Senior UX Research Lead - REMOTE

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Research & Design Lead

Company: Jobgether (Partner Company)

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) - Research & Design Leadership

Date Posted: April 1, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a UX team, focusing on performance management, career development, and fostering a collaborative environment.

• Drive the strategic evolution of UX practices, shifting from reactive improvements to proactive, high-impact initiatives that enhance digital experiences for public services.

• Architect and implement robust, practical UX processes that align with product lifecycles and company culture, ensuring high standards of usability and accessibility.

• Spearhead the creation and maintenance of a centralized design system, ensuring UI consistency and efficiency across all product touchpoints.

• Champion the innovative adoption of AI-assisted tools within the UX workflow to boost productivity and enhance research and design capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is posted by Jobgether on behalf of a partner company, implying the application process will be AI-screened by Jobgether first, then forwarded to the hiring organization. The core focus is on leadership in UX Research and Design, with a significant emphasis on process improvement, team development, and strategic impact within a B2G/SaaS context.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development:

  • Manage, guide, and grow the UX team, conducting regular performance assessments and providing actionable feedback.
  • Facilitate career development plans and identify opportunities for skill enhancement and professional growth for team members.
  • Foster a supportive and innovative team culture that encourages experimentation and continuous learning.

• UX Process & Strategy:

  • Design, refine, and implement practical UX research and design processes tailored to the organization's culture and product development lifecycle.
  • Define and maintain high standards for UX quality, with a specific focus on usability, user-centricity, and WCAG accessibility compliance.
  • Lead the shift from reactive problem-solving to strategic UX improvements, proactively identifying opportunities to enhance user journeys and product value.

• Design Systems & Consistency:

  • Collaborate with product management and engineering teams to create and champion a centralized design system.
  • Ensure consistent application of UI components and design patterns across all digital products and services.
  • Drive adherence to design standards, promoting a cohesive and intuitive user experience.

• Innovation & Collaboration:

  • Encourage and guide the innovative use of AI-assisted tools and technologies within the UX practice to optimize workflows and improve outcomes.
  • Partner closely with product, engineering, and other department leaders to integrate UX considerations throughout the product development process.
  • Champion accessibility best practices, ensuring digital public services are usable by all individuals.

• Hands-on Contribution:

  • Actively participate in hands-on UX research and design activities, including user interviews, usability testing, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design.

  • Translate complex user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective user interface designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on leadership and hands-on contribution, common in senior individual contributor or lead roles. The emphasis on "public services," "B2G," and "WCAG accessibility standards" is critical for tailoring applications and understanding the specific domain of impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in UX Research and UX Design.

• At least 2 years of direct people management experience, including performance reviews, career development, and team building.

Required Skills:

• UX Research Methodologies: Expertise in planning, conducting, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative user research (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, persona development, journey mapping).

• UX Design Principles: Strong proficiency in interaction design, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop a team of UX professionals, fostering a high-performance culture.

• Design Systems: Experience in creating, implementing, and managing design systems to ensure product consistency and design efficiency.

• Usability & Accessibility: Deep understanding of usability best practices and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards, with experience in applying them to digital products.

• Modern UX Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard UX design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and various user research platforms.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively articulate design decisions and research findings to diverse stakeholders, including executives, product managers, and engineers.

• Project Prioritization: Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize UX work based on business impact, user needs, and project timelines.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-assisted tools for UX research and design.

• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Experience in the public sector or with government-related digital services.

• Understanding of product strategy and roadmap development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on both research and design, coupled with leadership and specific tool/standard requirements (Figma, WCAG), indicates a need for a versatile candidate. The B2G/SaaS context suggests a need for understanding complex user flows and enterprise-level product considerations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstration of Leadership: Showcase examples where you led a UX team, outlining your approach to mentorship, process improvement, and team growth.

• End-to-End Project Examples: Present 2-3 detailed case studies of complex UX projects (research and design) from conception to launch, highlighting your specific contributions and impact.

• Process Optimization: Include examples of how you have designed, refined, or implemented UX processes to improve efficiency, quality, or collaboration within a team or organization.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, showcase your involvement in creating or contributing to a design system, demonstrating your understanding of its architecture and benefits.

• Accessibility Integration: Provide evidence of how you have incorporated accessibility standards (WCAG) into your research and design work, including any testing or auditing performed.

