Senior UX Strategist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Strategist

Company: Children's Wisconsin

Location: Milwaukee, WI, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience Strategy / Service Design

Date Posted: 2026-05-01T00:00:00

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Leads comprehensive research and design initiatives to improve human-centered experiences across a healthcare system for families, staff, and providers.

• Acts as a strategic discovery engine, identifying new innovation opportunities and validating that organizational efforts address critical problems.

• Synthesizes quantitative metrics with deep qualitative insights to identify root issues and develop effective solutions in collaboration with leadership.

• Partners with clinical and operational teams to provide targeted discovery and intervention strategies for underperforming experience metrics.

• Translates complex findings into compelling narratives and actionable next steps for senior leadership to drive strategic decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant strategic influence, focusing on the "why" behind experience metrics and driving systemic improvements within a healthcare context. The emphasis is on bridging the gap between data and actionable insights for leadership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute comprehensive research studies, including interviews, focus groups, and surveys, to uncover opportunities for improvement across family, staff, community, and provider experiences.

• Facilitate design thinking and strategy sessions with healthcare leaders to identify root causes of complex issues and co-develop actionable, human-centered solutions.

• Develop high-quality journey maps, service maps, behavioral segmentations, and service playbooks to illustrate the interplay between people and healthcare processes.

• Guide end-to-end design projects, ensuring clinical, operational, and digital initiatives are aligned with the needs of patients, families, and providers.

• Synthesize diverse data sources (qualitative insights, quantitative metrics) to provide a clear understanding of the "why" behind performance, translating complex findings into compelling narratives for leadership.

• Collaborate with clinical and operational teams to deliver targeted discovery and intervention strategies for areas experiencing underperforming experience metrics.

• Champion human-centered design principles and methodologies throughout the organization to foster a culture of continuous experience improvement.

• Mentor and guide junior team members or stakeholders in the application of UX strategy and research methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on research, strategic facilitation, and high-level communication, emphasizing the impact on organizational strategy and experience metrics within a complex healthcare environment. The role requires influencing leadership and cross-functional teams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience leading complex experience research and design projects.

• Demonstrated experience organizing and independently running user research studies within a complex organizational environment.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in design thinking, service design, and qualitative research methodologies (e.g., in-depth interviews, ethnography, usability testing, surveys).

• Ability to translate complex data and user insights into compelling narratives, visual frameworks, and strategic recommendations for senior leadership.

• Advanced skills in independent problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making that directly influence healthcare and experience strategy.

• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills to effectively lead cross-functional teams and guide them in applying human-centered design methodologies.

• Expertise in creating detailed user journey maps, service maps, and other experience visualization tools.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific UX research and design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Miro, Dovetail).

• Familiarity with A/B testing, analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics), and data synthesis tools.

• Experience in organizational change management and driving adoption of new processes or methodologies.

• Knowledge of healthcare systems, patient flow, clinical workflows, and regulatory considerations.

• Experience in developing and implementing service playbooks and behavioral segmentation models.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a deep expertise in UX strategy and research, particularly within complex, regulated environments like healthcare. The ability to influence strategy and communicate complex findings to leadership is paramount.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex experience research and design projects that demonstrate end-to-end ownership and impact.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, research methodologies employed, key insights derived, and the resulting solutions or strategic recommendations.

• Highlight projects where you synthesized both qualitative and quantitative data to inform strategy and decision-making.

• Include examples of journey maps, service maps, or other experience visualization artifacts created.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you have documented and communicated research findings and strategic recommendations to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership.

• Showcase your ability to create clear, actionable roadmaps or playbooks based on your research and strategy work.

• Demonstrate experience in facilitating workshops or design thinking sessions and documenting the outcomes and agreed-upon next steps.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates are expected to present a robust portfolio that clearly illustrates their strategic thinking, research capabilities, and ability to translate insights into tangible improvements within a complex organizational context. The focus is on demonstrating impact and strategic influence.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Given the Senior level, 5+ years of experience, and the specialized nature of UX Strategy within a healthcare system in Milwaukee, WI, a competitive salary range is estimated between $100,000 - $140,000 annually.

