Sr./Lead UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr./Lead UX Designer
Company: Applied Systems Canada
Location: United States, Canada
Job Type: OTHER
Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Date Posted: 2025-10-11
Experience Level: 10+ Years (Senior/Lead)
Remote Status: Remote OK (with option to work from an Applied Systems office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead strategic research and design initiatives for the Employee Benefits team, focusing on enhancing the agency management system experience for Benefits users.
• Drive the full product lifecycle, from discovery and ideation through to design hand-off, post-release testing, and ongoing research, ensuring high-quality user experiences.
• Collaborate closely with Product Management and stakeholders across multiple functions to identify and address complex problem spaces within insurance workflows.
• Utilize mixed-methods research to gather user insights and translate them into intuitive user flows, experience maps, journey maps, wireframes, and prototypes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Sr./Lead UX Designer," the AI-generated experience level suggests "10+ Years," aligning with a Lead role. The core responsibilities point towards a strategic leadership position within the UX domain, specifically for enterprise software in the insurtech sector. The role emphasizes not just design execution but also strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and ownership of the user experience throughout the product lifecycle.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct generative user research (mixed-methods) to understand user needs, motivations, and behaviors within the employee benefits insurance domain, synthesizing findings into actionable insights.
• Strategize with Product Management and other stakeholders to define problem spaces and explore innovative solutions that simplify complex insurance workflows and user interfaces.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the user experience across Applied Systems' suite of products, particularly for the Employee Benefits team.
• Create and iterate on design artifacts, including user flows, experience maps, journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, to effectively communicate design concepts and solutions.
• Own workstreams from strategic planning and research through to design hand-off, ensuring seamless integration with development teams and providing post-release support and validation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful delivery and quality of the product's user experience, aligning with business objectives and user needs.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies such as AI and Machine Learning, exploring their potential application to enhance user experiences and operational efficiency within the insurance technology landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hybrid role encompassing both strategic leadership and hands-on design execution. The focus on "owning workstreams" and "strategic planning" indicates a senior-level expectation for proactive initiative and end-to-end project management within the UX domain.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Design, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in User Experience (UX) design.
• Preference for experience in commercial software and enterprise environments.

Required Skills:

• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills for stakeholder engagement and design presentations.
• Facilitation: Proven ability to lead workshops, design sprints, and collaborative sessions with diverse teams.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to dissect complex user problems and business requirements.
• Reasoning & Analytical Skills: Ability to logically analyze user data and translate findings into effective design strategies.
• User Experience Research Methodologies: Deep understanding of qualitative and quantitative research techniques (e.g., user interviews, surveys, usability testing, persona development).
• Design Principles: Solid grasp of fundamental UX/UI design principles, information architecture, and interaction design.
• Prototyping Proficiency: Expertise in creating interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools.
• Tool Proficiency: Demonstrated skill in using design and prototyping software such as Figma, Balsamiq, and Miro.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the insurance industry or with insurance technology (insurtech).
• Familiarity with the application of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in software design.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technologies and design techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The distinction between "Must Have" and "Desired Skills" clearly outlines the core competencies expected. The AI-generated experience level of "10+" aligns with a "Lead" designation, suggesting that while 7 years is the minimum, a candidate with more extensive experience, particularly in enterprise software and potentially insurance, would be highly valued. The inclusion of AI/ML as a desired skill indicates a forward-thinking approach to product development.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the end-to-end product design process, from discovery and research to final design and iteration.
• Showcase case studies that highlight complex problem-solving and the application of user research to drive design decisions.
• Include examples of user flows, journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes that illustrate your design thinking and execution capabilities.
• Present projects that emphasize efficiency improvements and simplification of complex workflows, particularly relevant to enterprise software.
• Clearly articulate your role and contributions within team projects, detailing your specific responsibilities and impact.