• Quantitative Impact: Wherever possible, quantify the impact of your work using metrics such as improvements in user satisfaction, task completion rates, conversion rates, or reduction in support tickets.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to documenting UX research findings, design specifications, and process guidelines.

• Demonstrate experience in creating clear, concise documentation that facilitates handoffs between design, development, and product teams.

• Highlight your methods for ensuring that documented processes are adopted and followed, and how you track their effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Lead role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to demonstrate not just individual skill but also leadership, strategic thinking, and process ownership. Quantifiable results and clear case studies of process improvement are paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The competitive salary range for this position is $110,000–$170,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Fully Remote Work Environment: Enjoy the flexibility and autonomy of working from anywhere within the United States.

• Time Zone Flexibility: While based in Washington, DC, the remote setup allows for flexibility across various US time zones, accommodating team collaboration and individual work preferences.

• Coaching & Mentoring Opportunities: Access ongoing support and guidance to enhance your leadership and UX skills.

• Continuous Learning & Professional Growth: The company invests in its employees through support for training, conferences, and other professional development initiatives.

• Team Gatherings & Client Meetings: Occasional travel (up to 10%) is expected for in-person team building, strategic planning sessions, and client interactions, fostering stronger relationships and collaboration.

• Standard Health & Wellness Benefits: (Inferred) Typically includes health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, and retirement savings plans, common for full-time roles in the US.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time role, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. The remote and flexible time zone policy allows for significant autonomy in structuring the workday, provided core collaboration hours and project deliverables are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided and aligns with senior UX leadership roles in the US. The benefits package emphasizes the advantages of a remote, flexible work environment, with specific mention of professional development and occasional travel, which is typical for leadership roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on improving digital experiences for public services and government (B2G). This often involves complex stakeholder management, a focus on accessibility, and a mission-driven approach.

Company Size: Not explicitly stated, but the need for a Senior UX Research & Design Lead with people management responsibilities suggests a growing team or department that requires dedicated leadership. It's likely a mid-sized to large organization or a well-funded startup aiming for significant growth.

Founded: Not specified by the partner company, but Jobgether's description implies this is a company seeking to modernize its processes and product quality.

Team Structure:

• UX Team: You will lead a UX team, implying direct reports who are UX Researchers and Designers. The team is likely part of a larger Product or Engineering organization.

• Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Director or VP of Product, Engineering, or Design, depending on the company's organizational structure.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Software Engineers, Data Analysts, and potentially stakeholders within public sector client organizations.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven UX: Emphasis on using research data and user feedback to inform design decisions and drive strategic UX improvements.

• Process Modernization: A clear objective to move from reactive to strategic improvements and modernize existing UX processes.

• Agile/Iterative Development: Likely operates within an Agile or iterative product development framework, requiring flexibility and continuous feedback loops.

• AI Integration: A forward-thinking approach that embraces AI-assisted tools to enhance UX capabilities.

Company Website: [Jobgether Company URL: jobgether.com] (Note: This is Jobgether's website, not the partner company's. The partner company's website is not provided.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The B2G focus is a key differentiator. It implies a need for candidates who understand the nuances of working with government entities, procurement processes, and the high importance of accessibility and user trust in public-facing digital services.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Leadership / Management. This role is positioned at a critical juncture where an individual contributor with strong leadership potential can transition into a formal management track, or a seasoned UX leader can refine their team-building and strategic impact. The scope includes both direct people management and strategic oversight of UX processes and quality.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Research & Design Lead will likely report to a senior executive within the Product or Technology division (e.g., VP of Product, Director of Engineering, Head of Design). They will manage a team of UX Researchers and Designers.

Operations Impact: The role is designed to have a significant impact on the company's ability to deliver high-quality, user-friendly digital public services. Success will be measured by improvements in user satisfaction, product adoption, operational efficiency of the UX team, and the overall quality and consistency of the user experience across the company's offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Team Expansion: Opportunity to grow and scale the UX team as the company's needs and product portfolio expand.

• Strategic Influence: Play a key role in shaping the company's product strategy and user experience vision.

• Leadership Development: Further develop leadership skills through managing a team, influencing cross-functional stakeholders, and contributing to organizational strategy.

• Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas like accessibility for public services, AI in UX, or design system governance.

• Advancement: Potential to move into Director-level or VP-level roles overseeing larger design or product organizations as the company grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth, bridging hands-on UX expertise with strategic leadership. The B2G context provides unique opportunities for impact and specialization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This indicates a distributed workforce with no central physical office for day-to-day operations.

Office Location(s): While the job is posted with a Washington, DC location, the "Fully Remote" status means the team is geographically dispersed across the United States. Occasional travel is mentioned for team gatherings and client meetings.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote, the culture emphasizes collaboration. This means utilizing digital tools for communication, virtual whiteboarding, and regular virtual meetings.

• Operations Tools & Technology: The team will rely heavily on digital collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Teams), project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana), and sophisticated UX design/research software (e.g., Figma, Maze, UserTesting.com).

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for team interaction will occur through scheduled virtual meetings, dedicated collaboration sessions, and potentially in-person offsites or client visits.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.

• Significant flexibility in daily scheduling is provided due to the remote nature and "flexibility across time zones" benefit, allowing team members to structure their workdays according to personal productivity peaks and team needs, as long as collaboration and deliverables are maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote aspect is central. Candidates should be comfortable with asynchronous communication, virtual collaboration, and self-management. The occasional travel requirement, though minimal, is important to note for those seeking purely remote roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Jobgether AI Screening: Initial application review via Jobgether's AI system to assess core fit against requirements.

• Hiring Company Initial Screen: A brief call with a member of the hiring company's team (likely HR or a hiring manager) to gauge overall fit and interest.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the direct hiring manager to assess leadership style, strategic thinking, and team management philosophy.

• Team & Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with potential direct reports (UX team members) and key cross-functional partners (e.g., Product Manager, Engineering Lead) to evaluate collaboration style and team fit.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present 1-3 key case studies from their portfolio, demonstrating their UX research and design process, leadership approach, and impact. This is often a crucial stage.

• Final Interview/Executive Interview: A final conversation, potentially with a senior executive, to discuss overall vision, strategic alignment, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges encountered, your solutions (especially leadership aspects), and the quantifiable outcomes.

• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize instances where you mentored team members, improved processes, resolved conflicts, or influenced strategic decisions.

• Showcase Process Thinking: Detail how you designed or refined UX workflows, implemented standards, and managed projects effectively.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics (user satisfaction, efficiency gains, accessibility improvements) to demonstrate the tangible value of your work.

• Tailor to B2G/SaaS: If possible, include examples relevant to enterprise applications or public services, showcasing understanding of complex user needs and regulatory environments.

• Be Ready for Questions: Prepare to answer detailed questions about your design rationale, research methodologies, and leadership philosophy.

Challenge Preparation:

• Some companies may include a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise. If so, focus on demonstrating a structured problem-solving approach, clear communication, and an understanding of the company's domain (B2G, public services).

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when explaining design decisions and trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is critical for this role. Candidates should prepare to present extensive case studies that showcase both their individual UX expertise and their ability to lead and develop a team. The B2G context should be reflected in the examples chosen.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly emphasized), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP.

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, Optimal Workshop, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello.

• Design System Management: Storybook, Zeroheight (or similar documentation platforms).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics.

• Product Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude, Pendo.

• BI Tools (for data interpretation): Tableau, Power BI (familiarity may be beneficial for understanding data trends).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly UX tools, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for understanding the broader customer journey and B2B/B2G sales processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a key requirement. Familiarity with a range of research platforms and project management tools is also crucial for a remote leadership role. Understanding how UX integrates with analytics and CRM data will be a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs, especially critical in public service contexts where user impact is paramount.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and strong partnerships across product, engineering, and other departments are essential for effective UX integration.

• Continuous Improvement: A drive to constantly refine processes, tools, and outcomes to deliver better user experiences and team efficiency.

• Innovation & Adaptability: An openness to exploring new technologies (like AI) and methodologies to enhance UX practices.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: A fundamental value in ensuring digital products are usable by everyone, regardless of ability.

Collaboration Style:

• Remote-First & Asynchronous: The team operates primarily in a remote, asynchronous manner, relying on clear documentation, proactive communication, and scheduled synchronous touchpoints.