📝 Enhancement Note: This salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Strategists in major metropolitan areas in the US, adjusted for the healthcare sector and the specific geographic location of Milwaukee, WI. It considers the required experience level and the strategic nature of the role. Actual compensation may vary based on experience, qualifications, and specific organizational compensation structures.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage for employees and dependents.

• Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) or similar plan with potential employer matching contributions.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Life and Disability Insurance: Company-provided life insurance and short-term/long-term disability coverage.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning, training, conferences, and certifications relevant to UX strategy and service design.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential counseling and support services for personal and work-related challenges.

• Wellness Programs: Initiatives focused on employee health and well-being.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are typically 40 hours per week.

• While the role is on-site, flexibility may be available for occasional remote work or adjusted start/end times to accommodate specific project needs or personal circumstances, subject to management approval and operational requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Benefits are inferred based on standard offerings for a large healthcare organization like Children's Wisconsin, aiming to attract and retain senior talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare (Pediatric Health System)

Company Size: Large (Likely 5,000+ employees, based on typical large hospital systems)

Founded: Children's Wisconsin has a long history, with its roots tracing back to the late 19th century, evolving through mergers and growth to become the leading pediatric health system it is today. This suggests a culture built on long-standing commitment, community service, and continuous adaptation to evolving healthcare needs.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Strategist likely operates within a broader Digital Experience, Innovation, Marketing, or potentially an IT department, collaborating closely with product managers, researchers, designers, clinical Informatics, and operational leaders.

• Reporting structure may involve a Director or VP of Digital Experience, Innovation, or Strategy, with direct interaction and influence across various clinical and operational departments.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, leveraging both quantitative metrics (e.g., patient satisfaction scores, operational efficiency data, digital engagement analytics) and qualitative insights (e.g., user interviews, ethnographic studies, feedback analysis).

• Human-centered design and service design principles are core to the approach, ensuring that solutions are empathetic, feasible, and viable.

• Agile methodologies may be employed for project execution, allowing for iterative development and continuous feedback loops.

• Strategic planning and discovery are key, involving identifying unmet needs and opportunities for innovation within the pediatric healthcare landscape.

Company Website: https://childrenswi.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context emphasizes a mission-driven organization dedicated to children's health, suggesting a culture that values empathy, collaboration, and a commitment to making a significant impact. The scale of the organization implies complex processes and a need for strategic influence.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Senior UX Strategist role represents a highly specialized and influential position within the User Experience and Service Design domain. It is a senior individual contributor role, meaning it focuses on deep expertise and strategic leadership rather than direct people management. The scope involves impacting system-wide experiences, indicating a significant level of responsibility and influence.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a Director or VP level within a department such as Digital Experience, Innovation, Strategy, or sometimes Marketing. This position will work closely with various departmental leaders, clinical staff, and operational teams across the organization, requiring strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing patient and family satisfaction, operational efficiency, staff experience, and potentially the adoption of new digital health tools and services. By improving user experiences, the role contributes to better health outcomes, increased patient loyalty, and more efficient resource utilization within the healthcare system. It helps ensure that technology and processes are designed to be supportive, intuitive, and effective for all users.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX strategy, such as patient journey optimization, digital therapeutics experience, or healthcare service design innovation.

• Leadership Track: Transition into management roles (e.g., UX Manager, Director of Experience Design) if desired, leading teams and setting strategic direction for UX/Service Design across the organization.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Take on lead roles in major strategic initiatives or innovation projects that span multiple departments, leveraging UX expertise to drive organizational change.

• Industry Thought Leadership: Contribute to the broader UX and healthcare design community through presentations, publications, or participation in industry forums.

• Advanced Certifications/Education: Pursue further formal education or certifications in areas like Service Design, Design Strategy, or Healthcare Management.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a strong pathway for growth for experienced UX professionals who want to make a substantial impact in a mission-critical industry. The emphasis is on strategic influence and expertise rather than direct people management, with clear avenues for both specialization and broader leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Children's Wisconsin's Corporate Office, suggesting a professional office environment designed for collaboration, focused work, and administrative functions. It is likely to be a modern, well-equipped workspace.

