Sr Manager, UX
π Job Overview
Job Title: Sr Manager, UX
Company: MAPFRE
Location: Webster, Massachusetts, United States
Job Type: Full-time
Category: User Experience (UX) / Design Operations
Date Posted: April 14, 2026
Experience Level: 10+ years
Remote Status: Hybrid
π Role Summary
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Lead and define the overall UX strategy for digital products, ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer needs.
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Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary UX team, fostering a culture of design excellence and innovation.
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Oversee the end-to-end design process for web and mobile platforms, from concept to high-fidelity execution.
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Drive the adoption and maintenance of a consistent design system and adherence to global brand guidelines.
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Champion user research, usability testing, and data-driven insights to inform design decisions and optimize user journeys.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the User Experience (UX) and Design Operations domain, focusing on strategic leadership and team management in the design of digital products for a global insurance company. The emphasis on "operations" comes from the need to manage workflows, resources, and a design system, which are core operational functions within a design team.
π Primary Responsibilities
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Strategic UX Leadership: Define and execute the overarching UX strategy for all digital products, ensuring it supports business goals and enhances customer engagement.
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Team Management & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of UI designers and researchers, fostering their professional growth and ensuring high-quality output.
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Workflow & Prioritization Management: Act as a traffic manager for UX work intake, effectively prioritizing tasks, managing competing workstreams, and making informed trade-off decisions using tools like Jira.
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End-to-End Design Oversight: Oversee the creation of wireframes, user flows, prototypes, interaction patterns, and high-fidelity designs for web and mobile applications.
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Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Business stakeholders to shape requirements, define user journeys, and establish design direction.
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User-Centricity & Research: Champion user research, competitive analysis, customer feedback loops, and usability testing to validate design concepts and drive continuous improvement.
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Design System Governance: Establish, maintain, and advocate for a comprehensive design system, ensuring visual and interaction consistency across all digital platforms and adherence to Mapfre's global brand guidelines.
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Accessibility & Inclusivity: Advocate for and ensure the implementation of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive design principles across all customer-facing products.
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Data-Driven Optimization: Leverage analytics, qualitative insights, and quantitative data to inform UX decisions, optimize user flows, and demonstrate measurable improvements in user experience and business outcomes.
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Stakeholder Communication: Effectively communicate UX strategy, present design work, and influence prioritization with executive stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
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Innovation & Culture: Foster an environment of innovation, design excellence, and customer advocacy within the UX team and across the organization.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed are typical for a Senior Manager role in UX, requiring a blend of strategic vision, team leadership, process management, and hands-on design oversight. The emphasis on "traffic management," "Jira," and "design system governance" highlights the operational aspects of this leadership position.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education:
Experience:
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8+ years of progressive experience in UX design, with a minimum of 2-3 years in a formal leadership or people management role.
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Proven track record of successfully leading UX strategy and delivery for complex digital products, ideally in an enterprise environment.
Required Skills:
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UX Strategy & Vision: Ability to define and articulate a clear UX strategy that aligns with business objectives and customer needs.
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Team Leadership & Mentorship: Demonstrated experience in managing, mentoring, and developing a team of designers and researchers.
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Design Thinking & User Research: Deep understanding and practical application of design thinking methodologies, user research techniques, and usability testing.
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Portfolio Management: Strong ability to oversee and curate a portfolio of work that showcases expertise in web and mobile UX, complex workflows, and enterprise-level design.
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Modern Design Tools Proficiency: Hands-on experience with industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or InVision.
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Design System Management: Experience in establishing, maintaining, and advocating for design systems and style guides.
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Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent ability to partner effectively with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Business stakeholders.
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Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficiency in using analytics, qualitative, and quantitative data to inform UX decisions and measure impact.
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Communication & Influence: Exceptional communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.
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Accessibility & Inclusive Design: Strong advocacy for and knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design practices.
Preferred Skills:
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Experience within the insurance or financial services industry.
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Familiarity with Jira for workflow management and progress tracking.
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Knowledge of global brand guideline implementation.
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Experience with A/B testing and conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategies.
π Enhancement Note: The experience level of 10+ years (derived from 8+ years plus 2-3 years in leadership) suggests a seasoned professional capable of strategic impact and operational oversight. The emphasis on enterprise-level design and complex workflows points to experience with larger, more intricate product ecosystems.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
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A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating end-to-end UX expertise across web and mobile platforms.
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Case studies showcasing experience with complex workflows and enterprise-level design challenges.
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Evidence of strategic thinking, including how UX decisions aligned with business goals and customer needs.
