Senior UX Content Designer, Design Operations - EN 762 at Export Development Canada

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Content Designer, Design Operations - EN 762

Company: Export Development Canada | Exportation et développement Canada

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Contract—14 months

Category: Design Operations / UX Content Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-15

Experience Level: 7+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

This Senior UX Content Designer role is a critical component of the Design Operations function within Export Development Canada (EDC), focusing on enhancing the consistency, clarity, and usability of digital experiences through robust content design standards and efficient operational practices.
The position will be instrumental in developing and governing enterprise-wide content design guidelines, patterns, and best practices, ensuring alignment with user-centered design principles and accessibility standards (WCAG).
A significant aspect of this role involves coordinating and optimizing user research operations, including participant management, logistics, and knowledge management to ensure research insights are accessible and actionable for cross-functional teams.
The Senior UX Content Designer will also play a key part in supporting the continuous improvement of overall design operations, contributing to team enablement, documentation, and the effective management of design resources and vendor relationships.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior UX Content Designer," the "Design Operations" aspect and the detailed responsibilities indicate a strong focus on process, standards, and operational efficiency within the UX and content design disciplines. This role bridges content strategy with the operational framework that supports a scaled design practice.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Content Design Governance & Standards:
- Lead the development, maintenance, and governance of enterprise content design standards, guidelines, patterns, and best practices for digital products.
- Establish and evolve content standards that promote consistency, accessibility, clarity, and usability across all digital experiences, integrating WCAG requirements and plain language principles.
- Conduct thorough content reviews and provide actionable recommendations to ensure deliverables align with established standards and guidelines.
- Partner with UX designers, accessibility specialists, product teams, and stakeholders to drive adoption of content design practices and ensure seamless integration into design systems, templates, and delivery workflows.
- Create and maintain supporting resources, practical examples, and comprehensive documentation to enable consistent application of content standards by various teams.
User Research Operations & Knowledge Management:
- Coordinate user research activities in close collaboration with internal stakeholders and external research partners, managing recruitment, screening, scheduling, and communications.
- Oversee research logistics, documentation, consent processes, and operational tracking to ensure compliance and efficiency.
- Assist in synthesizing research findings, including documenting key themes, identifying insights, and preparing actionable recommendations for product and design teams.
- Support the validation of research findings with project teams and subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and relevance.
- Maintain and evolve research repositories, knowledge management practices, templates, and operational processes to enhance the accessibility and reuse of research insights across the organization.
Vendor & Stakeholder Coordination:
- Serve as a primary liaison between internal teams and external research vendors and partners, managing activities, timelines, deliverables, and communication channels.
- Monitor vendor progress, proactively escalating risks, issues, or dependencies to ensure project success.
- Support procurement, onboarding, invoicing, and other administrative processes related to vendor engagements.
Design Operations & Practice Enablement:
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of design operations processes, governance frameworks, and team workflows.
- Maintain and update team standards, templates, repositories, design documentation, and shared resources to ensure they are current and accessible.
- Support the planning, coordination, and tracking of key design initiatives and operational activities.
- Assist in developing metrics and reporting mechanisms to measure the adoption, effectiveness, and maturity of design practices across EDC.
- Support onboarding, knowledge-sharing, training, and other team enablement initiatives to foster a culture of continuous learning and best practice adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate a hybrid role. While content design is central, the emphasis on governance, operations, research coordination, and vendor management points to a need for strong organizational, process-improvement, and project management skills within a design context. This is not just about writing; it's about enabling a high-performing design function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in a related field such as Communications, English, Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline is typically expected for a role of this seniority. Relevant certifications in UX, content strategy, or design operations would also be beneficial. Experience:
Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in Content Design, UX Writing, Design Operations, or a closely related discipline, with a proven track record in enterprise environments.
Demonstrated experience in creating, maintaining, and governing UX content standards, guidelines, design systems, or comprehensive content frameworks.
Substantial experience in supporting enterprise-level design systems, content systems, or component libraries, including understanding their architecture and governance.
Proven experience in managing content repositories, taxonomies, terminology, or other information architecture assets.
Experience managing or coordinating user research activities, including participant recruitment, screening, scheduling, and operational logistics.
Experience building and maintaining strong working relationships across multidisciplinary teams, including product managers, UX designers, researchers, developers, and business stakeholders.
Experience developing governance models, standards, or operating practices specifically for UX content design and UX research functions.
Experience in measuring and reporting on the adoption and effectiveness of established standards, frameworks, or operational programs. Required Skills:
Content Design & UX Writing: Expertise in crafting clear, concise, and user-centric content for digital products, with a strong understanding of UX principles, information architecture, and plain language.
Design Systems & Standards: Proficiency in developing, implementing, and governing design systems, content standards, and style guides to ensure brand consistency and user experience quality.
Accessibility & Inclusive Design: In-depth knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design principles, with the ability to translate these into practical content requirements.
User Research Operations: Experience coordinating user research activities, managing participant recruitment, scheduling, and operational logistics for qualitative and quantitative studies.
Project Coordination & Organization: Exceptional organizational, planning, and project coordination skills with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders across various departments.
Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and concisely to different audiences.