Office Location(s): Primarily based at the Corporate Office in Milwaukee, WI. Children's Wisconsin also has numerous other locations across Wisconsin, including hospitals, clinics, and community centers, which the Senior UX Strategist may visit for research, workshops, or stakeholder meetings.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office space will likely include meeting rooms, huddle spaces, and open areas conducive to team collaboration, design thinking workshops, and stakeholder presentations.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized UX research and design software, collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack), and project management tools.

• Team Interaction: Ample opportunities for interaction with colleagues within the UX/Digital Experience team, as well as with leaders and staff from clinical, operational, and IT departments. This fosters a dynamic environment where diverse perspectives can be shared and integrated.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule will be full-time, likely Monday through Friday. While the role is on-site, there may be opportunities for some flexibility in start/end times depending on team needs and management approval, allowing for better integration of work with personal life, especially when balancing on-site presence with necessary travel for research.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is characterized by a professional, collaborative setting within a large healthcare organization, emphasizing the integration of digital and operational teams to drive user-centered improvements.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and resumes to assess basic qualifications and experience. This may involve a brief phone call.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth conversation with the hiring manager to discuss your experience, approach to UX strategy, understanding of the healthcare domain, and alignment with the role's responsibilities.

3. Portfolio Review & Presentation: You will be asked to present a selection of your work from your portfolio. This is a critical step where you'll demonstrate your strategic thinking, research methodologies, problem-solving skills, and ability to communicate complex ideas. Be prepared to discuss your process, insights, and the impact of your work.

4. Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from clinical, operational, and IT departments. These interviews focus on assessing your ability to collaborate, influence, and understand diverse perspectives within the healthcare system.

5. Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a senior leader (e.g., VP level) to discuss strategic alignment, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your experience in complex research, strategic problem-solving, and driving measurable improvements. Prioritize healthcare-related projects if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key insights, the solutions developed, and the quantifiable outcomes or impact. Focus on the "why" behind your decisions.

• Highlight Synthesis: Emphasize how you integrated qualitative and quantitative data to inform your strategy and recommendations.

• Visualize Impact: Use clear visuals, journey maps, and data visualizations to support your narrative. Show how your work led to tangible improvements.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your process, how you handle difficult stakeholders, how you measure success, and your understanding of the healthcare landscape.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Deep Dive: Be prepared for a potential take-home assignment or on-the-spot case study related to a common healthcare experience challenge (e.g., improving appointment scheduling, enhancing patient communication, streamlining a clinical workflow). Focus on applying your research and strategic frameworks.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Expect questions that test your ability to break down complex problems, identify root causes, and propose strategic solutions. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.

• Strategic Thinking: Practice articulating your approach to developing system-wide experience strategies, prioritizing initiatives, and influencing organizational change.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess strategic thinking, research expertise, collaboration skills, and the ability to drive impact within a healthcare setting. A strong portfolio presentation is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research & Design: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Miro, Mural (for whiteboarding and collaboration).

• Prototyping: Figma, InVision, Axure RP.

• Collaboration & Communication: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, Monday.com.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker.

• Survey Tools: SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Typeform.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM (for understanding patient/provider data): Salesforce Service Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365 (or similar healthcare-specific CRMs).

• Data Analysis: Excel, SQL (for data querying), potentially R or Python for more advanced analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with standard UX research and design tools is essential. Familiarity with analytics platforms and data synthesis tools is crucial for demonstrating the impact of UX strategies. Experience with healthcare-specific systems is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Patient-Centered Care: A fundamental value driving all initiatives, ensuring that the needs, comfort, and well-being of children and their families are at the forefront of every decision and design.

• Excellence & Innovation: A commitment to achieving the highest standards in pediatric healthcare and continuously seeking innovative solutions to improve care delivery, patient experience, and operational efficiency.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working together across diverse departments and disciplines to achieve shared goals, fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated.

• Integrity & Compassion: Upholding the highest ethical standards and treating everyone with dignity, respect, and empathy, reflecting the organization's dedication to children and families.