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Examples of user research, usability testing, and iterative design processes.
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Documentation of contributions to or management of design systems and style guides.
Process Documentation:
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Demonstrate experience in defining and managing UX workflows, including intake, prioritization, and delivery using project management tools (e.g., Jira).
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Showcase a systematic approach to user research, from planning and execution to synthesizing insights and translating them into actionable design recommendations.
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Illustrate the process of creating and maintaining design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and governance models.
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Provide examples of how data and analytics were integrated into the design process to inform decisions and measure outcomes.
π Enhancement Note: For a Senior Manager role, the portfolio is crucial. It should not only display design quality but also demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, process management capabilities, and the ability to drive operational efficiency within the UX function. The expectation is to see how the candidate managed projects, teams, and systems to achieve measurable results.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range:
Benefits:
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Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
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Retirement Savings: 401(k) or similar retirement plans with potential company matching.
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Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday policies.
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Flexible Work Options: Hybrid work arrangement allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work.
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Employee Discounts: Potential discounts on MAPFRE insurance products or other services.
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Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and leadership development programs to support career growth.
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Wellness Programs: Initiatives focused on employee well-being.
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Social Responsibility Programs: Opportunities to participate in community and sustainability initiatives through FundaciΓ³n Mapfre.
Working Hours:
- Standard full-time work hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid work arrangement offers flexibility in how these hours are structured, balancing in-office days with remote workdays.
π Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is directly from the job description and is specific to the US market. Benefits are detailed based on the explicit mentions in the job description, augmented with common offerings for senior management roles at large corporations. The "Pay Philosophy" section confirms that salary is determined by multiple factors, and some roles may be eligible for additional compensation.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Insurance (Global Leader with a strong local presence). This industry context implies a need for reliable, trustworthy, and secure digital experiences, with a focus on customer service and long-term relationships. UX in insurance often involves navigating complex product offerings and regulatory environments.
Company Size: MAPFRE is a global insurance leader, indicating a large, established organization with significant resources and a broad market reach. This size often translates to structured processes, opportunities for career advancement, and the potential for impactful projects affecting a large user base.
Founded: While not explicitly stated, MAPFRE is a well-established global entity, suggesting a history of stability and evolution in its services and operations. This can mean a blend of traditional corporate structure with modern digital transformation initiatives.
Team Structure:
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UX Team: The Sr. Manager will lead a multidisciplinary UX team, likely comprising UI designers and user researchers. This team will be a core component of the digital product development lifecycle.
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Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Director or VP of Product, Digital, or Technology, with the UX team members reporting directly to the Sr. Manager.
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Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong partnerships are expected with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Business units to ensure cohesive product development and strategy execution.
Methodology:
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Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using analytics, customer feedback, and usability testing to inform and validate design decisions.
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Agile/Iterative Development: Likely operates within an agile framework, requiring adaptability, collaboration, and iterative design and development cycles.
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Design Thinking: Core methodology for problem-solving and innovation, ensuring a customer-centered approach.
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Design System Governance: Structured approach to maintaining consistency and efficiency through a centralized design system.
Company Website: https://www.mapfre.com/ (General corporate site, specific job application is via MAPFRE's careers portal)
π Enhancement Note: MAPFRE's global presence and insurance industry focus suggest that the UX team will be instrumental in building trust, simplifying complex processes, and enhancing customer loyalty through intuitive digital interfaces. The company's commitment to "purpose-driven career," "trust, collaboration, and inclusion," and "social responsibility" indicates a culture that values employee well-being and ethical practices.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior management position within the UX/Design Operations field. It requires strategic leadership, team management, and a significant impact on product direction and user experience across the organization. The scope extends beyond individual contribution to leading and enabling a team to deliver high-quality, operationally sound design solutions.
Reporting Structure: The Sr. Manager, UX will likely report into a senior executive such as a VP of Product, Chief Product Officer, or VP of Digital Transformation. This position has direct reports, indicating a management responsibility within the organizational hierarchy.
Operations Impact: The UX team, under this leadership, will directly impact the usability, accessibility, and effectiveness of MAPFRE's digital products. This has a cascading effect on customer satisfaction, retention rates, operational efficiency (through intuitive self-service), and ultimately, revenue generation and brand perception within the competitive insurance market.
Growth Opportunities:
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Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into Director or VP-level roles overseeing broader product design or digital strategy functions.
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Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like design operations, accessibility leadership, or digital transformation strategy.
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Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to lead larger strategic initiatives that span multiple departments.
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Industry Exposure: Gain extensive experience within the insurance sector, a field with ongoing digital evolution and significant user experience challenges.