Preferred Skills:

UX Design Operations Experience: Prior experience specifically within a UX Design Operations or UX Research Operations function.
Tool Proficiency: Familiarity with tools such as Figma, Miro, Mural, UserTesting, Dovetail, Fable Engage, Azure DevOps, Microsoft 365, or similar collaboration and research platforms.
Bilingualism: Fluency in both English and French, with the ability to review, evaluate, and support content design practices and documentation in both official languages.
Vendor Management: Experience in managing external vendors, including coordination, contract oversight, and performance evaluation.
Knowledge Management: Experience developing and maintaining knowledge management systems and repositories for research findings and design documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 7+ years of experience, coupled with the breadth of responsibilities, positions this as a senior individual contributor role with significant influence over design operations and content strategy. The preference for UX Design Operations experience and bilingualism highlights key differentiators for candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Content Design Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your impact on content design for digital products. These should highlight your process from understanding user needs and business goals to implementing content solutions and measuring their effectiveness.
Standards & Guidelines Development: Include examples of content design standards, style guides, or governance frameworks you have developed or significantly contributed to. Clearly articulate the problem they solved and the impact they had on consistency and quality.
Design System Contributions: Provide evidence of your involvement in enterprise design systems, specifically showcasing how you contributed content components, guidelines, or documentation.
Process Improvement Examples: Demonstrate your ability to identify inefficiencies in design or research operations and propose/implement solutions. This could include optimized workflows, new documentation practices, or improved research coordination processes.
Metrics & Impact: For each case study or project, clearly articulate the metrics used to measure success and the tangible impact your work had on user experience, accessibility, or business outcomes. Quantifiable results are crucial.

Process Documentation:

Evidence of creating or maintaining process documentation for content design workflows, from content strategy and creation to review and governance.
Examples of documented research operations processes, including participant management, consent procedures, and knowledge sharing protocols.
Documentation related to design system governance, content contribution guidelines, or enablement materials for design teams.
Demonstration of how you have used process documentation to drive consistency, scalability, and efficiency within design or research functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role with a strong Design Operations component, the portfolio should not only showcase content design skills but also a strategic understanding of how to operationalize design processes. Candidates should highlight their ability to create systems, standards, and documentation that enable others and drive efficiency.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on the provided information, the salary range for the Customer Experience 18 level is $96,557 to $128,743 CAD annually. This range is typical for senior-level roles in design operations and UX content strategy within large Canadian financial institutions, reflecting the required experience, specialized skills, and responsibilities. Benefits:
Comprehensive Compensation Package: Includes a competitive base salary and potential for performance-based recognition.
Work-Life Balance:
- Hybrid work model with 3 days in the office and flexibility for remote work.
- 3 to 4 weeks of paid vacation, prorated for contract length.
- Corporate closure period during holidays.
- Summer early Fridays.
- Dedicated "no meeting Fridays" to allow for focused work.
Professional Development:
- Continuous learning opportunities through training programs and workshops.
- Support for language training.
Inclusive & Supportive Culture:
- A diverse and inclusive workplace that champions employment equity.
- Access to wellness initiatives, including mental health support and fitness programs.
Community Engagement: Opportunities to participate in volunteer activities and social responsibility programs.

Working Hours:

The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid model and specific schedule benefits (e.g., summer Fridays, no meeting Fridays) offer flexibility within this framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly stated for the "Customer Experience 18" level. The benefits package is extensive, emphasizing work-life balance, professional growth, and employee well-being, which are attractive draws for senior-level talent in specialized fields like Design Operations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Export Finance & Development. EDC operates as a Crown corporation, providing financial solutions and expertise to Canadian businesses engaged in international trade. This context implies a stable, mission-driven environment with a focus on economic impact and corporate responsibility.

Company Size: Export Development Canada is a large federal Crown corporation. While an exact employee count isn't provided in the snippet, its nature as a national financial institution suggests a workforce of several thousand employees across various departments and locations. This size typically means established processes, a structured hierarchy, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Export Development Canada was founded in 1944. This long history indicates a stable organization with a deep understanding of its market and a mature operational framework.

Team Structure:

Experience Design Team: This team is part of EDC's broader Customer Experience Centre of Excellence.
Specialization: The team comprises experts in user experience design, content design, accessibility, user research, service design, and design operations.
Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Content Designer will likely report into a Design Operations Lead, Experience Design Manager, or a similar leadership role within the Customer Experience Centre of Excellence.
Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires extensive collaboration with product teams, technology partners, business stakeholders, customer-facing teams, and external research vendors. This indicates a highly collaborative and integrated work environment.

