Senior UX Designer
π Job Overview
Job Title: Senior UX Designer
Company: Wheels, Inc.
Location: Remote - New York, United States
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: User Experience (UX) Design
Date Posted: 2025-11-26
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: Remote Solely
π Role Summary
- This role centers on owning the end-to-end user experience and design strategy for a diverse product portfolio, encompassing internal systems, native mobile applications, and responsive web platforms.
- It requires a strong collaborative approach, working closely with Product Management and business stakeholders to define and execute a cohesive product vision, blending strategic thinking with hands-on design craft.
- The position demands a proactive mindset to identify and address user needs, simplify complex business processes into intuitive interfaces, and drive the adoption of user-centered design principles across the enterprise software suite.
- Candidates will act as a thought leader and individual contributor, advocating for clear content and language, and ensuring a consistent, high-quality user experience across all touchpoints.
π Enhancement Note: While the input labels this as "Senior UX Designer," the responsibilities and requirements strongly suggest an "Architect" level of ownership, focusing on end-to-end experience and strategic product vision, aligning with a senior, influential role within UX operations. The emphasis on internal systems and complex enterprise software also points towards a specialized UX function often referred to as UX Architecture or Senior Product Designer with architectural responsibilities.
π Primary Responsibilities
- Proactively collaborate with Product Managers and business stakeholders to develop deep domain expertise and influence feature direction for a portfolio of enterprise products.
- Map complex business processes, identifying opportunities to simplify workflows, automate tasks, and integrate AI-powered input/output mechanisms through intuitive interface design.
- Facilitate comprehensive design walkthroughs with cross-functional teams, effectively managing schedules and coordinating reviews to ensure alignment and buy-in.
- Identify critical areas for collaboration, delegate design tasks efficiently, and clearly articulate expectations, timelines, and desired outcomes to team members.
- Actively solicit and incorporate feedback from the broader UX team, identifying and championing effective design patterns and innovative experiences from other products and industries to elevate internal solutions.
- Maintain and advocate for a unified, high-quality user experience across all platforms and products, ensuring consistency and intuitive interaction at every user touchpoint.
- Champion clear, intentional content and language choices, leveraging a strong editorial perspective to enhance user comprehension and overall experience.
- Stay engaged with other UX designers and cross-functional partners to foster knowledge sharing, ensure strategic alignment, and maintain a cohesive design language.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities indicate a need for strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills within the design domain. The emphasis on "simplifying business process," "task automation," and "AI-powered input/output loops" highlights a focus on operational efficiency and advanced UX solutions typical in enterprise software environments, suggesting a need for candidates with experience in complex B2B or internal tool design.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education: Bachelorβs degree in Visual Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)/Human Factors, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
Experience: 4 to 7 years of professional experience in UX design, with a proven track record in designing task flows, dashboards, and productivity tools that support efficient, user-centered experiences within complex software environments.
Required Skills:
- User-Centered Design Methodologies: Deep understanding and practical application of user-centered design processes throughout the entire product development lifecycle.
- Design & Prototyping Tools: Significant proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Figma and Axure RP for wireframing, prototyping, and interactive design.
- Complex Interface Design: Demonstrated experience in designing complex web interfaces, intricate forms, and effective data visualizations for enterprise-level applications.
- Agile/Scrum Experience: Familiarity and experience working within agile and scrum development processes, understanding their impact on the software development lifecycle.
- Web Technology Fundamentals: Knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of web technologies, including HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, to inform design decisions and ensure technical feasibility.
- Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts clearly and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
- Problem Framing & Solutioning: Ability to frame design problems from a user's perspective and develop creative, effective solutions that address business objectives.
Preferred Skills:
- Editorial & Content Strategy: Experience in advocating for and implementing clear, intentional content and language choices within user interfaces.
- Internal Systems Design: Prior experience designing user experiences for internal enterprise systems, understanding the unique challenges and requirements of such applications.
- AI Integration in UX: Familiarity with or experience in designing interfaces that incorporate AI-powered input/output loops or assist in task automation.
