suggests a structured but agile environment. Founded: Founded by serial entrepreneurs, indicating a culture that values innovation, agility, and a forward-thinking approach to technology solutions.

Team Structure:

• UI/UX Department: The role reports to Jonathan Abbett, VP of UX, suggesting a dedicated and structured UX team.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with other designers (including mobile and global teams), UX Researchers, and potentially product managers or account managers within the consultancy.
• Client-Centric Model: As a consultancy, the team operates with a strong focus on client needs, project delivery, and relationship management.

Methodology:

• Agile & Iterative Design: The emphasis on prototyping, user testing, and continuous feedback suggests an agile and iterative design methodology.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Collaboration with UX Research implies a commitment to data-informed design choices.
• Collaborative Design Practices: The use of tools like Figma, Miro, and Whimsical points to a culture that values open communication, shared design processes, and collaborative problem-solving.

Company Website: https://newfireglobal.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Newfire Global Partners positions itself as a leader in transformative software solutions, particularly in digital healthcare. The company culture is described as collaborative, innovative, and inclusive, with a strong purpose-driven mission. This suggests an environment where UX professionals can contribute to meaningful projects and work with cutting-edge technologies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Lead UX Designer, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant leadership and client management responsibilities. It bridges the gap between hands-on design and strategic project direction.

Reporting Structure: The Lead UX Designer reports directly to the VP of UX, providing a clear line of communication for strategic guidance and career development within the UX discipline.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on client success by leading the design of critical software solutions. Successful project delivery and client satisfaction contribute directly to the firm's reputation and revenue. The opportunity to influence design direction for multiple projects and potentially transition to a permanent role underscores the significant impact potential.

Growth Opportunities:

• Permanent Role Transition: The primary growth opportunity is the potential conversion to a full-time, permanent Lead UX Designer role, likely with increased responsibilities and compensation.
• Leadership Development: Experience leading client engagements and coordinating design teams provides valuable leadership experience, paving the way for future management or principal-level roles.
• Healthcare Technology Specialization: Deepening expertise in healthcare UX design and senior-centric solutions can create a niche specialization, opening doors to more senior roles within this growing sector.
• Broader Client Portfolio: Transitioning to a permanent role may involve leading projects across Newfire Global's diverse healthcare consultancy portfolio, offering exposure to a wider range of challenges and technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract-to-hire structure is a significant aspect of this role's growth potential. It allows candidates to prove their capabilities and relationship-building skills, leading to a stable, long-term position within a specialized and growing industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role operates within a distributed team environment, leveraging digital collaboration tools to maintain connectivity and productivity.

Office Location(s): While the company has a global presence, this specific role requires candidates to be located within the United States due to client and legal considerations.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: The work environment is heavily reliant on digital tools for communication, design, and project management (e.g., Figma, Miro, Whimsical, video conferencing).
• Independent Work: A significant portion of the work will involve independent design and strategic thinking, requiring self-discipline and time management.
• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings and collaborative sessions are integral to the workflow, fostering a sense of team connection despite the remote nature.
• Client Interaction: Frequent virtual meetings with clients are expected for workshops, presentations, and check-ins.

Work Schedule:

• Part-time, approximately 20 hours per week.
• The schedule will require flexibility to accommodate client meetings across different time zones within the US and to ensure project deadlines are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote, part-time nature of this role necessitates a strong sense of autonomy and self-motivation. Candidates should be comfortable working independently and proactively communicating with team members and clients across a virtual landscape.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with Jonathan Abbett (VP of UX) to delve deeper into your design philosophy, client management experience, and leadership capabilities. Expect questions about your approach to complex UX challenges and stakeholder collaboration.
• Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: You may be asked to present a selection of your portfolio case studies, focusing on strategic decision-making, process, and client outcomes. A practical design exercise or a discussion around a hypothetical scenario might also be included to assess your problem-solving skills.
• Team/Cross-functional Interview: An opportunity to meet with other designers or team members to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and ability to work with distributed teams.
• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership to confirm fit and finalize terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest case studies that best represent your experience in UX leadership, client facilitation, healthcare technology, and mobile design.
• Highlight Leadership & Strategy: For each case study, clearly articulate your role, the strategic challenges, your decision-making process, how you managed stakeholders, and the tangible results.
• Showcase Process: Detail your UX process, including how you leveraged research, facilitated workshops, and iterated on designs based on feedback.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics and data to demonstrate the success and impact of your designs (e.g., improved user engagement, conversion rates, task completion times).
• Tool Proficiency: Briefly mention the tools used (Figma, Miro, Whimsical) and how they facilitated collaboration and design execution.
• Tailor to Healthcare: If possible, emphasize projects with healthcare applications or demonstrate an understanding of the unique considerations in this sector.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate Strategy Questions: Prepare to discuss how you would approach the initial phase of the senior fitness app redesign, focusing on understanding user needs, defining project scope, and engaging the client.
• Practice Facilitation: Rehearse how you would explain your design process and key decisions in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner, as if presenting to a client.
• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would handle ambiguity, conflicting stakeholder feedback, or technical constraints.
• Remote Collaboration: Consider how you would effectively collaborate with a distributed team and ensure design consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely to heavily weigh your portfolio and your ability to articulate your strategic thinking and client-facing skills. Be prepared to discuss specific examples of how you've navigated complex projects and built strong relationships with clients.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows. Expect to create high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes.
• Miro / Whimsical: Critical for remote collaboration, including workshop facilitation, brainstorming, user journey mapping, information architecture, and wireframing.
• Project Management Software: Likely to use tools like Jira, Asana, or similar for task tracking and project management, though not explicitly stated.
• Video Conferencing Tools: Zoom, Google Meet, or similar for client meetings, team syncs, and workshops.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned, an understanding of how UX design impacts key metrics (e.g., user engagement, retention, task success rates) is crucial. Familiarity with analytics platforms like Google Analytics or Mixpanel, and how to interpret data to inform design decisions, would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a UX tool, understanding how CRM and automation tools (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) might integrate with user-facing applications or how user data is managed can be beneficial for a holistic product understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma, Miro, and Whimsical is explicitly required. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate their experience and comfort level with these tools during the interview process.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose-Driven Innovation: A commitment to using technology to improve lives, particularly in healthcare, and a passion for solving meaningful problems.
• Collaboration & Inclusivity: Fostering a supportive environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and cross-functional teamwork is encouraged, even in a remote setting.
• Client Focus: Dedication to understanding and exceeding client expectations through exceptional service and impactful solutions.
• Excellence & Quality: A drive to deliver high-quality design and development work that meets rigorous standards.
• Agility & Adaptability: Embracing change, responding quickly to client needs, and continuously learning and evolving in a dynamic industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Remote-First & Asynchronous Communication: Reliance on digital tools for communication, with an understanding of how to manage asynchronous collaboration effectively across different time zones.
• Workshop-Oriented: A culture that values structured brainstorming and problem-solving sessions to drive alignment and generate ideas.
• Mentorship & Peer Support: An environment where senior designers guide and mentor junior team members, and peers support each other's growth.
• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration between design, research, development, and client teams to ensure holistic product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company emphasizes a purpose-driven mission in healthcare technology, suggesting a culture that values impact and social good. The collaborative and inclusive nature, coupled with a focus on client success, points to a professional and results-oriented team dynamic.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Client Needs with UX Best Practices: Navigating client requests that may conflict with established UX principles or accessibility standards, requiring strong negotiation and persuasive communication skills.
• Managing Ambiguity in Early-Stage Projects: Translating vague client requirements into concrete design strategies and actionable plans, especially in the initial phases of a contract.
• Coordinating Distributed Teams: Ensuring effective communication, alignment, and quality output from a design team that may be geographically dispersed.
• Senior-Centric Design Nuances: Designing for an older demographic with specific accessibility and usability needs, which requires specialized research and design considerations.
• Part-Time Workload Management: Effectively managing responsibilities and meeting client expectations within a 20-hour work week, requiring excellent prioritization and time management.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in Healthcare UX: Gaining deep expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities within the healthcare technology sector.
• Client Relationship Management: Developing advanced skills in client facilitation, stakeholder management, and consulting.
• Leadership Experience: Enhancing leadership capabilities by guiding design teams and influencing project direction.
• Exposure to Diverse Projects: Potentially working on a variety of healthcare-related projects if the contract transitions to a permanent role.
• Mentorship: Opportunity to learn from senior leadership (VP of UX) and potentially mentor junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a unique challenge in balancing a part-time schedule with significant leadership and client-facing responsibilities. Success will depend on strong organizational skills and the ability to efficiently drive outcomes.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for taking a project from initial concept or ambiguity to a high-fidelity, validated design, especially in a client-facing role." (Focus on how you structure your approach, involve stakeholders, and use research.)
• "How do you ensure user needs, particularly those of senior users and accessibility requirements, are central to the design process?" (Highlight specific methods, research techniques, and design considerations.)
• "Walk us through a challenging client engagement where you had to manage conflicting feedback or drive consensus. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a STAR method response focusing on your leadership and communication skills.)
• "How do you approach setting design direction for a team of designers, and how do you provide constructive feedback?" (Demonstrate your leadership style and ability to mentor.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Newfire Global Partners and our work in healthcare technology?" (Research the company's mission and recent projects.)
• "How do you envision the collaboration between UX designers, researchers, and the client in a remote, part-time setting?" (Emphasize your proactive communication and teamwork strategies.)
• "What are your expectations for a contract-to-hire transition, and what would make this role a long-term fit for you?" (Show enthusiasm for the opportunity and alignment with the company's goals.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process, key decisions and rationale, and the measurable impact.
• Emphasize Strategic Thinking: Focus on why you made certain design decisions, not just what you designed. Connect your choices back to user needs and business objectives.
• Showcase Facilitation Skills: Describe how you engaged stakeholders, facilitated workshops, and incorporated feedback.
• Highlight Healthcare Relevance: If possible, draw parallels or specific examples from healthcare projects to demonstrate your understanding of the domain.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, challenges encountered, and alternative solutions you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to articulate their strategic thinking process, demonstrate their client facilitation skills, and showcase their ability to lead design efforts within a remote, collaborative environment. The portfolio presentation is a critical component for demonstrating these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Newfire Global Partners careers portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience in UX design leadership, client facilitation, and healthcare technology projects. Select case studies that best exemplify your strategic decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your 5-8 years of relevant experience, emphasizing your proficiency in Figma, Miro, Whimsical, and your background in mobile application design, accessibility, and gamification. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership approach, and client management strategies. Be ready to present your portfolio with a focus on strategic impact and outcomes. Research Newfire Global Partners' work in healthcare technology to tailor your responses.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Newfire Global Partners' mission, values, and recent projects, particularly those in the digital healthcare space, to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural alignment.

⚠️ 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.