Methodology:

Data-Driven Design: The team emphasizes understanding customer needs through user research and translating these insights into meaningful, evidence-based experiences.
Process Optimization: A core function of the team is to establish and evolve standards, patterns, research practices, and design capabilities to ensure consistent and scalable experiences. This involves continuous improvement of design and research operations.
Best Practices Adoption: The team actively works to help other departments adopt best practices that enhance experience quality and delivery effectiveness, with a particular focus on accessibility and inclusive design.

Company Website: https://www.edc.ca

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the Experience Design team highlights a mature, well-structured function focused on customer outcomes and operational excellence. The Design Operations aspect of this role is clearly integrated into the team's mission to enable scalable and high-quality user experiences.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Individual Contributor. It requires a high level of autonomy, expertise, and the ability to influence processes and standards across a large organization. The focus is on subject matter expertise in content design and design operations, with responsibilities that impact multiple teams and projects.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Content Designer will report to a manager or lead within the Experience Design team, likely overseeing Design Operations or Content Strategy. They will work closely with UX Designers, Researchers, Product Managers, and Technology Partners, acting as a central point for content standards and research operational efficiency.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, focusing on:

Consistency and Quality: Ensuring a uniform, high-quality, and accessible user experience across all digital touchpoints through well-defined content standards.
Efficiency and Scalability: Streamlining design and research operations to enable faster, more effective delivery of user-centered solutions.
Data-Informed Decisions: Enhancing the accessibility and usability of user research insights to inform product strategy and design decisions.
Risk Mitigation: Ensuring compliance with accessibility standards and best practices, reducing potential risks associated with non-compliant digital products.

Growth Opportunities:

Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in Design Operations, UX Content Strategy, or Accessibility by taking on more complex projects and leadership within specific domains.
Process Leadership: Lead initiatives to further mature EDC's design operations, research operations, or content governance frameworks.
Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior content designers, UX writers, or team members new to design operations.
Cross-functional Leadership: Potentially move into roles that manage cross-functional design initiatives or lead larger teams focused on customer experience excellence.
Contract-to-Permanent Conversion: While this is a 14-month contract, successful performance could lead to opportunities for permanent roles within EDC, especially if the need for these specialized skills is ongoing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the scope of responsibilities suggest that growth opportunities would involve taking on more strategic oversight, leading specific operational initiatives, or moving into management within the broader Customer Experience Centre of Excellence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Export Development Canada operates under a hybrid work model, requiring employees to work from the office three days per week. This model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration and team cohesion with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): This role can be performed from EDC’s headquarters in Ottawa or from one of their Community Hubs located in Toronto, Mississauga, Montreal, Brossard, Laval, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, or Vancouver. For this specific listing, the primary location is Toronto, Ontario.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages in-office days for collaborative sessions, team meetings, workshops, and fostering team culture. Expect a professional office setting designed for productivity and interaction.
Tools and Technology: Access to standard office technology, secure network infrastructure, and the suite of collaboration and design tools mentioned in the preferred skills (e.g., Figma, Miro, Microsoft 365).
Team Interaction: In-office days are crucial for direct interaction with the Experience Design team, facilitating spontaneous discussions, problem-solving sessions, and knowledge sharing that is harder to replicate remotely.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is typically 40 hours. The role benefits from specific work-life balance initiatives such as summer early Fridays and no-meeting Fridays, allowing for enhanced focus and flexibility within the structured work schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is clearly defined. While remote work is possible, the requirement for 3 days in the office emphasizes the value EDC places on in-person collaboration for its design and operations teams.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: HR or a recruiter will review applications to ensure essential requirements are met. This may involve a brief phone screen to assess basic qualifications and interest.
Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth interview with the hiring manager (likely the Design Operations Lead or Experience Design Manager). This stage will focus on your experience, understanding of Design Operations and Content Design principles, and how you approach problem-solving. Expect questions about your past projects and how you've handled specific challenges.
Portfolio Review & Case Study Presentation: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your work from your portfolio. This is a critical stage where you'll walk through 1-2 key case studies, demonstrating your process, strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss your contributions in detail.
Team/Stakeholder Interview: This may involve meeting with other members of the Experience Design team, potential collaborators (e.g., UX Designers, Researchers), or key stakeholders. The focus will be on assessing your collaboration style, cultural fit, and ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
Final Interview/Offer: A final discussion, potentially with a senior leader, to confirm fit and extend an offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your expertise in both Content Design and Design Operations. Prioritize projects where you can clearly articulate your process, challenges, solutions, and measurable outcomes.
Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, follow a clear story arc: the problem/challenge, your role and approach, the process you followed (highlighting operational aspects), the solution implemented, and the results achieved (quantified where possible).
Highlight Operations Contributions: Explicitly call out your involvement in developing standards, improving processes, managing research operations, or coordinating vendors. This is key for the Design Operations aspect of the role.
Demonstrate Impact: Use metrics and data to prove the effectiveness of your work. This could include improvements in content consistency, accessibility scores, user satisfaction, or operational efficiency.
Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, how you handle conflicting feedback, your experience with accessibility, and your understanding of design systems.