• Cross-Functional Integration: UX is embedded within or closely aligned with product and engineering teams, fostering a collaborative environment where UX insights inform development priorities.

• Feedback-Rich: A culture that encourages constructive feedback on designs, processes, and team dynamics to foster growth and improve outcomes.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Encourages the use of research data and analytics to support design decisions and measure impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a proactive, data-informed, and collaborative approach, which is vital for a remote leadership role in a B2G environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Remote Team Management: Effectively leading and motivating a distributed UX team requires strong communication, trust-building, and a clear understanding of remote work best practices.

• Balancing Leadership & Hands-on Work: Juggling team management responsibilities with the need for active participation in research and design can be demanding.

• Navigating B2G Nuances: Working within the public sector can involve complex procurement cycles, diverse stakeholder needs, and stringent regulatory requirements (like accessibility).

• Driving Strategic Change: Shifting from reactive to strategic UX improvements requires influencing stakeholders and demonstrating clear ROI for UX investments.

• Adopting New Technologies: Successfully integrating AI-assisted tools into existing workflows and ensuring the team has the skills to leverage them effectively.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Leadership Training: Opportunities to hone skills in people management, strategic planning, and cross-functional influence.

• Deep Dive into B2G UX: Gaining specialized knowledge in designing for government services and understanding user needs within this domain.

• AI in UX Mastery: Becoming an expert in leveraging AI tools for research, design, and process automation.

• Design System Governance: Developing expertise in scaling and maintaining robust design systems for complex product portfolios.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant UX, design leadership, and accessibility conferences or pursuing certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior remote leadership role, with specific emphasis on the B2G context and AI integration. The growth opportunities are well-aligned with developing expertise in these areas.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your philosophy on leading a UX team, particularly in a remote environment. How do you foster collaboration and ensure high performance?" (Prepare examples of team rituals, feedback mechanisms, and performance management.)

• "Walk us through a time you successfully shifted a team or organization's approach from reactive UX fixes to proactive, strategic improvements. What was your process, and what were the results?" (Focus on influencing stakeholders, data-driven arguments, and process implementation.)

• "How would you approach designing and implementing a centralized design system for a growing B2G product portfolio? What are the key considerations for adoption and maintenance?" (Highlight your understanding of system architecture, governance, and cross-functional buy-in.)

• "Tell us about your experience with WCAG accessibility standards. How have you integrated accessibility into your UX process, and what challenges have you faced?" (Provide concrete examples of audits, design considerations, and testing.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on what you know about our focus on public services, what excites you about this role and how would your experience contribute to our mission?" (Research the partner company's mission if possible, or speak generally about the importance of good UX in public services.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Impactful Case Studies: Choose 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your leadership, process improvement, and B2G/SaaS experience.

• Tell a Compelling Story: Structure your presentation around a clear narrative: Problem -> Your Role/Leadership -> Process/Solution -> Challenges -> Outcome/Impact.

• Highlight Process & Leadership: Ensure your presentation explicitly details how you managed the UX process, mentored team members, and influenced outcomes.

• Quantify Results: Use data and metrics to showcase the tangible impact of your work.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, research methodologies, and leadership choices.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, process ownership, and a deep understanding of UX principles within a B2G context. Quantifiable results and clear articulation of process are key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Research & Design Lead position:

• Submit Application via Jobgether: Utilize the provided link to submit your application through the Jobgether platform.

• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight your experience in UX Research, UX Design, team leadership, people management, and working with B2B/B2G or SaaS products. Use keywords from the job description (e.g., "UX Research," "UX Design," "Leadership," "Figma," "WCAG," "Design Systems," "Process Improvement").

• Curate Your Portfolio: Prepare a strong portfolio that showcases 2-3 detailed case studies. Ensure these examples highlight your leadership, process design/refinement, and quantifiable impact, ideally with relevance to B2G or complex SaaS applications. Be ready to present this portfolio.

• Research the Partner Company: If possible, research the partner company whose role this is. Understand their mission, products, and any public-facing digital services they offer. This will help you tailor your responses during interviews and demonstrate genuine interest.

• Prepare for Remote Collaboration Scenarios: Think about examples of how you've successfully collaborated with remote teams, managed distributed projects, and utilized virtual collaboration tools.

⚠️ 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.