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Skill Development: Access to tuition reimbursement and leadership programs to enhance management and strategic capabilities.
π Enhancement Note: The career path for a Sr. Manager, UX in a company like MAPFRE often involves progressing from managing a specific product domain or team to overseeing larger portfolios, potentially expanding into broader digital strategy or even product management leadership, depending on individual career aspirations and organizational needs.
π Work Environment
Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, indicating a blend of in-office presence and remote work. This suggests a modern workplace that values flexibility while maintaining opportunities for in-person collaboration.
Office Location(s): Webster, Massachusetts is the primary location. MAPFRE operates globally, but this specific role is based in Webster, MA, suggesting the team will have a physical presence there for collaborative work.
Workspace Context:
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Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model implies a need for well-designed office spaces that facilitate team meetings, workshops, and spontaneous collaboration on designated in-office days.
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Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, as well as advanced design and collaboration software (e.g., Figma, Jira, video conferencing tools) essential for both remote and in-office work.
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Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with design team members, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders during in-office days, fostering strong working relationships and effective communication.
Work Schedule: The standard work hours are approximately 40 per week. The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility in scheduling, enabling employees to manage personal commitments while ensuring critical team and project needs are met. This flexibility is beneficial for operations professionals who may need to manage complex project timelines or collaborate across different time zones.
π Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role suggests that MAPFRE is adapting to modern work trends, aiming to balance the benefits of remote flexibility with the value of in-person collaboration for strategic initiatives, team building, and complex problem-solving.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
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Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will likely conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
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Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into leadership experience, strategic thinking, and team management capabilities. Portfolio review may begin here.
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Team/Peer Interviews: Conversations with potential direct reports (designers, researchers) and key cross-functional partners (Product, Engineering) to assess collaboration style, leadership approach, and technical acumen.
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Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, showcasing key projects, design process, leadership contributions, and impact. This is a critical stage for demonstrating strategic and operational UX capabilities.
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Executive Interview: A final interview with a senior leader (e.g., VP) to assess strategic alignment, cultural fit, and overall potential impact on the organization.
Portfolio Review Tips:
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Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your leadership, strategic impact, operational management, and end-to-end UX expertise, especially those involving complex enterprise challenges.
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Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role and approach, the process you followed (including operational aspects like workflow management), the solutions you designed, and the measurable business and user outcomes. Quantify results whenever possible.
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Highlight Leadership & Operations: Emphasize your experience in managing teams, prioritizing work, implementing design systems, and using data to drive decisions. Showcase your ability to operate effectively within a corporate structure.
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Tell a Story: Structure your presentation logically, guiding the interviewers through your thought process and decision-making at each stage.
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Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your leadership philosophy, how you handle conflict, your approach to design system maintenance, and how you leverage data and research.
Challenge Preparation:
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Design System Exercise: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach building or refining a design system for a large enterprise, including governance, adoption strategies, and tooling.
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Strategic UX Scenario: You might be presented with a hypothetical business problem or user challenge and asked to outline your strategic approach, research plan, and design methodology.
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Team Management Scenario: Expect questions about how you would handle team dynamics, performance management, or cross-functional conflicts.
π Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "enterprise-level design," "complex workflows," and "design system governance" in the job description suggests that the interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to manage operational aspects of UX at scale, not just their individual design skills.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
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Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision (hands-on experience required).
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Project Management & Workflow: Jira (explicitly mentioned for workflow oversight).
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Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace.
Analytics & Reporting:
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Experience with web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to interpret user behavior and performance metrics.
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Familiarity with A/B testing tools and methodologies for optimizing user experiences.
CRM & Automation:
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While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for understanding the broader customer journey and data flow within an enterprise.
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Understanding of integration principles between design tools and development environments.
π Enhancement Note: Proficiency with Jira is a key operational requirement highlighted in the responsibilities. The expectation is that the Sr. Manager will not only use these tools but also guide their team in their effective application for managing design operations.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
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Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for user needs in all design decisions.
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Data-Driven Approach: Utilizing quantitative and qualitative data to inform strategy, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement in UX and operational efficiency.
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Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering open communication and strong partnerships across Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Business teams, with a focus on shared goals.
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Design Excellence & Innovation: Striving for high-quality, intuitive, and innovative design solutions while maintaining brand consistency and accessibility standards.
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Efficiency & Scalability: Implementing processes and systems (like design systems) that enable efficient and scalable design delivery across multiple products and platforms.
Collaboration Style:
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Cross-Functional Integration: Actively integrating UX into the broader product development lifecycle, working closely with stakeholders from ideation through launch and iteration.
