Lead UX Designer, Systems & Experience

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Designer, Systems & Experience

Company: McGraw Hill LLC.

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Operations

Date Posted: April 24, 2026

Experience Level: 7+ years

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the evolution and maintenance of an enterprise-wide design system, ensuring scalability, consistency, and accessibility across all digital platforms.

• Execute hands-on UX design for critical features, workflows, and cross-platform initiatives within a Digital Center of Excellence (COE).

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, research, and content strategy teams to deliver cohesive, user-centered experiences.

• Act as a subject-matter expert in design systems, component governance, and AEM-aligned UX patterns, influencing cross-team decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is primarily a UX Design position, the emphasis on "Systems & Experience," "enterprise design system," "scalable UX patterns," and collaboration with engineering and product teams positions it within the broader operations and GTM ecosystem. A strong understanding of how design systems impact operational efficiency, product development pipelines, and go-to-market consistency is crucial. This role requires a strategic mindset akin to operations professionals focused on standardization and efficiency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Maintain and evolve the enterprise design system, including component standards, usage guidelines, and scalable UX patterns.

• Partner with engineering teams to implement and refine design system components using tools like Storybook and GitHub.

• Establish and uphold accessibility standards (WCAG, ARIA) across all design system components and user-facing patterns.

• Drive adoption of system-based design practices across UX, product, and engineering teams to ensure brand and user experience consistency.

• Lead UX design for key features, workflows, and cross-platform experiences, creating user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

• Define end-to-end user journeys for complex workflows and multi-step interactions, ensuring seamless user experiences.

• Conduct design reviews, iterate based on feedback, and ensure high-quality execution of all design deliverables.

• Apply system thinking to daily design work, ensuring consistency, scalability, and alignment with the broader design system architecture.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, researchers, and content strategists to deliver cohesive, user-centered digital products.

• Partner with the UX Manager to evolve system patterns and ensure alignment with the enterprise UX strategy and business objectives.

• Communicate design rationale, tradeoffs, and strategic recommendations with strong executive presence to influence cross-team decision-making.

• Mentor junior designers on system-based design practices and accessibility standards, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

• Contribute to design critiques, team rituals, and the continuous improvement of UX processes.

• Serve as a subject-matter expert on design systems, component governance, and AEM-aligned UX patterns.

• Identify opportunities to improve cross-product experiences and streamline design workflows for greater operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic system design and tactical product design execution, mirroring the dual focus in operations roles that balance strategic initiatives with day-to-day operational execution. The emphasis on "scalability," "consistency," "efficiency," and "governance" aligns directly with core operations principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 7+ years of progressive UX design experience, with a deep focus on design systems, component architecture, and enterprise-scale platforms.

• Required experience working with Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) and understanding its component models, templates, and authoring workflows.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in design system methodologies, component standards, and scalable UX pattern development.

• Deep expertise in accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA, ARIA) and inclusive design principles.

• Proficiency in design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, with advanced coordination capabilities across Figma, Storybook, and development environments.

• Strong understanding of UX architecture, system thinking, and the ability to balance system governance with day-to-day product design needs.

• Proven ability to communicate design rationale and strategic recommendations with strong executive presence to influence stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

• Experience in creating user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design tokens, semantic component structures, or multi-brand design systems.

• Familiarity with tools like Storybook and GitHub for component implementation and version control.

• Experience with AEM component models, templates, and authoring workflows.

• Understanding of agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration within an enterprise setting.

• Experience mentoring other designers on design system best practices and accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "enterprise-scale platforms," "design systems," "component architecture," and "accessibility standards" directly translates to operational efficiency and GTM consistency. Candidates with experience in standardizing design processes and ensuring quality across multiple products will be highly valued, akin to operations professionals who implement standardized processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong portfolio showcasing experience in maintaining and evolving enterprise-level design systems.

• Include case studies that highlight the creation and implementation of scalable UX patterns and reusable components.

• Provide examples of how you have ensured accessibility (WCAG, ARIA) and consistency across multiple digital products or platforms.

• Showcase experience in translating system design principles into practical, day-to-day product design deliverables.

Process Documentation:

• Present examples of your process for defining component standards, usage guidelines, and scalable UX patterns.

• Detail your approach to conducting design reviews, iterating based on feedback, and ensuring high-quality execution.

• Illustrate how you apply system thinking to ensure consistency and scalability in your design work.

• Showcase examples of how you have driven adoption of design system practices across different teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, a portfolio is crucial not just for showcasing design skills, but for demonstrating a systematic approach to design, process standardization, and collaboration – all core operational competencies. Emphasis should be on how the candidate's work has led to efficiency gains, improved consistency, and reduced friction in the product development lifecycle.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $108,175 - $145,000 annually.

Benefits:

• Medical insurance coverage.

• Annual bonus plan participation.

• Comprehensive benefits package (details available via provided link).

