Lead UX Strategist
π Job Overview
Job Title: Lead UX Strategist
Company: Amadeus
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: User Experience (UX) Strategy / Customer Experience (CX)
Date Posted: 2026-06-19T00:00:00
Experience Level: Mid-to-Senior Level (5-10 years)
Remote Status: On-site
π Role Summary
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Drive the end-to-end customer experience strategy across Amadeus's complex digital ecosystem, focusing on user-centric design and conversion optimization.
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Lead UX research initiatives, translating user insights into actionable strategies for improving digital touchpoints and customer journeys.
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Collaborate with product, business, and technology teams to ensure intuitive, efficient, and high-performing digital experiences aligned with business objectives.
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Champion a data-driven approach to UX, leveraging analytics and experimentation (A/B testing) to continuously enhance engagement, satisfaction, and conversion rates.
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Act as a key reference and mentor for UX best practices, ensuring consistency and quality across all digital channels.
π Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Lead UX Strategist," the description also mentions "Senior UX Strategist" and "common accountabilities" that suggest a leadership role with mentorship responsibilities. The core focus is on strategic definition, driving improvements, and acting as a subject matter expert within the UX domain, rather than direct team management unless specified otherwise. The role implies a significant level of autonomy and influence.
π Primary Responsibilities
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Define, articulate, and champion the overarching user experience vision for Amadeus's digital platforms, ensuring seamless integration across all customer touchpoints.
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Lead and execute comprehensive user research plans, including qualitative (interviews, contextual inquiry) and quantitative (surveys) methods, to deeply understand user behaviors, needs, and pain points.
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Translate complex business objectives and user insights into clear, actionable UX, CX, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) strategies that demonstrably improve engagement, satisfaction, and conversion outcomes.
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Design, refine, and document customer journeys, user flows, and interaction models to create intuitive, efficient, and delightful user experiences.
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Drive continuous improvement by identifying opportunities for UX and digital performance enhancement, designing and supporting experimentation activities (e.g., A/B testing, usability studies) to validate proposed solutions.
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Act as a primary point of contact and subject matter expert for experience-related topics, promoting UX best practices, ensuring alignment, and fostering consistency across diverse product and technology teams.
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Collaborate closely with business stakeholders to align the UX strategy with overarching organizational goals, market trends, and evolving customer expectations.
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Work in tandem with product managers, designers, and engineers to ensure UX considerations are integrated early and throughout the product development lifecycle, balancing user needs with technical feasibility.
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Establish and maintain a shared knowledge base of user insights and research findings to inform product and experience decisions across the organization.
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Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) related to user experience and conversion (e.g., engagement rates, drop-off points, conversion funnel performance) to measure impact and identify areas for optimization.
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Ensure the consistent application of UX standards, guidelines, and reusable design patterns across Amadeus's digital products and channels, identifying and mitigating potential UX risks.
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Foster a strong user-centric mindset within cross-functional teams by promoting design thinking principles and advocating for experience-driven decision-making.
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Present research findings, strategic recommendations, and performance insights in a clear, structured, and compelling manner to product owners, stakeholders, and leadership.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a strategic leadership role within the UX domain, emphasizing ownership of the end-to-end customer journey and a strong focus on measurable outcomes (CRO, KPIs). The phrasing "Define and drive," "Lead and execute," and "Act as a key reference" points to a senior individual contributor or team lead position responsible for strategic direction and best practice implementation.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education:
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Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Business, Marketing, Digital Technologies, or a related field.
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Equivalent practical experience will be considered in lieu of a formal degree. Experience:
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Proven track record (typically 5-10 years) in User Experience (UX) strategy, Customer Experience (CX), web optimization, or digital product design.
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Demonstrated experience in planning, conducting, and interpreting user research activities (e.g., interviews, usability testing, contextual inquiry, surveys).
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Hands-on experience with UX design activities, including wireframing, prototyping, and defining user flows.
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Familiarity with experimentation methodologies such as A/B testing, multivariate testing, or usability studies for validating design improvements.
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Experience in defining and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) related to user engagement, satisfaction, and conversion.
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Experience working within agile development environments and collaborating with cross-functional product and engineering teams. Required Skills:
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UX Strategy: Ability to define and articulate a clear, compelling vision for user experiences that aligns with business objectives.
