Senior User Experience Strategist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Experience Strategist

Company: Children's Wisconsin

Location: Milwaukee, WI, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Strategy / Service Design

Date Posted: March 17, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Leads the research and design of human-centered experiences across a healthcare system, focusing on families, staff, community partners, and referring providers.

• Acts as a strategic discovery engine to identify innovation opportunities and validate that organizational efforts address critical problems.

• Synthesizes quantitative metrics with deep qualitative insights to uncover root causes and develop effective, leadership-approved solutions.

• Drives end-to-end design projects, ensuring alignment between clinical, operational, and digital initiatives with patient, family, and provider needs.

• Translates complex findings into compelling narratives and actionable next steps for senior leadership, bridging the gap between "what" is happening and "why."

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a Senior User Experience Strategist within a healthcare organization. This implies a strong focus on service design, customer journey mapping, and qualitative research to understand and improve complex healthcare interactions. The emphasis on synthesizing quantitative and qualitative data suggests a need for analytical rigor in addition to design thinking.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive research studies, including interviews, focus groups, and surveys, to identify opportunities for improving experiences for patients, families, staff, and providers.

• Facilitate design thinking and strategy sessions with healthcare leaders to pinpoint root causes of complex issues and collaboratively develop actionable solutions.

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

• Guide end-to-end design projects, ensuring that clinical, operational, and digital initiatives effectively meet the needs of patients, families, and healthcare providers.

• Synthesize diverse data sources to explain the "why" behind quantitative performance metrics, transforming complex findings into clear, impactful narratives for leadership.

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

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

• Act as a thought leader in user experience and service design, staying current with industry best practices and emerging trends in healthcare experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a strategic, research-intensive role focused on understanding and improving the entire patient and provider journey within a healthcare system. This goes beyond traditional UX design to encompass service design and strategic problem-solving, requiring strong analytical and facilitation skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

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

• Healthcare industry experience is strongly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in design thinking and service design methodologies for leading system-wide experience improvements.

• Advanced qualitative research skills, including user interviews, focus groups, and survey design.

• Ability to synthesize complex quantitative metrics with deep qualitative insights to identify root causes and inform strategy.

• Strong narrative-building and data visualization skills to translate findings into compelling recommendations for senior leadership.

• Expertise in creating user journey maps, service maps, and behavioral segmentation frameworks.

• Excellent facilitation skills to lead cross-functional teams and strategy sessions.

• Advanced problem-solving and decision-making abilities with a strategic impact on healthcare and experience initiatives.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with service playbooks and operationalizing design recommendations.

• Familiarity with ethnographic research methods.

• Experience in a large, complex healthcare system or similar regulated industry.

• Knowledge of digital product development processes and UX/UI design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of research expertise, strategic thinking, and strong facilitation skills, particularly within the healthcare context. The preference for healthcare experience and the need for independent research leadership point to a role requiring significant autonomy and domain knowledge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of leading end-to-end experience research and design projects from discovery to recommendation.

• Case studies showcasing the synthesis of quantitative metrics (e.g., patient satisfaction scores, operational efficiency data) with qualitative insights to drive strategic decisions.

• Examples of created artifacts such as detailed user journey maps, service blueprints, and behavioral segmentation models.

• Evidence of facilitating design thinking workshops or strategy sessions with stakeholders to co-create solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase of methodologies used for conducting comprehensive user research (interviews, focus groups, surveys).

• Examples of how complex problems were deconstructed to identify root causes through a structured discovery process.

• Illustration of how human-centered design principles were applied to ensure strategies align with the needs of patients, families, and providers.

• Documentation of how interventions were designed and delivered to address underperforming experience metrics in specific areas of the healthcare system.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio showcasing the ability to conduct research, synthesize data, and translate insights into actionable strategies is critical. The emphasis on artifacts like journey maps and service blueprints, alongside evidence of facilitation and stakeholder engagement, will be key differentiators.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holiday pay.

• Retirement savings plan with employer match (e.g., 401(k) or 403(b)).

• Life and disability insurance coverage.

• Opportunities for professional development, continuing education, and conference attendance.

• Employee assistance program (EAP) for mental health and well-being support.

Working Hours:

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

• While on-site, there may be some flexibility in daily schedule, subject to team needs and project demands.

• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for research activities or critical project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on national averages for similar roles and adjusted for the Milwaukee, WI, cost of living and the specialized nature of healthcare UX strategy. Benefits are standard for a full-time role in a reputable healthcare organization.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare / Health System

Company Size: Large (10,000+ employees) - Based on typical size of major children's hospitals.

Founded: 1985 (merger of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Milwaukee Children's Hospital) - This history signifies a long-standing commitment to pediatric care and community well-being.

Team Structure:

• The User Experience Strategy team likely operates within a larger Digital Health, Patient Experience, or Innovation department.

• This role will report to a Director or VP overseeing Experience Strategy or Digital Transformation.

Methodology:

• The team likely employs a blend of established UX research methods, service design frameworks, and agile principles for project execution.