Working Hours:

• Full-time position, typically expected to align with standard business hours, potentially around 40 hours per week. Flexibility may be available, subject to team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is based on provided information. The benefits listed are directly from the job description. Compensation for design operations and related roles often includes performance-based incentives, aligning with the "annual bonus plan."

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology / Publishing

Company Size: Large Enterprise (estimated 5,000-10,000 employees based on typical large publishing/ed-tech organizations)

Founded: McGraw Hill has a long history, founded in 1898, indicating a stable, established organization with a strong legacy in educational content and technology.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the "Digital Center of Excellence (COE)," suggesting a specialized team focused on driving digital innovation, standards, and best practices across the organization.

• This COE likely comprises individuals with expertise in UX, product management, engineering, and potentially content strategy, working collaboratively.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on a "system-based design flow," "system thinking," and "enterprise-level design system" points to a structured, process-driven approach to digital product development.

• Collaboration with engineering on component implementation (Storybook, GitHub) and AEM authoring environments indicates an integrated workflow between design, development, and content management.

• Focus on accessibility (WCAG, ARIA) and adherence to standards suggests a commitment to quality and inclusive design practices.

Company Website: https://careers.mheducation.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Digital Center of Excellence" designation is crucial. It implies a focus on standardization, efficiency, and best practices, which are hallmarks of operational excellence. This COE likely acts as an internal consultancy or governance body, driving consistency and innovation across various product teams.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Lead UX Designer

Reporting Structure:

• Reports to the UX Manager.

• Collaborates closely with product managers, engineers, researchers, content strategists, and potentially other UX designers.

Operations Impact:

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in design system architecture, governance, and scaling best practices. Gain experience in AEM integration and enterprise-level platform strategy.

• Leadership Development: Grow into a more senior or principal UX design role, potentially leading larger strategic initiatives or multiple product areas. Opportunity to mentor and shape the UX practices of the team.

• Specialization: Further specialize in accessibility, design tokens, multi-brand systems, or specific aspects of enterprise CMS design.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Enhance executive presence and influence, becoming a key voice in strategic product and platform decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title and focus on system-level thinking indicate a role that bridges execution and strategy, similar to how operations professionals often manage both tactical execution and strategic process improvement. Growth opportunities are framed around operational excellence and strategic impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-first with potential for occasional travel.

Office Location(s): Primarily remote within the United States, with up to 25% travel required.

Workspace Context:

• The role operates within a "Digital Center of Excellence," suggesting a collaborative and innovative environment focused on pushing digital boundaries.

• Expect a tech-stack-driven workspace with reliance on digital collaboration tools (Figma, Storybook, GitHub, AEM authoring environments).

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, with the expectation of around 40 hours per week. The remote nature offers potential flexibility in managing work hours, provided deliverables and collaboration needs are met. This flexibility is often a key aspect of operational roles that value output over strict time-tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote aspect and focus on digital collaboration tools are key indicators of a modern operational environment. The mention of potential travel for collaboration aligns with how many distributed operations teams maintain cohesion and strategic alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a conversation with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into experience, specifically around design systems, AEM, and leadership capabilities. Expect questions about your approach to complex problems and system thinking.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: This is a critical stage. Candidates will likely present their portfolio, focusing on relevant case studies (design systems, AEM projects, accessibility). A design challenge, possibly involving a system-level problem or a feature design within an existing system, may be given.

• Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with product managers, engineers, and other designers to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to integrate into the team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or Director to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Prioritize projects demonstrating design system leadership, AEM experience, accessibility initiatives, and scalable UX pattern development.

• Structure Case Studies: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (emphasizing system thinking and collaboration), the solutions implemented, and the measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, consistency improvements, adoption rates).

• Highlight System Thinking: Explicitly discuss how your work contributed to or evolved the overall design system and its operational impact.

• Demonstrate AEM Proficiency: Showcase how you've worked within or influenced AEM component models and authoring workflows.

• Accessibility Focus: Clearly present your approach to WCAG and ARIA compliance and how it was integrated into designs and components.

• Executive Presence: Be prepared to articulate your design rationale and strategic thinking concisely and confidently.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the core principles of design systems: componentization, scalability, consistency, governance, and accessibility.

• Familiarize yourself with Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) basics if possible, particularly its component architecture and authoring interface.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach a problem that requires balancing global system standards with specific product needs.

• Practice articulating your thought process, design decisions, and potential trade-offs clearly and logically.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Systems & Experience" aspect of this role makes the portfolio review particularly important for demonstrating operational thinking. Candidates should frame their design achievements in terms of process improvement, standardization, and efficiency gains for GTM and product teams.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary tool for design and coordination), potentially Sketch or Adobe XD.

• Design System Tools: Storybook (for component implementation and documentation), GitHub (for version control and collaboration).

• CMS: Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) – deep familiarity with its component models, templates, and authoring workflows is crucial.

• Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar platforms for project management and communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core responsibilities of this UX role, but understanding how digital platforms integrate with CRM or marketing automation systems for user journeys could provide additional context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AEM, Storybook, and GitHub in the context of system design and component implementation highlights the operational backbone of this role. Proficiency in these tools, and understanding how they facilitate consistent product delivery, is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence & Innovation: As part of a Digital COE, there's an expectation of high standards and a drive to create next-generation learning platforms.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Strong emphasis on working cross-functionally with product, engineering, and research to achieve cohesive user experiences.

• User-Centricity: A core value in design, ensuring that all solutions are built with the student and educator in mind.

• Scalability & Consistency: A fundamental principle driven by the design system, aiming for efficient and uniform experiences across the McGraw Hill digital ecosystem.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: A stated commitment to WCAG and ARIA standards, reflecting a value for equitable access.

Collaboration Style:

• System-Driven: Collaboration will likely revolve around the design system, ensuring adherence to standards and contributing to its evolution.

• Cross-Functional: Expect close working relationships with product managers (defining requirements), engineers (implementing components), researchers (validating designs), and content strategists (ensuring clear communication).

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: The senior nature of the role implies a culture of sharing expertise and mentoring others, particularly on design system best practices.

• Data-Informed: While UX research is mentioned, the operational aspect implies that design decisions should be informed by user data, usage metrics, and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "Digital Center of Excellence" and a "design system" strongly suggests a culture that values standardization, efficiency, and best practices – core tenets of operations management.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Driving Adoption: Convincing diverse teams to adopt and consistently use the enterprise design system can be challenging, requiring strong communication and advocacy skills.

• Balancing System Governance and Product Velocity: Finding the right balance between maintaining strict system standards and allowing product teams the flexibility to innovate and deliver quickly.

• Evolving AEM Integration: Ensuring the design system components seamlessly integrate with AEM's architecture and authoring capabilities, which can have its own complexities.

• Cross-Platform Consistency: Maintaining a cohesive experience across a wide range of digital products and platforms, each with unique user needs and technical constraints.

• Accessibility Compliance: Continuously ensuring that all components and patterns meet evolving accessibility standards across a large digital footprint.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Design System Expertise: Become a recognized expert in enterprise design system strategy, governance, and implementation.

• Advance AEM Skills: Gain advanced knowledge of AEM's capabilities and how to leverage it effectively for scalable digital experiences.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers and influencing strategic design decisions across the organization.

• Industry Trends: Stay abreast of best practices in UX, design systems, accessibility, and emerging technologies in the education technology space.

• Cross-Functional Understanding: Gain deeper insights into product management, engineering, and content strategy processes within a large enterprise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges listed are typical for roles focused on implementing and scaling operational standards (like a design system) across an organization. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise in areas that contribute to operational excellence and strategic impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience leading and evolving an enterprise design system. What were your key contributions and challenges?" (Focus on governance, adoption strategies, and impact.)

• "How do you balance the need for design consistency with the need for product teams to iterate quickly?" (Discuss process, collaboration, and how the design system facilitates this.)

• "Walk us through your process for ensuring accessibility (WCAG, ARIA) within a component library and across product designs." (Highlight specific methods and tools.)

• "How have you collaborated with engineering teams to implement design system components, particularly within an AEM environment?" (Emphasize communication, feedback loops, and tool integration like Storybook/GitHub.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about McGraw Hill's mission and our role in educational technology?" (Research company values and recent initiatives.)

• "How do you see a strong design system contributing to operational efficiency and the go-to-market strategy for educational products?" (Connect design system benefits to business outcomes.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with an overview of your experience and the value you bring. Then, dive into 2-3 key case studies.

• Case Study Focus: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific role, the design process (emphasizing system thinking, collaboration, and accessibility), the solutions you designed/implemented, and the measurable outcomes (e.g., efficiency, consistency, user satisfaction).

• Highlight System Impact: Explicitly discuss how your work on design systems has improved operational workflows, reduced development time, or enhanced brand consistency.

• AEM Context: If possible, show how your design system work integrates with or influences AEM component development.

• Conciseness & Clarity: Be prepared to explain complex concepts clearly and concisely, demonstrating your executive presence and ability to communicate with diverse audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on framing design challenges and solutions through an operational lens: how does this improve efficiency, reduce waste, ensure quality, and drive consistency across the product portfolio?

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-aligned UX position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to prominently highlight experience with enterprise design systems, component architecture, accessibility standards (WCAG, ARIA), and proficiency with tools like Figma, Storybook, and especially Adobe Experience Manager (AEM).

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your contributions to process standardization, cross-functional collaboration, and driving efficiency through design system adoption. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, system thinking, and the operational impact of your work. Prepare specific examples for common interview questions related to design systems, AEM, and collaboration.

• Company Research: Investigate McGraw Hill's current digital platforms, their mission in education, and any recent product launches or initiatives to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding of their business context.

⚠️ 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.