- Design Pattern Library Management: Experience in identifying, documenting, and championing the use of reusable design patterns to ensure consistency and efficiency.
π Enhancement Note: The requirement for "4 to 7 years of design" combined with "Senior UX Designer" title suggests the company is looking for candidates who are beyond junior or mid-level and can operate with a high degree of autonomy. The inclusion of specific tools like Figma and Axure RP is crucial for ATS keyword matching and candidate assessment. The mention of "complex web interfaces, forms, and data visualizations" points to the need for experience with information-dense applications.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating ownership of the entire UX process, from initial research and problem definition through to final design and post-launch iteration.
- Process Optimization Examples: Include specific examples of how your design solutions simplified complex business processes, automated tasks, or improved user efficiency within enterprise software.
- System Design & Integration: Present work that illustrates the design of interconnected systems or features that integrate seamlessly with existing enterprise software, highlighting a holistic approach.
- Data Visualization & Dashboards: Feature projects involving the design of effective data visualizations and dashboards that provide actionable insights for users, demonstrating an understanding of complex data presentation.
Process Documentation:
- Workflow Design & Analysis: Provide documentation or case study sections that detail your methodology for mapping and analyzing existing business workflows and user journeys.
- User Research & Validation: Showcase evidence of user research methodologies employed and how findings were translated into design decisions, including iterative testing and validation processes.
- Design System Contribution: If applicable, demonstrate experience contributing to or utilizing design systems, component libraries, or style guides to ensure consistency and scalability.
π Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX Designer role with "Architect" level responsibilities, a portfolio is critical. The emphasis should be on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving for complex business needs, and the ability to manage projects end-to-end, not just visual design execution. Highlighting efficiency gains and process simplification through design is key.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $99,800 - $139,800 per year.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive Healthcare: Robust medical, dental, and vision insurance plans designed to provide outstanding care for employees and their families.
- Annual Incentive Plan: Eligibility for an annual incentive plan, with payouts based on both company performance and individual performance, offering a variable compensation component.
- Retirement Savings Plan: Likely includes a 401(k) or similar retirement savings plan, often with a company match to support long-term financial planning.
- Paid Time Off: Generous paid time off (PTO) policy, vacation days, and holidays to support work-life balance.
- Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and skill enhancement, potentially including access to training, conferences, and certifications relevant to UX design and enterprise software.
- Other Perks: Potential for additional benefits such as life insurance, disability insurance, and employee assistance programs.
Working Hours: Standard full-time schedule, Monday through Friday, typically around 40 hours per week. Some flexibility may be expected given the remote nature and the need to collaborate across time zones or with project demands.
π Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $99,800-$139,800 is typical for a Senior UX Designer in a high-cost-of-living area like New York, especially for a remote role within a company of Wheels, Inc.'s likely size and industry. The "annual incentive plan" is a significant part of compensation for senior roles, reflecting performance-based bonuses. Benefits are described as "market-leading" and "robust," suggesting a comprehensive package beyond standard offerings.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Automotive Fleet Management, Technology Services. Wheels, Inc. operates within the automotive and fleet management sector, leveraging technology to provide services related to vehicle leasing, fleet management, and related solutions. This industry context implies a focus on efficiency, data management, and robust operational systems.
Company Size: Wheels, Inc. is likely a mid-to-large enterprise, given the structure of its job postings and the scope of its services, suggesting a well-established organization with defined processes and a structured approach to technology and operations.
Founded: Founded in 1939, Wheels, Inc. has a long history, indicating stability, established market presence, and a deep understanding of its industry. This longevity suggests a culture that values experience, reliability, and long-term strategic planning.
Team Structure:
- UX Team: The Senior UX Designer reports to the Senior Manager of UX Design, indicating a dedicated UX department with a clear reporting hierarchy.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: The role emphasizes close collaboration with Product Management, business stakeholders, and project teams, suggesting a matrixed or agile team structure where UX is integrated into product development cycles.
- Specialization: While not explicitly stated, the focus on internal systems, native apps, and responsive web suggests potential specialization within the UX team or a need for designers with broad experience across these platforms.