Process Documentation:

• Provide evidence of structured research methodologies, including user interview summaries, synthesis of findings, and actionable insights derived from data.
• Showcase documentation of iterative design processes, including wireframe evolution, prototype testing, and how feedback was incorporated.
• Demonstrate experience in collaborating with Product Management and Engineering teams, including examples of design hand-off documentation and process alignment.
• Illustrate how you've measured the success of designs post-launch, using metrics and user feedback to inform future iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Sr./Lead UX Designer role, a robust portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just visual design and demonstrate strategic thinking, research acumen, and the ability to manage complex projects from inception to completion. The emphasis on "enterprise environments" and "complex workflows" suggests a need for case studies in B2B software.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• United States: Based on industry benchmarks for a Sr./Lead UX Designer in commercial software/enterprise environments, with 7+ years of experience, the estimated salary range is $120,000 - $170,000 USD annually. This can vary based on specific location (e.g., tech hubs vs. lower cost of living areas), candidate experience, and the precise nature of responsibilities.
• Canada: For a comparable role in Canada, the estimated salary range is $100,000 - $150,000 CAD annually. Cost of living and market demand in major Canadian tech centers (e.g., Toronto, Vancouver) would influence the upper end of this range.

Benefits:

• Remote Work Flexibility: Ability to work 100% remotely or from an Applied Systems office, offering significant work-life balance and geographic flexibility.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Likely includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, essential for employee well-being.
• Retirement Savings Plan: Potential for a company-sponsored retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k in the US, RRSP matching in Canada).
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and paid holidays.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, certifications, and attending industry conferences (e.g., UXPA, IA Summit), supporting continuous learning.
• Employee Assistance Program: Resources for mental health, financial, and legal support.
• Potential for Stock Options/Bonuses: Depending on the company's compensation structure for senior roles.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility given the remote work arrangement. The role requires dedication to project timelines and collaborative needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges are estimated based on typical compensation for Sr./Lead UX Designers in the US and Canada, considering the enterprise software domain and the specified experience level. Applied Systems is a well-established insurtech company, suggesting competitive benefits packages aligned with industry standards. The "OTHER" employment type is unusual for a UX Designer role and might require clarification from the employer.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Insurtech (Insurance Technology). Applied Systems is a leader in providing software and cloud solutions for the insurance industry, enabling digital transformation for agents and brokers. Company Size: The provided data does not specify the exact company size, but industry leaders in insurtech typically range from hundreds to thousands of employees globally. Applied Systems has a significant presence. Founded: 1980. With over 40 years of experience, Applied Systems has a long-standing reputation and deep expertise in the insurtech market.

Team Structure:

• Product-Focused: The Employee Benefits team likely operates within a product-centric organizational structure, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and other UX professionals.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expect close partnerships with stakeholders across Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and potentially Sales/Customer Success to ensure a cohesive product strategy and user experience.
• Reporting: The Sr./Lead UX Designer will likely report to a Director or VP of Product Design, UX, or Product Management, depending on the organizational hierarchy.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis on understanding and advocating for the user throughout the product development process.
• Agile Development: Likely operates within Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban), requiring iterative design and close collaboration with development teams.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing user research, analytics, and stakeholder feedback to inform design choices and measure impact.
• Continuous Improvement: A culture that encourages ongoing learning, experimentation, and refinement of processes and products.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Applied Systems' long history in insurtech suggests a stable, established company with a deep understanding of its market. The focus on "Transforming the insurance industry" and "innovative software and services" points to a culture that values technological advancement and customer-centric solutions. The mention of "values that make us indispensable to each other" hints at a collaborative and supportive internal culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior/Lead level within the UX Design discipline. It involves not only executing design tasks but also strategic input, leading projects/workstreams, and potentially mentoring junior designers. The "Lead" aspect implies a degree of ownership and responsibility for the success of the user experience within their assigned product areas.