• Emphasis on data-driven decision-making, integrating qualitative insights with quantitative performance indicators.

• A commitment to continuous improvement and iterative design based on user feedback and system performance.

Company Website: https://www.childrenswi.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: Children's Wisconsin is a large, established non-profit healthcare system with a clear mission focused on child health. The company culture is likely mission-driven, patient-centric, and values collaboration, especially given the complexity of healthcare operations. The size suggests established processes and opportunities for impact across a broad range of services.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor / Strategist

This role represents a senior position within the User Experience and Service Design domain. It requires an individual who can not only execute but also strategize, lead research initiatives, and influence organizational direction. The scope involves system-wide improvements, indicating a significant level of responsibility and impact.

Reporting Structure:

The Senior User Experience Strategist will likely report to a Manager or Director of User Experience, Patient Experience, Digital Strategy, or Innovation. They will work closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, clinical leadership, IT, and operational departments, acting as a key liaison between user needs and business/clinical objectives.

Operations Impact:

This role directly impacts the operational efficiency and effectiveness of patient care delivery by identifying and resolving experience gaps. By improving how families, staff, and providers interact with the healthcare system, the strategist contributes to:

• Increased patient and family satisfaction and loyalty.

• Enhanced staff efficiency and reduced burnout through streamlined processes.

• Improved clinical outcomes by ensuring usability and clarity in healthcare interactions.

• Stronger relationships with community partners and referring providers.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of healthcare UX, such as patient portals, clinical workflows, or digital health solutions.

• Leadership: Transition into a Lead UX Strategist or Managerial role, overseeing a team and setting strategic direction for UX initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Advancement: Move into roles within Product Management, Digital Transformation, or Patient Experience leadership.

• Continuous Learning: Access to training, conferences, and certifications in advanced research methodologies, service design, and healthcare innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and system-wide scope indicate significant growth potential. The role is positioned to influence strategy and drive large-scale improvements, offering a clear path toward leadership or specialized expertise within the healthcare UX field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid (On-site focus with potential for some remote flexibility)

The job description indicates an "On-site" status, with the primary location being the "Corporate Office" in Milwaukee, WI. This suggests a traditional office-based environment, but modern organizations often incorporate hybrid models.

Office Location(s):

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is likely to be collaborative, with opportunities for in-person interaction with design teams, product managers, and clinical/operational stakeholders.

• Access to standard office technology, meeting rooms equipped for workshops and presentations, and potentially dedicated space for user research activities.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, aligning with typical business hours.

• As a Senior Strategist, there may be a need for flexibility to accommodate research participants' schedules or critical project deadlines, which could occasionally involve early mornings, evenings, or specific days of the week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests a need for physical presence, likely for facilitating in-person workshops, conducting direct user research, and collaborating closely with internal teams. This is common for roles that involve significant stakeholder engagement and strategic planning.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

The interview process for a Senior User Experience Strategist at an organization like Children's Wisconsin typically involves several stages:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with an HR representative or recruiter to assess basic qualifications, resume fit, and interest in the role and organization.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth conversation with the hiring manager to discuss experience, approach to UX strategy, research methodologies, and understanding of the healthcare context.

3. Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, showcasing 2-3 key projects that demonstrate their skills in research, strategy development, journey mapping, and problem-solving. This often includes explaining the "why" behind their decisions and the impact of their work.

4. Panel Interview: Interviews with cross-functional team members (e.g., UX/UI designers, product managers, clinical leaders, operational stakeholders) to assess collaboration skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.

5. Final Interview: Potentially a conversation with a senior leader (e.g., Director or VP) to discuss strategic vision, leadership potential, and alignment with the organization's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose projects that best showcase your strengths in strategy, research synthesis, and impact within complex environments, ideally with healthcare relevance.

• Structure Your Narratives: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role and process, the methodologies used, key insights derived, the solutions developed, and measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight the "Why": Emphasize your strategic thinking. Explain the rationale behind your research questions, design decisions, and proposed solutions, linking them back to user needs and organizational goals.

• Showcase Synthesis: Demonstrate your ability to translate complex quantitative data and qualitative insights into actionable strategies. Use visual aids effectively.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your approach to overcoming challenges, handling stakeholder feedback, and prioritizing initiatives in a resource-constrained environment.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Analysis: Practice analyzing a hypothetical healthcare scenario or a business problem. Be prepared to outline a research plan, identify key user groups, and propose initial strategic recommendations.

• Methodology Explanation: Be ready to articulate the pros and cons of various research and design methodologies (e.g., design thinking, service design, ethnography) and explain why you would choose specific ones for particular problems.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you've managed differing stakeholder opinions or secured buy-in for your recommendations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly vet candidates for strategic thinking, research expertise, and collaborative capabilities, especially within the healthcare sector. A strong portfolio presentation is crucial for demonstrating practical application of skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (for creating visual representations of user flows and interfaces, though the role is more strategy-focused, familiarity is beneficial).