Methodology:
- User-Centered Design (UCD): The core methodology is user-centered, prioritizing user needs and perspectives in all design decisions.
- Agile/Scrum Integration: Design processes are integrated within agile/scrum development frameworks, requiring adaptability and iterative design practices.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Implicit in the industry and the mention of data visualizations, design decisions are expected to be informed by user data and business metrics.
Company Website: https://www.wheels.com/
π Enhancement Note: The company's long history (founded 1939) suggests a company that values tradition and stability but likely also embraces technological evolution to remain competitive in the automotive fleet management space. The emphasis on internal systems and complex enterprise software implies a need for UX professionals who can navigate the intricacies of B2B software and operational tools, rather than purely consumer-facing applications.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior individual contributor position within the UX design function, often referred to as a "Senior UX Designer" or "UX Architect." It signifies a move beyond executing assigned tasks to taking ownership of significant product areas, influencing strategy, and mentoring others. The scope includes end-to-end responsibility for a portfolio of products, demanding strategic thinking and strong leadership qualities without direct people management.
Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer reports to the Senior Manager of UX Design. This structure places them within a dedicated design team, receiving mentorship and strategic direction from a senior design leader, while also being expected to operate with significant autonomy on their assigned product portfolio.
Operations Impact: The role's impact is deeply tied to the efficiency and effectiveness of Wheels, Inc.'s internal operations and customer-facing platforms. By simplifying complex business processes, automating tasks, and ensuring intuitive user experiences, the Senior UX Designer directly contributes to increased productivity, reduced errors, enhanced user adoption, and ultimately, improved business outcomes and customer satisfaction. The ability to translate complex enterprise needs into user-friendly solutions is paramount.
Growth Opportunities:
- UX Leadership Path: Potential to grow into a Lead UX Designer, Principal UX Designer, or UX Architect role, taking on broader strategic responsibilities, managing larger product domains, or specializing in architectural aspects of UX.
- Mentorship & Team Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, contribute to the growth of the UX team, and help shape design best practices and standards within the organization.
- Cross-functional Influence: Develop deeper expertise in product strategy and business operations, potentially leading to roles with greater influence on product roadmaps and company-wide technology initiatives.
- Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as enterprise UX, AI-driven interfaces, or complex data visualization design.
π Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title combined with "end-to-end experience and design across a portfolio of products" strongly suggests a role with significant autonomy and strategic input, aligning with career progression towards leadership or principal-level individual contributor roles. The emphasis on simplifying complex business processes implies that growth can also involve deeper business acumen.
π Work Environment
Office Type: This is a fully remote position, offering flexibility and the ability to work from any approved location within the United States. This arrangement eliminates the need for daily commute and provides greater control over the work environment.
Office Location(s): While the position is remote, the designation of "Remote - New York" implies a primary connection to the New York time zone or potentially a headquarters/major operational hub in that region. The company also has a presence in other locations (as indicated by their website and general company knowledge).
Workspace Context:
- Home Office Setup: Employees are expected to maintain a suitable home office environment conducive to productivity, likely equipped with reliable internet access and necessary technology.
- Digital Collaboration Tools: The work environment relies heavily on digital collaboration platforms for communication, design reviews, and project management, fostering a connected virtual workspace.
- Cross-functional Interaction: Opportunities for interaction with UX designers, product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders across the organization through virtual meetings and collaborative design sessions.
Work Schedule: The standard schedule is Monday through Friday, full-time. While remote work offers flexibility, adherence to core working hours, especially for team collaboration and meetings within the primary time zone (e.g., America/New York), is often expected. Travel up to 5% may be required for specific team gatherings or critical project needs.
π Enhancement Note: The "Remote - New York" designation suggests a preference for candidates within or willing to align with the Eastern Time Zone for better collaboration, even though the role is fully remote across the US. The 5% travel requirement indicates that while remote, occasional in-person collaboration or site visits might be necessary, which is common for senior roles influencing strategy.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: A preliminary review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.
- Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the Senior Manager of UX Design to discuss your experience, design philosophy, and fit for the team and role.
- Portfolio Review & Design Exercise: A dedicated session where you will walk through your portfolio, presenting case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end UX process, problem-solving skills, and impact. This may include a focused design exercise or a discussion around a hypothetical problem.
- Cross-functional/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, engineers, or other key stakeholders to assess collaboration style, communication, and ability to work within an agile development environment.
- Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a design leader or director to confirm cultural fit and overall suitability for the role.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your strongest, most relevant case studies that demonstrate end-to-end ownership, complex problem-solving, and quantifiable impact, ideally related to enterprise software, internal tools, or complex B2B platforms.
- Tell a Story: Structure each case study with a clear narrative: the problem, your role and process, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the outcomes achieved (quantified where possible).
- Highlight Process & Rationale: Clearly articulate your design process, the methodologies you employed (user research, ideation, prototyping, testing), and the rationale behind your key design decisions.
- Showcase Impact: Emphasize the business value and user benefits of your designs. Use metrics (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced errors, increased task completion rates) to demonstrate tangible results.
- Address Complexity: For this role, highlight your ability to handle ambiguity, simplify complex requirements, and design for diverse user groups within an enterprise context.
Challenge Preparation:
- Anticipate Design Challenges: Be prepared for potential design challenges that might involve simplifying a complex business process, improving an existing dashboard, or designing a workflow for a new feature.
- Focus on Process: When tackling a challenge, articulate your approach clearly, emphasizing your problem-solving methodology, user-centric thinking, and iterative design process rather than just the final visual output.
- Communicate Effectively: Practice explaining your thought process, design choices, and trade-offs concisely and persuasively, as if presenting to product managers or engineers.
π Enhancement Note: The inclusion of "Portfolio Review & Design Exercise" and "Challenge Preparation" indicates that candidates will be thoroughly vetted on their practical design skills and strategic thinking. For a Senior role, emphasis will be on the why behind design decisions and the demonstrable impact of their work, not just the what.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- Figma: Essential for collaborative interface design, prototyping, and creating design systems. Proficiency in its advanced features for complex workflows and component management is expected.
- Axure RP: A key tool for creating highly interactive prototypes, especially for complex web interfaces and business logic simulations, often used in enterprise environments.
- Prototyping Software: Beyond Figma and Axure, familiarity with other prototyping tools (e.g., InVision, Adobe XD) may be beneficial.
- Collaboration Platforms: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for real-time communication and team coordination.
Analytics & Reporting:
- Web Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar to understand user behavior and track the impact of design changes.
- Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or D3.js for understanding and designing effective data dashboards and reports.
- User Feedback Platforms: Tools for collecting and analyzing user feedback, such as Hotjar, UserTesting.com, or internal survey tools.
CRM & Automation:
- CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how UX design integrates with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and business process automation tools is advantageous for enterprise software design.
- Project Management Software: Proficiency with tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for managing design tasks, sprints, and project workflows.
π Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Axure RP is critical. For an enterprise UX role, demonstrating experience with tools that support complex interactions, data visualization, and integration with development workflows (like Jira) is highly valued. Understanding the broader tech stack, including analytics and CRM, helps in designing solutions that align with business goals.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs, ensuring that design solutions are intuitive, efficient, and valuable.
- Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working harmoniously with cross-functional teams, sharing knowledge, and contributing to a supportive team environment.
- Data-Driven Approach: Decisions are informed by user research, analytics, and business metrics, promoting a culture of evidence-based design and continuous improvement.
- Efficiency & Automation: A drive to simplify complex processes, automate repetitive tasks, and optimize workflows through thoughtful design to enhance productivity.
- Craftsmanship & Quality: A dedication to producing high-quality, polished designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.
Collaboration Style:
- Partnership with Product & Engineering: Works closely with Product Managers to define requirements and strategy, and with Engineers to ensure feasible and well-executed designs.
- Open Feedback Culture: Encourages the exchange of constructive feedback among UX team members and with stakeholders to refine designs and foster collective growth.