Reporting Structure: The Sr./Lead UX Designer will likely report to a Director or VP level within Product or Design. They will be part of a larger UX/Product team and will collaborate extensively with Product Managers and Engineering leads. The role requires influencing without direct authority in many instances.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is crucial for driving user adoption, satisfaction, and retention within the Employee Benefits suite. By simplifying complex insurance workflows and creating intuitive interfaces, they directly contribute to:

• Increased efficiency for insurance agents and brokers.
• Reduced training and support costs.
• Enhanced customer loyalty and reduced churn.
• Competitive differentiation in the insurtech market.
• The overall success and revenue generation of the Employee Benefits products.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into a UX Manager or Director role, overseeing larger teams and broader product portfolios.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in insurtech UX, AI-driven design, or specific product domains within Applied Systems.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to transition into Product Management or other strategic roles within the company based on demonstrated capabilities.
• Continuous Learning: Access to internal and external training, workshops, and conferences to stay at the forefront of UX best practices and emerging technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Sr./Lead" title, combined with the responsibilities of owning workstreams and strategic collaboration, indicates a role with significant growth potential. Candidates should look for opportunities to demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, and mentorship capabilities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role offers a "Remote Opportunity" to work 100% remotely, or from an Applied Systems office. This suggests a hybrid-friendly or remote-first approach for their distributed workforce. Office Location(s): While the job ad lists "United States" and "Canada" as derived locations, specific office presence in these countries is not detailed. Candidates in proximity to established Applied Systems offices may have the option to work from a physical location.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Flexibility: Empowers designers to create their optimal working environment, promoting autonomy and work-life balance.
• Digital Collaboration Tools: Expect a robust suite of digital tools for communication, project management, and design collaboration (e.g., Slack, Teams, Jira, Confluence, Figma, Miro).
• Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities to engage with diverse teams, fostering a dynamic and collaborative atmosphere, even in a remote setting.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected. While remote work offers flexibility, timely communication and responsiveness during core business hours for the relevant region (US/Canada) will be crucial for effective collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote flexibility is a key perk. The work environment will largely depend on the candidate's comfort with remote collaboration tools and their ability to self-manage their schedule effectively while meeting team and project demands.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, discussing 1-2 key case studies in detail. Expect in-depth questions about their design process, problem-solving approach, and rationale behind decisions.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager focusing on leadership potential, strategic thinking, and alignment with team goals.
• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Conversations with Product Managers, Engineering leads, or other key collaborators to assess teamwork and communication skills.
• Potential Design Challenge: A take-home assignment or live design exercise to evaluate practical design skills and problem-solving abilities within a given scenario.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best represent your experience in enterprise software, complex workflows, and user research. Prioritize projects where you led initiatives or had significant strategic impact.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the solutions you designed, and the impact (quantifiable if possible). Use visuals (user flows, wireframes, prototypes) to illustrate your points.
• Highlight Research & Strategy: Emphasize how user research informed your design decisions and showcase your strategic thinking in tackling complex problems.
• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with tools like Figma, Balsamiq, and Miro, and how you leverage them effectively.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle feedback, conflict resolution, and your experience with AI/ML in design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly analyze the problem statement and any provided constraints.
• Structure Your Approach: Outline your steps, including research, ideation, wireframing, and prototyping, even if you can only complete a portion.
• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your thought process and rationale. The "how" is often more important than the "what."
• Communicate Effectively: Prepare a concise presentation of your solution, highlighting key decisions and trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "strategic research and designs," "ownership," and "leading discovery" means the interview process will likely probe deeply into strategic thinking and leadership capabilities, not just tactical execution. A well-structured portfolio that tells a compelling story of impact is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable as industry standard), Balsamiq (for rapid wireframing), Miro (for collaboration, ideation, user flows, journey mapping).
• User Research: Tools may include survey platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), user interview platforms (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet), and potentially specialized UX research tools.
• Project Management & Collaboration: Jira, Confluence (common in enterprise Agile environments), Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While specific tools aren't mentioned, experience with analytics platforms that provide user behavior insights would be beneficial (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or product-specific analytics dashboards).
• Ability to interpret data from reporting tools to inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how UX impacts CRM adoption and efficiency within enterprise software is valuable. Familiarity with how user experience interfaces with backend systems and automations is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma, Balsamiq, and Miro is explicitly required. The role operates within an enterprise software context, so familiarity with common enterprise tools and Agile development workflows is expected. Understanding how UX integrates with broader business systems is a bonus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A core value likely driving the focus on user needs and delivering indispensable software solutions.
