Manager - Digital UX/UI

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Manager - Digital UX/UI

Company: ACE Hardware

Location: Oak Brook, Illinois, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Digital User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI) Design Operations

Date Posted: 2025-09-24T00:00:00

Experience Level: 10+ Years (Managerial)

🚀 Role Summary

• Define and champion the end-to-end digital customer experience across Ace Hardware's key consumer-facing platforms, including Acehardware.com, the Ace Hardware Consumer Mobile App, and Ace Home Services.

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of talented UX/UI designers, fostering a collaborative environment focused on delivering exceptional user-centered design solutions.

• Drive continuous improvement in digital user experiences by identifying, prioritizing, and implementing new features and enhancements based on robust quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

• Act as a strategic thought leader, influencing design direction, advocating for user needs, and contributing to the long-term vision of Ace Hardware's digital presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Manager - Digital UX/UI," this role is categorized under "Digital User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI) Design Operations" to align with the operational aspects of managing design processes, team resources, and strategic implementation within a corporate digital environment. The focus on process ownership, backlog management, and resource planning aligns it strongly with operational functions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• User Experience Ownership: Take full ownership of the user experience for Ace Hardware’s digital properties, including the e-commerce website and mobile applications, ensuring consistency and high usability.

• Strategic Planning & Prioritization: Collaborate with Product Owners and stakeholders to prioritize enhancements, build and manage backlogs, develop strategic roadmap plans, and estimate UX effort requirements.

• Team Leadership & Resource Management: Manage, prioritize, and allocate UX/UI design activities for assigned projects, resolving roadblocks and ensuring efficient team resourcing within project timelines and expectations.

• Design Process & Methodology: Lead the creation of innovative and frictionless user experiences by translating business requirements and user needs into design solutions, utilizing user flows, wireframes, visual comps, and prototypes.

• User Research Leadership: Oversee and conduct UX research initiatives, including competitive analyses, heuristic evaluations, qualitative and quantitative research, and A/B testing to inform design decisions and uncover opportunities.

• Design System Management: Establish, maintain, and evolve the visual design language and UI Toolkit within Figma for Ace’s Web/App Design System, ensuring brand alignment and design consistency.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Product Owners, business stakeholders, data analysts, and development teams to gather insights, present design solutions, and ensure successful implementation of user-centered designs.

• Best Practice Integration: Apply industry best practices, including those from recognized organizations like Baymard, to inform and elevate design solutions for e-commerce platforms.

• Trend Analysis & Future Vision: Stay abreast of new consumer technology trends (AI, AR/VR, Mobile, Personalization) to ensure Ace’s digital experience remains relevant and forward-thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, team management, and hands-on design oversight. The emphasis on backlog management, resource planning, and adherence to project frameworks (Agile/Waterfall) points to a strong operational component within this UX/UI leadership role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in UX/UI design, visual design, digital product design, information architecture, and interaction design.

• Minimum of 4 years of experience in a leadership or management capacity, directly leading and mentoring UX/UI design teams.

• Proven track record of creating exceptional UX/UI designs for both web and native mobile applications (iOS and Android).

• Extensive experience in e-commerce businesses, ideally within the retail sector, demonstrating an understanding of online consumer behavior and conversion optimization.

Required Skills:

• UX/UI Design: Deep knowledge of web and app user experience best practices, with the ability to clearly communicate and apply them.

• Visual Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in creating wireframes, visual design comps, and interactive prototypes using tools like Figma.

• User Research: Experience conducting user research, competitive analyses, heuristic evaluations, and user testing through platforms such as UserTesting.com or PlaybookUX.

• E-commerce Acumen: Strong understanding of the e-commerce competitive landscape and user experience principles specific to online retail.

• Agile & Waterfall Methodologies: Experience working within both Agile/Sprint and Waterfall/Project-based development frameworks.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent ability to collaborate effectively with designers, product owners, business stakeholders, and development teams.

• Communication & Presentation: Outstanding communication skills, with a proven ability to present design concepts, rationales, and insights to executive leadership.

• Design System Management: Experience in creating and maintaining UI Toolkits and Design Systems.