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Customer Experience (CX): Deep understanding of end-to-end customer journeys and how to optimize them across digital touchpoints.
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Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Proficiency in identifying opportunities and implementing strategies to improve conversion rates.
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User Research: Expertise in planning and executing various user research methods to gather actionable insights.
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Usability Testing: Skilled in designing and conducting usability tests to identify and resolve user interface issues.
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Journey Mapping: Ability to create comprehensive customer journey maps to visualize user interactions and identify pain points.
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Data Analysis: Competence in analyzing quantitative data (e.g., website analytics, A/B test results) to inform design decisions.
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Stakeholder Management: Excellent ability to collaborate with and influence diverse stakeholders across business, product, and technology.
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Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication for presenting findings, strategies, and recommendations effectively.
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Problem-Solving: Analytical and critical thinking skills to address complex user experience challenges.
Preferred Skills:
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Experience in the travel, e-commerce, or similar digital-intensive industries.
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Familiarity with design thinking methodologies and their application in product development.
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Experience with wireframing and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).
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Knowledge of web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics).
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Fluency in Arabic, in addition to English.
π Enhancement Note: The experience level noted as "5-10 years" aligns with a "Lead" role, requiring significant expertise and the ability to influence strategy. The required skills list has been expanded to include specific UX/CX/CRO competencies and soft skills crucial for a lead position, drawing from the core responsibilities. Preferred skills highlight industry relevance and language proficiency noted in the original posting.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
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Demonstrable examples of defining and executing UX or CX strategies that led to measurable improvements in user engagement, satisfaction, or conversion rates.
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Case studies showcasing end-to-end user journey analysis and optimization efforts, detailing the process from research to implementation and impact.
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Evidence of conducting user research, including methodologies used, key findings, and how these insights directly informed design decisions and strategic direction.
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Examples of translating business requirements and user needs into intuitive user flows, wireframes, or prototypes that were tested and iterated upon.
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Documentation of experience in designing or contributing to experimentation efforts (e.g., A/B tests), illustrating the hypothesis, execution, and results. Process Documentation:
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Showcase a structured approach to UX strategy development, from initial research and analysis to strategic planning and execution roadmap.
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Illustrate a systematic process for identifying UX/CX issues and opportunities through research and data analysis.
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Provide examples of how you have championed and integrated user-centric design principles and processes within cross-functional teams.
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Detail your approach to measuring the impact of UX initiatives and using performance data for continuous improvement cycles.
π Enhancement Note: For a "Lead UX Strategist" role, a portfolio is crucial. This section outlines what Amadeus would likely expect to see, focusing on strategic thinking, research rigor, measurable impact, and process-driven execution in UX and CX initiatives. The emphasis is on demonstrating leadership in strategy and problem-solving.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range:
Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead UX Strategist role in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is SAR 200,000 - SAR 350,000. This range accounts for the seniority of the role, the specific expertise required in UX strategy, CX, and CRO, and the cost of living in Jeddah.
Benefits:
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Competitive Salary: A comprehensive compensation package reflecting experience and expertise.
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Performance Bonus: Opportunities for bonuses based on individual and company performance.
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Caregiving Benefits: Support for employees with caregiving responsibilities.
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Health Benefits: Robust health insurance and wellness programs.
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Flexible Working Model: Amadeus offers a flexible working arrangement, promoting a healthy work-life balance.
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Professional Growth Opportunities: Access to continuous learning, training, and development programs.
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Global Travel Industry Exposure: Opportunity to work within a leading global travel technology company. Working Hours:
The standard working hours are expected to be around 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time position. While the role is on-site, Amadeus emphasizes a flexible working model, suggesting potential for some flexibility within the work week to accommodate individual needs and project demands, though core hours will likely be expected for team collaboration.
π Enhancement Note: A specific salary range has been estimated based on the role's seniority, location (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), and industry benchmarks for UX/CX leadership. This estimation is a crucial addition for candidates evaluating the opportunity. The benefits listed are directly extracted from the provided text and contextualized for operations professionals.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Technology, specifically Travel Technology. Amadeus is a global leader in providing IT solutions and services to the travel and tourism industry, powering flights, hotels, and travel agencies worldwide. This context means the operations and UX challenges are often complex, involving global scale, diverse user needs, and high transaction volumes.