• Data-Driven Improvement: A commitment to using data and insights to understand challenges, measure progress, and inform strategic decisions for continuous improvement in all aspects of care and operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where the UX Strategist works closely with clinical teams (doctors, nurses), operational leaders, IT professionals, marketing, and patient advocacy groups. This requires strong communication and the ability to translate between technical, clinical, and user needs.

• Process Review & Feedback: An open culture for reviewing existing processes, soliciting feedback from various stakeholders, and iterating on solutions based on input from those closest to the patient and family experience.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing best practices, research findings, and learnings across teams and departments to foster a collective understanding and application of human-centered design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture is deeply rooted in a mission-driven approach to pediatric healthcare, emphasizing patient well-being, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence and innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Healthcare Systems: Understanding and influencing the intricate workflows, regulatory requirements, and diverse stakeholder needs within a large pediatric healthcare organization can be challenging.

• Bridging Data Gaps: Effectively synthesizing disparate quantitative metrics and qualitative insights from various sources to paint a cohesive picture and identify root causes requires significant analytical skill.

• Driving Organizational Change: Inspiring adoption of human-centered design principles and strategic recommendations across departments with established practices and varying levels of digital maturity.

• Measuring ROI: Quantifying the direct impact of UX and service design initiatives on patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and financial performance can be complex.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to training in advanced service design methodologies, healthcare innovation frameworks, ethnographic research techniques, and data analytics for UX.

• Industry Conferences: Opportunities to attend leading UX, Service Design, and Health Innovation conferences (e.g., UXPA, Service Design Global Conference, HIMSS) to stay abreast of industry trends and best practices.

• Mentorship & Leadership Development: Potential for mentorship from senior leaders within the organization and opportunities to develop leadership skills through project leadership and cross-functional initiative involvement.

• Exposure to Diverse Healthcare Domains: Gaining in-depth knowledge of various pediatric specialties, care pathways, and patient/family needs across a comprehensive health system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities to tackle significant challenges in healthcare experience design while offering robust growth paths for continuous learning and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex healthcare experience challenge you tackled. What was your strategic approach, what methodologies did you employ, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, research rigor, and impact.)

• "How do you balance the needs of diverse stakeholders (e.g., patients, families, clinicians, administrators) when developing a unified experience strategy?" (Prepare examples of negotiation, influence, and consensus-building.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Children's Wisconsin specifically, and how do you see your UX strategy skills contributing to our mission of improving children's health?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "How would you approach building relationships and earning trust with clinical staff who may be skeptical of new design initiatives?" (Discuss your collaboration style and experience in change management.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: For each project, clearly define the Problem, Your Role, Research/Methodology, Insights, Solution, and Impact. Use a consistent template for clarity.

• Focus on the "Why": Explain the rationale behind your choices at each stage, especially your research methods and strategic recommendations.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your solutions. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss projected impact or qualitative feedback.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect interviewers to ask detailed questions about your process, challenges encountered, and alternatives considered.

• Tailor to Healthcare: If possible, frame your portfolio examples in a way that highlights your understanding of healthcare complexities or your ability to adapt UX principles to this domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on articulating a strategic, data-informed, and human-centered approach to problem-solving, with a strong emphasis on demonstrating impact and collaborative capabilities within a healthcare context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Strategist position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link: https://cwi.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/CW_Careers/job/Milwaukee-WI/Senior-UX-Strategist_R14553-1

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, emphasizing your experience in UX strategy, service design, qualitative research, and healthcare if applicable. Quantify achievements with metrics whenever possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that showcase your strategic thinking, research skills, and impact. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your process, insights, solution, and outcomes. Practice presenting your portfolio concisely and compellingly.

• Research Children's Wisconsin: Familiarize yourself with their mission, values, recent initiatives, and the broader pediatric healthcare landscape. Understand their commitment to children and families.

• Practice Interview Questions: Prepare answers for common UX strategy, behavioral, and situational interview questions, focusing on your experience with complex problems, stakeholder management, and driving change.

⚠️ 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.