• Customer Focus: A genuine passion for the customer and a commitment to delivering the best possible user experience.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to identify and resolve design problems and process roadblocks effectively.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with emerging technologies such as AR/VR, AI, and personalization in digital experiences.

• Familiarity with data analysis and interpreting KPIs and behavioral on-site data to inform design.

• Experience leveraging Voice of Customer (VoC) feedback for design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 8+ years of UX/UI experience and 4+ years of leadership experience clearly positions this as a senior management role. The emphasis on Figma, user testing platforms, and e-commerce best practices are crucial technical and domain-specific requirements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Deliverables: A strong portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a range of past work, including visual designs, graphic designs, wireframes, user flows, site maps, and research documentation.

• E-commerce Focus: Demonstrations of successful UX/UI solutions for e-commerce platforms, highlighting problem-solving and impact on user engagement or conversion.

• Mobile & Web Expertise: Examples of both web and native mobile application design, illustrating understanding of platform-specific best practices.

• Process Documentation: Inclusion of documentation that outlines the design process, from initial concept and research to final implementation and iteration.

• Leadership Examples: Evidence of leadership in design projects, potentially including mentorship or team collaboration examples.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to:
  • User Research Integration: How research findings are systematically integrated into the design process and inform decision-making.
  • Design System Implementation: Strategies for developing, maintaining, and driving adoption of design systems across teams.
  • Agile Workflow Integration: How UX/UI processes are embedded within Agile development sprints, including collaboration with product and engineering.
  • Performance Measurement: Methods for measuring the impact of design decisions on key performance indicators (KPIs) and user behavior.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for a portfolio demonstrating "visual designs, graphic designs, wireframes, user flows, site maps, research, etc." is a critical component for this role. Candidates should curate their portfolio to highlight end-to-end design processes and tangible outcomes, particularly within the e-commerce context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The stated salary for this position is $170,000 per year.

• 📝 Enhancement Note: This figure represents a starting point, and the final compensation may vary based on the candidate's education, experience, and specific qualifications, as well as market conditions. For a Manager-level UX/UI role in the Oak Brook, IL area, this salary is competitive, aligning with industry benchmarks for experienced professionals with leadership responsibilities in the retail technology sector.

Benefits:

• Incentive Opportunities: Performance-based incentives, with historical payouts averaging 122% of target.

• Retirement Savings: Generous 401(k) plan with company matching, quarterly, and annual discretionary contributions, averaging 10.4% of eligible compensation over the past 5 years.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and disability coverage (up to 26 weeks short-term disability).

• Paid Time Off: 21 days of vacation available immediately (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays.

• Professional Development: On-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program.

• Volunteer Time: 20 hours of paid time off per year for volunteering.

• Employee Discounts: Discounts on Ace merchandise, travel, fitness, computers, and thousands of other products and services.

• Family Support: Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off and adoption cost reimbursement.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Access to free counseling, financial guidance, and other support services.

• Identity Theft Protection: Included as part of the benefits package.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time commitment, typically 40 hours per week.

• 📝 Enhancement Note: While a standard 40-hour week is expected, the nature of managing a design team and digital product lifecycles may require flexibility to meet project deadlines and address critical issues, particularly during product launches or major updates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (Hardware and Home Improvement)

Company Size: Large (Specific number of employees not provided, but ACE Hardware is a major national retailer with a significant corporate presence.)

Founded: 1924

Company Description: Ace Hardware is a retailer-owned hardware cooperative and one of the largest retailers in the United States, known for its helpful service and wide range of products. The corporation supports thousands of independently owned Ace stores.

Team Structure:

• Operations Focus: The Digital UX/UI team likely operates as a core function within the broader Digital or E-commerce department, collaborating closely with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Analytics.

• Reporting: The Manager will report to a Director or VP level within the Digital/E-commerce organization, overseeing a team of UX/UI designers.

• Collaboration: Expect a highly collaborative environment, working cross-functionally with various departments to deliver cohesive digital experiences that align with overall business objectives.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using quantitative and qualitative data, including user research, A/B testing, and behavioral analytics, to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Work within Agile/Sprint frameworks, allowing for iterative design and development cycles, continuous feedback, and adaptability to changing requirements.