Company Size: Amadeus is a large, global enterprise, indicated by its presence in numerous locations and its significant role in the travel industry. This implies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for impact within specialized domains.
Founded: Amadeus was founded in 1987, giving it a long history of innovation and stability in the travel technology sector. This longevity suggests a mature company with deep expertise and a robust operational framework.
Team Structure:
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The UX team likely operates within a larger product or digital division, collaborating closely with product management, engineering, and business stakeholders.
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As a "Lead" role, this position may involve mentoring junior UX strategists or designers, contributing to the team's overall capability and strategic direction.
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Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with the Lead UX Strategist expected to work extensively with teams responsible for different aspects of the digital ecosystem to ensure a unified customer experience. Methodology:
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Data-Driven Decision Making: The role emphasizes using user research and performance analytics (KPIs, A/B testing) to inform strategies and validate improvements.
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User-Centric Design: A core tenet is placing the user at the center of all design and strategy decisions.
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Agile Collaboration: Working closely with product and technology teams suggests an agile or hybrid development methodology where UX is integrated into iterative product development cycles.
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Experience Governance: Maintaining consistency and quality across a complex digital ecosystem implies a structured approach to design standards and UX principles.
Company Website: https://www.amadeus.com/
π Enhancement Note: The company context has been expanded to reflect Amadeus's position as a major player in travel technology. This information helps candidates understand the scale, complexity, and industry-specific challenges they might encounter, which are critical for operations and strategy roles.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Lead UX Strategist," indicating a senior individual contributor or a team lead role. It requires significant experience (5-10 years) and the ability to define strategic direction, mentor others, and influence cross-functional teams. The focus is on strategic impact and thought leadership within the UX domain, rather than direct line management of a large team, though mentorship is implied.
Reporting Structure: The Lead UX Strategist will likely report into a Head of UX, Director of Product Management, or a similar senior leadership position within the digital or product organization. They will work closely with Product Owners, UX Designers, Researchers, and Engineering leads on a daily basis.
Operations Impact: The Lead UX Strategist has a direct impact on Amadeus's revenue and business success by:
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Improving customer acquisition and retention through enhanced user experiences.
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Increasing conversion rates on digital platforms, directly driving sales.
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Reducing support costs by creating more intuitive and self-serviceable digital products.
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Enhancing brand perception and customer loyalty through consistent, high-quality digital interactions.
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Informing product strategy with deep user insights, ensuring Amadeus builds solutions that truly meet market needs. Growth Opportunities:
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Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX strategy, such as travel UX, complex digital ecosystem design, or advanced conversion rate optimization.
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Leadership: Transition into a formal management role (e.g., UX Manager, Head of CX) or become a recognized Principal/Staff UX Strategist, driving strategy across multiple product lines.
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Cross-functional Advancement: Leverage deep customer understanding to move into Product Management or strategic CX roles within Amadeus.
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Skill Development: Access to Amadeus's extensive learning resources, industry conferences, and opportunities to mentor junior talent, fostering leadership and strategic thinking.
π Enhancement Note: This section frames the "Lead UX Strategist" role within a broader career context, emphasizing its strategic importance and potential for growth within a large technology organization like Amadeus. The "Operations Impact" highlights how UX strategy directly contributes to business outcomes, which is crucial for operations-focused candidates.
π Work Environment
Office Type: The role is based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and is described as "On-site" with a "Flexible working model." This suggests a primary office-based environment that allows for in-person collaboration, team building, and direct interaction, while also offering some degree of flexibility in daily scheduling or work arrangements.
Office Location(s): The specific office location in Jeddah will be provided upon further inquiry or during the application process. Amadeus operates globally, so their Jeddah office is part of an extensive network.
Workspace Context:
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Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration means the workspace will likely facilitate interaction with product managers, engineers, and other designers. Expect shared team spaces, meeting rooms equipped for ideation sessions, and potentially open-plan areas.
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Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized UX/design software and hardware will be provided to support the role's requirements.