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Feedback-Rich Environment: Encouraging a culture where constructive feedback is shared openly and regularly among team members and cross-functional partners to improve designs and processes.
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Knowledge Sharing: Promoting the sharing of best practices, research findings, and design patterns to elevate the entire team's capabilities and foster a learning environment.
π Enhancement Note: MAPFRE's stated values of "trust, collaboration, and inclusion" are likely to be reflected in the UX team's culture. The emphasis on "purpose-driven career" suggests a team that is motivated by making a meaningful impact.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
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Balancing Strategic Vision with Tactical Execution: Effectively leading the team to achieve long-term strategic goals while managing day-to-day operational demands and project timelines.
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Cross-Departmental Alignment: Ensuring buy-in and consistent application of UX principles and design systems across various departments with potentially different priorities.
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Managing Evolving Technologies & Trends: Keeping the team and design practices current with rapid advancements in UX design, tools, and user expectations.
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Driving Adoption of Design Systems: Overcoming resistance and ensuring consistent adoption and contribution to the design system across diverse product teams.
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Measuring UX Impact Quantitatively: Clearly demonstrating the ROI of UX initiatives and design operations improvements to executive stakeholders.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
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Advanced Leadership Training: Access to structured leadership programs to refine management and strategic decision-making skills.
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Specialized UX Certifications: Opportunities to pursue certifications in areas like accessibility, UX research, or product strategy.
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Industry Conferences & Workshops: Participation in leading UX and design operations conferences to stay abreast of industry best practices and network with peers.
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Mentorship Programs: Potential for mentorship from senior leaders within MAPFRE or through external networks.
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Exposure to Global Best Practices: Learning from and contributing to a global organization's diverse design approaches and challenges.
π Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexities of managing UX in a large enterprise, particularly the need for strong operational discipline, change management, and strategic influence. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing a well-rounded leader capable of navigating these challenges.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
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"How would you define and communicate a UX strategy for a complex enterprise product suite like MAPFRE's insurance offerings?" (Prepare to discuss alignment with business goals, customer segmentation, and phased rollout).
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"Describe your approach to managing and prioritizing a UX team's workload, especially when faced with competing demands from different departments. How would you use tools like Jira in this process?" (Focus on workflow management, stakeholder communication, and trade-off decision frameworks).
Company & Culture Questions:
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"What do you know about MAPFRE's mission and values, and how do you see them influencing the UX team's work?" (Research MAPFRE's corporate social responsibility, commitment to trust, and global presence).
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"How would you ensure the UX team collaborates effectively with Product Management and Engineering to deliver cohesive digital experiences, especially within a hybrid work environment?" (Discuss your collaboration strategies, communication protocols, and conflict resolution approaches).
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
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Structure Your Narrative: Begin with a high-level overview of MAPFRE's business and users, then dive into your selected projects. For each project, clearly state the problem, your strategic approach, your operational management of the UX process, the solution, and the quantifiable impact.
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Emphasize Leadership & Operations: Don't just show designs; talk about how you led teams, managed projects, implemented processes (like design systems or research workflows), and influenced stakeholders. Use specific examples of your operational contributions.
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Showcase Data & Research: Detail how you used user research, data analytics, and usability testing to inform your decisions and measure success. Present key metrics and their implications.
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Prepare for Deep Dives: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your design decisions, your rationale for process choices, and how you handled specific challenges or trade-offs.
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Connect to MAPFRE: Whenever possible, tie your experience and examples back to MAPFRE's industry, potential user base, and stated values.
π Enhancement Note: The interview preparation focuses on assessing not only design expertise but also strategic leadership, operational management skills, and the ability to drive impact within a large, established organization. Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with process, team management, and data-driven decision-making.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Sr. Manager, UX position:
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Submit your application through the official MAPFRE careers portal via the provided job URL.
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Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in UX strategy, team leadership, design operations, enterprise-level design, and proficiency with relevant tools like Jira and Figma. Quantify achievements whenever possible.
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Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcasing 3-5 impactful projects that demonstrate your leadership, strategic thinking, operational management, and end-to-end UX expertise. Be ready to present this portfolio effectively.
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Research MAPFRE: Understand MAPFRE's business, its position in the insurance market, its mission, and its values. Consider how your UX leadership can contribute to their goals.
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Practice Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common UX leadership, strategy, and operational questions, and prepare to articulate your experience through compelling case studies during the interview process.
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 must possess a Bachelor's or Master's degree in HCI, Interaction Design, or a related field, along with 8+ years of UX design experience. A strong portfolio demonstrating expertise in enterprise-level design and proficiency with modern design tools like Figma or Sketch is required.