• Customer-Centric Approach: A core philosophy of putting the customer first, ensuring all digital interactions are intuitive, efficient, and valuable.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Ace Hardware's culture is defined by its core values (W.E.L.I.G.H.T), emphasizing teamwork, integrity, and a customer-first approach. For a UX/UI Manager, this translates to a collaborative environment where user advocacy is valued, and decisions are backed by data and a commitment to excellence.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Managerial, overseeing a specialized team within the digital operations function. This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage complex projects and processes.

Reporting Structure: The Manager will report to a higher-level executive (likely Director or VP) within the digital or e-commerce division, managing a team of individual contributor UX/UI designers.

Operations Impact: This role directly influences customer acquisition, retention, and overall digital engagement, which are critical drivers of revenue and brand loyalty for Ace Hardware. The success of the digital platforms is directly tied to the effectiveness of the UX/UI strategy and execution.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to advance into Director-level roles overseeing larger design teams or broader digital product areas.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of digital design, such as personalization, mobile innovation, or emerging technologies.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management or other digital strategy roles within the organization.

• Mentorship & Development: A strong focus on employee development provides opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the UX/UI practice within Ace Hardware.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for career progression within a large, established retail organization. The emphasis on leadership, development, and strategic impact suggests significant opportunities for professional growth and advancement within the digital operations and product space.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site role, based at the ACE Hardware corporate office in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Office Location(s): Oak Brook, Illinois.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Design Hub: The UX/UI team likely operates within a modern office environment designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and efficient workflow.

• Technology Access: Access to industry-standard design and collaboration tools, including Figma, and potentially other project management and communication platforms.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular face-to-face interaction with team members, cross-functional partners, and leadership, promoting strong working relationships and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: Primarily standard business hours (e.g., 9 AM - 5 PM), with the expectation of flexibility to manage projects and team needs effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site work environment in Oak Brook, IL, suggests a traditional corporate setting with opportunities for direct team collaboration and engagement with other departments. This is typical for managerial roles where team oversight and strategic alignment are paramount.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition may conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, leadership style, and technical expertise in UX/UI design and operations.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other UX/UI designers and potentially cross-functional partners (e.g., Product Owners, Engineers) to evaluate collaboration skills and team dynamics.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discussing key projects, design processes, and impact. This is crucial for demonstrating problem-solving abilities and design rationale.

• Executive Interview: A final interview with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, vision, and alignment with company goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling Approach: Structure portfolio presentations around the "why, what, and how" of each project, emphasizing the problem, the solution, and the process.

• Highlight Operations: Showcase how you managed design processes, collaborated with teams, and iterated based on feedback or data.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced bounce rates, improved task completion times).

• Showcase Leadership: Include examples of how you've mentored designers, managed projects, or influenced design strategy.

• Figma Proficiency: If Figma is a key tool, prepare to walk through specific design files or prototypes to demonstrate your technical skills.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for potential design challenges or case studies that assess your problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and approach to complex UX/UI problems within an e-commerce context.

• Practice articulating your design decisions and their rationale clearly and concisely, especially when explaining trade-offs or compromises.

• Prepare to discuss how you would approach managing a team in an Agile environment, including backlog prioritization and resource allocation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical stage. Candidates should prepare a presentation that not only showcases design quality but also demonstrates their operational capabilities in managing design projects, teams, and processes effectively.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, visual design, prototyping, and managing the UI Toolkit/Design System.

• User Testing Platforms: Experience with tools like UserTesting.com or PlaybookUX for conducting user research and gathering feedback.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with Agile/Scrum tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello) for backlog management, sprint planning, and workflow tracking.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Proficiency with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to interpret user behavior, track KPIs, and identify areas for design improvement.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau or Power BI can be beneficial for presenting data insights to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managed by this role, an understanding of how UX/UI designs integrate with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms is advantageous for a holistic view of the customer journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is explicitly stated as a requirement. Beyond this, familiarity with user research platforms and project management tools is crucial for the operational aspects of managing a design team and its deliverables.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep-seated commitment to understanding and serving the customer, ensuring all digital interactions are intuitive and valuable.