- Knowledge Sharing: Actively participates in sharing best practices, design patterns, and learnings across the UX team and broader organization to elevate design standards.
π Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "simplifying business process," "task automation," and "AI-powered input/output loops" suggests a company culture that values operational efficiency and innovation through technology. The collaborative and user-centric values are standard for good UX teams but are framed here within the context of enterprise software development.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Navigating Complex Enterprise Systems: Designing intuitive user experiences for intricate, multi-faceted enterprise software that often has established user behaviors and legacy constraints.
- Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing and synthesizing diverse requirements and feedback from multiple business stakeholders, product managers, and technical teams.
- Driving Adoption of New Design Standards: Championing and implementing new design patterns and user-centered approaches within a potentially established or resistant organizational structure.
- Remote Collaboration Effectiveness: Maintaining strong communication, collaboration, and a sense of team cohesion while working remotely across different locations and time zones.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Advanced UX Architecture: Deepen expertise in designing complex information architectures, system integrations, and scalable design systems for enterprise platforms.
- Industry Trend Integration: Opportunities to research and integrate emerging UX trends, such as AI in design, advanced data visualization techniques, and new interaction models.
- Cross-functional Acumen: Gain a deeper understanding of business operations, fleet management, and the automotive industry, enhancing strategic product input.
- Mentorship & Leadership Skill Development: Participate in mentorship programs, lead design initiatives, and develop leadership capabilities within the UX domain.
π Enhancement Note: The challenges listed are common for senior UX professionals in enterprise environments. The growth opportunities are tailored to build on the existing requirements of the role, focusing on specialization, strategic influence, and leadership within the UX discipline.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "Describe a time you had to simplify a highly complex business process through UX design. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process mapping, user research, iterative design, and quantifiable results.)
- "How do you balance the needs of various stakeholders (e.g., product, engineering, business) when designing for a complex enterprise system?" (Highlight collaboration, negotiation, and user advocacy.)
- "Walk us through your process for designing a new feature for an internal system. What methods do you use to ensure it's intuitive and efficient?" (Emphasize UCD, agile integration, and problem framing.)
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What interests you about Wheels, Inc. and our mission in the fleet management industry?" (Research the company's services, values, and recent news.)
- "How do you approach collaborating with remote teams and stakeholders?" (Discuss your communication strategies, tool usage, and proactive engagement.)
- "How do you ensure a consistent user experience across different platforms (web, native apps)?" (Focus on design systems, pattern libraries, and cross-platform thinking.)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure for Strategy: Begin each case study with a clear statement of the business problem and user need. Detail your strategic approach and how it informed your design decisions.
- Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your design process and final solutions. Explain the why behind each visual element.
- Quantify Impact: Where possible, present metrics demonstrating the positive impact of your designs on user efficiency, task completion, error reduction, or business goals.
- Highlight Collaboration: Discuss how you collaborated with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
π Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving for complexity, and the ability to articulate process and impact clearly. The company's industry (fleet management) and focus (enterprise systems) should be woven into responses.
π Application Steps
To apply for this operations position:
- Submit your application through the provided Workday link: https://wheels.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Wheels_Careers/job/Senior-UX-Designer_R5035
- Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience with user-centered design, complex enterprise software, agile methodologies, and specific tools like Figma and Axure RP. Quantify achievements with metrics whenever possible, focusing on efficiency improvements and user impact.
- Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies that showcase end-to-end UX ownership, complex problem-solving, and demonstrable results. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your process, rationale, and the impact of your design work, especially for B2B or internal systems.
- Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on telling a compelling story about the problem, your strategic approach, your design process, and the quantifiable outcomes. Be ready to discuss your collaboration style and how you handle design challenges.
- Research Wheels, Inc.: Understand the company's mission, services in fleet management, and any recent news or initiatives. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest during interviews, particularly regarding how UX can support their business objectives.
β οΈ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.
Application Requirements
Candidates should have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and 4 to 7 years of design experience, particularly in user-centered experiences. Strong knowledge of design processes, tools, and agile methodologies is essential.