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Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular team meetings, design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and informal knowledge sharing with colleagues, fostering a dynamic and supportive work environment.
Work Schedule: While the core expectation is full-time employment (approx. 40 hours/week) and on-site presence, the "flexible working model" suggests that Amadeus values work-life balance. This could translate to some flexibility in start/end times, or occasional remote work days, subject to team needs and manager approval, ensuring operational continuity while supporting employee well-being.
π Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation is clarified by the mention of a "flexible working model," providing a more nuanced view of the work environment. The context is tailored to how a collaborative, technology-driven workspace would support a Lead UX Strategist's responsibilities.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
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Initial Screening: HR or a recruiter will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and salary expectations.
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Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your experience, strategic thinking, and approach to UX strategy, CX, and CRO. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based discussions.
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Portfolio Review & Presentation: A key stage where you will present a selection of your work, focusing on case studies that demonstrate your strategic impact, research capabilities, and problem-solving skills. Be prepared to discuss your process, challenges, and outcomes in detail.
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Cross-functional Team Interviews: Interviews with potential peers and stakeholders (e.g., Product Managers, Senior Engineers, other UX professionals) to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to integrate UX into the development lifecycle.
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Final Interview/Panel: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and overall fit with Amadeus's culture and goals.
Portfolio Review Tips:
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Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 projects that best showcase your expertise in UX Strategy, CX, and CRO. Prioritize projects with measurable impact and clear problem-solution narratives.
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Focus on Strategy & Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your strategic approach, the research conducted, key design decisions, the implementation process, and most importantly, the quantifiable results (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced drop-off).
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Detail Your Process: Walk through your end-to-end process, emphasizing how you translated insights into actionable strategies and how you collaborated with cross-functional teams.
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Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your decision-making, how you handled challenges, stakeholder management, and how your work aligns with business objectives.
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Tailor to Amadeus: If possible, subtly connect your experiences to the travel industry or the challenges faced by a global technology company like Amadeus.
Challenge Preparation:
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Be ready for a potential design challenge or a take-home assignment that might involve analyzing a user problem, proposing a strategy, or sketching out a solution.
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Prepare to articulate your thought process clearly and concisely, focusing on your strategic rationale and how you would validate your proposed solutions.
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Practice presenting your ideas under time constraints and be open to feedback and iterative discussions.
π Enhancement Note: This section provides concrete advice tailored for a Lead UX Strategist role, focusing on the critical portfolio review and interview stages. It emphasizes demonstrating strategic impact and process, which are key for senior roles in operations and strategy.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
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UX/UI Design & Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar for wireframing, prototyping, and creating design systems.
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User Research Platforms: Experience with tools for conducting remote usability testing, surveys, and user interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).
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Analytics & Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with web analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, and tools for data visualization and dashboard creation (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Google Data Studio) to derive insights and track KPIs.
CRM & Automation:
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While not explicitly a CRM/Automation role, understanding how UX impacts customer journeys within CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) or marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for a holistic CX strategy. Collaboration & Project Management:
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Experience with project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, or similar for working within agile teams and documenting processes.
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Proficiency in communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams for daily collaboration.
π Enhancement Note: The "Tools & Technology Stack" section identifies key software and platforms a Lead UX Strategist would typically use. While the original job description doesn't list specific tools, this section infers common requirements based on the role's responsibilities and industry standards, focusing on design, research, analytics, and collaboration tools.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
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User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user in all decisions, ensuring Amadeus's digital products are intuitive, efficient, and valuable.
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Data-Driven Excellence: A belief in using research, analytics, and experimentation to inform strategies, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement in user experience and conversion.
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Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership: A strong emphasis on working effectively with product, engineering, and business teams to achieve shared goals and deliver cohesive customer journeys.
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Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset towards exploring new UX trends, identifying opportunities for enhancement, and consistently refining digital experiences.
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Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for the end-to-end customer experience strategy and its successful implementation, driving outcomes with a sense of ownership.
Collaboration Style:
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Partnership: Working as a strategic partner with product management, engineering, and business units to co-create solutions.
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Advocacy: Championing user needs and best practices while balancing them with business and technical constraints.
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Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing insights from user research and performance data to educate and influence stakeholders.