• Excellence & Quality: Striving for high standards in design execution, process efficiency, and user experience outcomes.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: Fostering a supportive and collaborative environment where ideas are shared, feedback is welcomed, and collective success is prioritized.

• Integrity & Humility: Conducting work with honesty, transparency, and a willingness to learn and adapt.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on data and insights to inform design choices and measure the effectiveness of solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Active engagement with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Customer Service teams to ensure a unified and effective digital strategy.

• Feedback Loops: Establishing and maintaining open communication channels for constructive feedback on designs and processes.

• Shared Ownership: Encouraging a sense of shared responsibility for the success of digital products and customer experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values (W.E.L.I.G.H.T) directly translate into expected team behaviors. For a UX/UI Manager, this means leading with integrity, fostering a collaborative spirit, and always prioritizing the customer's experience with a focus on continuous improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Navigating competing priorities and feedback from various stakeholders while advocating for user-centered design principles.

• Driving Innovation: Keeping pace with rapidly evolving digital technologies and consumer expectations to ensure Ace Hardware's platforms remain competitive and engaging.

• Managing a Growing Team: Effectively leading and developing a team of designers, ensuring consistent quality and output across diverse projects.

• Evolving Design Systems: Maintaining and scaling design systems to support a growing suite of digital products and features.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Trends: Staying current with the latest UX/UI trends, tools, and methodologies through conferences, workshops, and online resources.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to enhance leadership and management skills through internal training programs and mentorship.

• Strategic Impact: Contributing to high-level digital strategy discussions and influencing the future direction of Ace Hardware's online presence.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining exposure to other areas of the business, such as marketing, merchandising, and supply chain, to better understand the broader retail ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents challenges common in large retail organizations, particularly in managing digital transformation and user experience. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a path to leadership and strategic influence within a well-established company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• How would you define and implement a user-centered design process within an Agile framework for a retail e-commerce platform?

• Describe your approach to managing a UX/UI team, including prioritization, resource allocation, and performance management.

• How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints when designing digital experiences?

Company & Culture Questions:

• Based on your understanding of Ace Hardware, how would you ensure the digital UX/UI aligns with the company's brand values and customer service ethos?

• How do you foster a collaborative and innovative environment within a design team?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Project Selection: Choose 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your leadership, design process, and success in e-commerce or similar environments.

• Narrative Structure: For each project, clearly articulate:

  • The Problem: What was the user or business challenge?
  • Your Role & Process: What was your specific contribution, and what steps did you take (research, ideation, design, testing)?
  • The Solution: What was the final design, and why was it effective?
  • The Impact: Quantify the results (e.g., user satisfaction, conversion rates, efficiency gains).

• Demonstrate Figma Skills: Be prepared to share your screen and walk through key aspects of your Figma files, showcasing your design system thinking and prototyping capabilities.

• Address Operational Aspects: Weave in how you managed timelines, collaborated with teams, and iterated on designs based on feedback or data.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate scenario-based questions asking how you would tackle specific design challenges related to e-commerce, such as improving checkout flow, personalizing product recommendations, or enhancing mobile app usability.

• Practice articulating your decision-making process, including how you would gather information, brainstorm solutions, and evaluate potential outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design expertise but also strong operational acumen in team management, process implementation, and strategic thinking, all within the context of retail e-commerce.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Ace Hardware careers portal.

• Tailor your resume: Emphasize your leadership experience, years managing UX/UI teams, and specific accomplishments in e-commerce design, process optimization, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords relevant to UX/UI design operations.

• Curate your portfolio: Ensure it prominently features your best work, with clear explanations of your design process, problem-solving approach, and quantifiable results, particularly for e-commerce projects. Prepare to present this effectively.

• Prepare for interview questions: Practice articulating your leadership style, design philosophy, and how you manage teams and processes in an Agile environment. Research Ace Hardware's brand, values, and digital presence.

• Research the company: Understand Ace Hardware's market position, customer base, and digital initiatives to better align your responses and demonstrate your fit with their culture and strategic goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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