• Whiteboarding & Collaboration: Miro, Mural (essential for remote and in-person facilitation of design thinking workshops, journey mapping, and ideation sessions).

• Survey Tools: Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms (for designing and deploying user surveys).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Platforms: Excel, Google Sheets (for initial data manipulation and analysis).

• Business Intelligence Tools: Tableau, Power BI (familiarity is a plus for understanding how experience metrics are tracked and visualized; direct usage may not be required but understanding dashboards is beneficial).

• Web/App Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (understanding how user behavior is tracked online).

CRM & Automation:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Salesforce (while not directly a UX tool, understanding how customer/patient data is managed in a CRM can provide context for experience strategy).

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello (for tracking project progress, task management, and collaboration within design and development teams).

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is strategy-focused, proficiency with collaborative tools like Miro/Mural and survey platforms is essential. Familiarity with broader analytics and project management tools will aid in understanding the ecosystem and communicating effectively with technical teams.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Patient-Centered Care: A fundamental value driving all decisions and initiatives, ensuring that the needs and well-being of children and families are paramount.

• Compassion and Empathy: A commitment to understanding and responding with care to the experiences of patients, families, and colleagues.

• Excellence and Innovation: Striving for the highest quality in care and operations, fostering a culture that embraces new ideas and continuous improvement.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Valuing diverse perspectives and working together across departments and disciplines to achieve common goals.

• Integrity and Accountability: Upholding ethical standards and taking responsibility for actions and outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with a strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork. The UX Strategist will act as a bridge between various departments, including clinical, operational, IT, marketing, and patient advocacy.

• Expect a culture that encourages open communication, constructive feedback, and shared problem-solving.

• The team likely values a data-informed approach, where insights from research and analytics are used to guide strategic discussions and decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values are deeply rooted in the healthcare mission, emphasizing patient well-being, empathy, and a commitment to quality. This suggests a work environment where collaboration and a shared purpose are highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complex Healthcare Systems: Understanding and influencing intricate clinical workflows, regulatory requirements, and diverse stakeholder needs within a large healthcare organization.

• Data Synthesis Complexity: Integrating vast amounts of quantitative operational data with nuanced qualitative user insights to form cohesive strategies.

• Driving Change Adoption: Persuading diverse stakeholder groups, including senior leadership and frontline staff, to adopt new processes or design recommendations.

• Balancing Needs: Strategizing to meet the often-competing needs of patients, families, clinical staff, administrators, and referring providers.

• Measuring Impact: Developing robust metrics and methodologies to clearly demonstrate the ROI and impact of user experience and service design initiatives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Training: Access to specialized courses and certifications in service design, healthcare innovation, qualitative research techniques, and strategic planning.

• Industry Conferences: Opportunities to attend conferences focused on UX, healthcare, and patient experience to stay abreast of emerging trends and network with peers.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining deep understanding of clinical operations, patient care pathways, and digital health technologies through close collaboration.

• Mentorship: Potential for mentorship from senior leaders within the organization or through professional networks.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead larger, more strategic projects, potentially paving the way for future leadership roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior strategic role in a complex industry like healthcare, requiring strong problem-solving, change management, and analytical skills. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering paths for both specialized expertise and leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used both quantitative data and qualitative insights to identify a significant problem within a complex system. How did you synthesize these findings and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your data synthesis, root cause analysis, and strategic recommendation process.)

• "Walk us through a complex user journey or service map you've developed. What were the key touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities you identified, and how did you present this to stakeholders?" (Prepare to showcase your artifact creation and communication skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Children's Wisconsin's mission and values, and how do you see your role as a UX Strategist contributing to them?" (Research the company's mission statement, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "Describe your experience working with clinical or operational leaders. How do you build trust and influence decision-making in such environments?" (Prepare examples of stakeholder management and collaboration.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your presentation around compelling project narratives that highlight problem-solving and impact, not just deliverables.

• Focus on the "Why": Clearly articulate the strategic rationale behind your research questions, methodologies, and proposed solutions.

• Showcase Synthesis: Visually demonstrate how you integrated diverse data points (qualitative interviews, surveys, operational metrics) to arrive at your conclusions.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present metrics that show the positive outcomes of your work (e.g., improved satisfaction, reduced errors, increased efficiency).

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific methodologies, challenges encountered, and alternative approaches you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, research rigor, and the ability to translate complex insights into actionable plans within a healthcare context. Preparing case studies that highlight synthesis and impact is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior User Experience Strategist position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Children's Wisconsin careers portal.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in user research, service design, journey mapping, data synthesis, and stakeholder facilitation, using keywords from the job description. Emphasize any healthcare-related experience.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong case studies that best illustrate your strategic thinking, research methodology, ability to synthesize data, and the impact of your work. Ensure clear articulation of the problem, your process, and the outcomes.

• Research Children's Wisconsin: Understand their mission, values, patient demographics, and current strategic priorities in patient experience and digital health. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling, clearly explaining your strategic approach, and being ready to answer in-depth questions about your work and methodologies.

⚠️ 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.