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Constructive Feedback: Participating in and providing constructive feedback during design reviews, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
π Enhancement Note: This section extrapolates Amadeus's likely cultural values and collaboration style based on the job description's emphasis on user-centricity, data-driven decision-making, cross-functional work, and innovation. These are crucial for candidates to understand how to integrate into the team.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
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Complexity of Digital Ecosystem: Navigating and unifying the user experience across a broad and complex suite of Amadeus digital products and services.
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Balancing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Aligning the UX strategy with the varied objectives of different business units, product teams, and customer segments.
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Driving Behavioral Change: Influencing teams and stakeholders to adopt user-centric practices and prioritize UX improvements, especially in a large, established organization.
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Measuring ROI of UX: Clearly demonstrating the tangible business value and return on investment of UX initiatives, particularly in areas like conversion optimization and long-term customer loyalty.
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Keeping Pace with Innovation: Staying ahead of evolving user expectations and technological advancements in the fast-moving travel tech industry.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
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Strategic UX Leadership: Opportunities to hone strategic thinking, influence senior leadership, and shape the future of Amadeus's digital customer experience.
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Industry Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of the travel technology sector, its unique user needs, and market dynamics.
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Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhancing skills in product management, business strategy, and data analytics through close collaboration with diverse teams.
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Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior UX professionals, further developing leadership and coaching capabilities.
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Amadeus Learning Programs: Access to internal training, workshops, and external conferences focused on UX, CX, digital strategy, and leadership.
π Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential challenges inherent in a Lead UX Strategist role at a large tech company and frames them as opportunities for growth and skill development, providing a realistic outlook for potential candidates.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
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"Describe a time you developed a comprehensive UX strategy for a complex digital product. What was your process, what were the key strategic pillars, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, process, and measurable results.)
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"How do you approach balancing conflicting stakeholder requirements with user needs when defining a UX strategy?" (Assess stakeholder management and negotiation skills.)
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"Walk me through a significant conversion rate optimization (CRO) initiative you led. What data and research informed your approach, what experiments did you run, and what was the impact on conversion metrics?" (Demonstrate analytical skills, CRO expertise, and data-driven decision-making.) Company & Culture Questions:
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"What excites you about Amadeus and the travel technology industry, and how do you see your UX strategy skills contributing to our mission?" (Showcase research and genuine interest.)
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"How would you foster a user-centric culture within a cross-functional team that may have different priorities?" (Assess ability to influence and drive cultural change.)
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"Describe your experience with 'Experience Governance' and ensuring consistency across multiple digital touchpoints. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?" (Evaluate understanding of maintaining brand and UX standards.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
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Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your strategic approach, the methodology (research, design, testing), the solution, and the measurable impact (KPIs, ROI).
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Highlight Strategic Thinking: Emphasize why you made certain decisions, linking them back to user needs and business objectives. Don't just show what you did; explain the strategic rationale.
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Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the success of your initiatives. Be prepared to discuss how you measured success and what the tangible outcomes were.
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Showcase Collaboration: Briefly mention how you worked with different teams (product, engineering, marketing) to bring your strategy to life.
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Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, tools used, challenges encountered, and alternative approaches you considered.
π Enhancement Note: This section provides specific, actionable interview questions and portfolio presentation advice tailored to the Lead UX Strategist role at Amadeus, focusing on strategy, impact, and collaboration.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Lead UX Strategist position:
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Submit your application through the provided Amadeus careers portal link.
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Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in UX Strategy, CX, CRO, user research, journey mapping, and quantifiable achievements relevant to the job description. Use keywords from the posting.
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Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 3-4 compelling case studies that demonstrate your strategic impact, research capabilities, and problem-solving skills. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your strategic approach, the methodology, the solution, and measurable results.
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Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on clear storytelling, strategic rationale, and data-driven outcomes. Be prepared to discuss your process and answer in-depth questions.
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Research Amadeus: Familiarize yourself with Amadeus's products, services, mission, and recent company news, particularly focusing on their digital presence and customer experience initiatives. Understand their position in the travel technology market.
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
Requires a degree in Design, HCI, Psychology, or a related field with proven experience in UX and digital product design. Must be proficient in conducting user research, prototyping, and using analytics to optimize digital performance.