• Innovation: A commitment to transforming the insurance industry through new software and services, encouraging new ideas and trying new things.
• Collaboration: Emphasis on building a culture where individuals are indispensable to each other, fostering teamwork and mutual support.
• Continuous Learning: A drive to learn, adapt to new technologies, and improve processes and products.
• Integrity and Security: A strong focus on candidate and customer data protection, ensuring secure communication and handling of sensitive information.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect a highly collaborative environment where UX designers work closely with Product Management, Engineering, and other business units.
• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages open feedback, design critiques, and iterative refinement of solutions.
• Shared Ownership: While leading specific workstreams, there's an expectation of shared responsibility for product success and user satisfaction.
• Remote Collaboration Proficiency: Adeptness at using digital tools to maintain strong communication and collaboration across distributed teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company explicitly mentions values that are "indispensable to each other." This suggests a culture that prioritizes teamwork, mutual respect, and collective success. The emphasis on "learning" and "trying new things" points to an environment that supports professional growth and innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Simplifying Complex Workflows: The primary challenge will be translating the intricate and often manual processes within employee benefits insurance into intuitive and efficient digital experiences.
• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Navigating the differing priorities of Product Management, Engineering, Sales, and end-users to arrive at optimal design solutions.
• Adopting New Technologies: Staying current with and effectively integrating emerging technologies like AI/ML into existing enterprise software, ensuring user adoption and value.
• Remote Collaboration Management: Ensuring effective communication, alignment, and design quality across distributed teams without the benefit of constant in-person interaction.
• Legacy System Integration: Potentially working with or designing for systems that may have legacy components, requiring careful consideration of integration and user experience consistency.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Insurtech Expertise: Deepen knowledge of the insurance industry and its specific user needs and regulatory landscape.
• Advanced UX Techniques: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge UX research and design methodologies.
• AI/ML in Design: Gain practical experience in applying AI and Machine Learning to enhance user experiences and product functionality.
• Leadership and Mentorship: Develop leadership skills through project ownership and potential mentorship of junior designers.
• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant UX and insurtech conferences and pursuing professional certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working in a specialized enterprise software domain like insurtech. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for significant professional development in a rapidly evolving field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design for a complex enterprise software feature. What was the problem, your process, and the outcome?"
• "How do you approach user research for a new product area or feature, especially when dealing with complex workflows like insurance?"
• "Walk us through your process for creating user flows and prototypes for a challenging user problem. What tools do you use and why?"
• "How would you collaborate with Product Management and Engineering to ensure a successful design hand-off and implementation?"
• "In your opinion, how can AI and Machine Learning be leveraged to improve the user experience in enterprise insurance software?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about Applied Systems and the insurtech industry?"
• "How do you align your design philosophy with company values, particularly regarding innovation and collaboration?"
• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a positive and productive culture, especially in a remote setting."
• "How do you ensure your work is user-centric while also meeting business objectives?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem statement, your specific role and contributions, the research conducted, the design process (ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing), the final solution, and the measurable impact.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, user flows, prototypes) to illustrate your design decisions and the user journey. Interactive prototypes are highly effective.
• Focus on Rationale: Be prepared to explain why you made certain design choices, backed by research or user feedback.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics demonstrating the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).
• Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your presentation to ensure clarity, conciseness, and confidence within the allotted time.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for evidence of strategic thinking, strong research skills, a deep understanding of the UX process, and excellent communication. Be prepared to discuss your experience with enterprise-level products and complex data.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Applied Systems careers portal.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 7+ years of UX experience, specifically mentioning commercial software, enterprise environments, and any insurance technology exposure. Use keywords from the job description such as "User Experience Research," "Prototyping," "Figma," "Balsamiq," "Miro," "User Flows," "Journey Maps," and "Problem-Solving." Quantify achievements where possible.
• Portfolio Preparation: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and showcases 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate your strategic thinking, research methodologies, and ability to design for complex enterprise workflows. Prioritize examples where you led initiatives or had significant impact.
• Interview Practice: Prepare to articulate your design process, research findings, and problem-solving approach clearly and concisely. Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on the "why" behind your design decisions and the impact of your work. Research Applied Systems and the insurtech industry to demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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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