Challenge Preparation:

Process Scenario: Be ready for a hypothetical scenario where you need to improve a specific design or research operation process. Think about how you would diagnose the issue, gather requirements, propose solutions, and plan for implementation.
Content Standards Discussion: Prepare to discuss how you would approach developing or refining content standards for a new product feature or across an enterprise.
Accessibility Integration: Be ready to explain how you ensure accessibility is integrated into content design and operational workflows.
Tooling and Technology: Familiarize yourself with common design operations and research tools (Figma, Miro, UserTesting, Dovetail) and be prepared to discuss how you've used them effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio review and case studies, combined with potential process challenges, indicates that EDC values practical application and demonstrable impact. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their strategic thinking and operational capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Design & Collaboration: Figma (highly probable for design system work), Miro, Mural (for workshops, ideation, and process mapping).
Content Management/Authoring: While not explicitly stated, experience with CMS platforms or content authoring tools could be beneficial.
Documentation & Project Management: Microsoft 365 suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Azure DevOps (for tracking work and potentially design system components), Confluence or similar knowledge base tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

User Research Platforms: UserTesting, Dovetail, Fable Engage (for managing user research activities, participant recruitment, and insight synthesis).
Analytics Tools: Familiarity with general web analytics principles would be useful, though direct experience with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics might not be core to this specific role.

CRM & Automation:

Not directly specified, but understanding how content and design integrate with customer journeys managed through CRM systems (like Salesforce, though not mentioned) is valuable context for enterprise roles.
Integration Tools: Understanding how design systems and content integrate across different platforms and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred skills list mentions specific tools like Figma, Miro, UserTesting, Dovetail, Fable Engage, Azure DevOps, and Microsoft 365. These are critical to highlight as essential for candidates to possess or be willing to learn.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Customer-Centricity: A foundational value, driving all efforts to create simpler, more connected, accessible, and effective experiences for Canadian exporters.
Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork, cross-functional partnerships, and shared commitment to solving customer problems. Expect a highly collaborative environment where ideas are exchanged freely.
Continuous Learning: The team is dedicated to evolving standards, practices, and capabilities, encouraging ongoing professional development and staying abreast of industry trends.
Data-Driven Approach: Decisions are informed by user research and data, with a focus on measuring the effectiveness and impact of design initiatives.
Inclusivity & Accessibility: A core tenet of the team's work, ensuring that all digital experiences are designed to be accessible and inclusive for all users.

Collaboration Style:

Partnership-Oriented: Works closely with product teams, technology partners, and business stakeholders to ensure alignment and integrated solutions.
Process-Focused: Values structured approaches to design and research, with an emphasis on evolving standards, patterns, and best practices.
Knowledge Sharing: Encourages sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across the team and wider organization through documentation, workshops, and enablement activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's commitment to employment equity and diversity, mentioned in the job posting, is a significant cultural indicator. The team's values directly reflect this, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility in all aspects of their work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Scaling Design Operations: As a large organization, scaling consistent design practices, content standards, and research operations across numerous product teams can be challenging. This role will be instrumental in addressing these scaling issues.
Balancing Standardization with Flexibility: Developing enterprise-wide standards while allowing for team autonomy and project-specific needs requires careful navigation and strong communication.
Driving Adoption: Ensuring that developed standards and operational processes are effectively adopted and utilized by diverse teams across the organization requires strong change management and enablement strategies.
Integrating New Practices: Keeping pace with evolving content design, accessibility, and research methodologies and integrating them into existing workflows and systems.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Deepen Design Operations Expertise: Gain significant experience in building and managing the operational backbone of a large-scale UX and content design function.
Influence Enterprise Standards: Play a key role in shaping the future of content design and research operations at a national financial institution.
Cross-Functional Exposure: Work with a wide array of departments and stakeholders, broadening understanding of business operations and digital product development within EDC.
Accessibility & Inclusivity Leadership: Become a subject matter expert in applying accessibility and inclusive design principles within a corporate context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in operational functions within large enterprises, offering significant opportunities for individuals who thrive on process improvement and strategic implementation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"Describe a time you developed and implemented content design standards or guidelines. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the impact?" (Focus on process, governance, and outcomes)
"How would you approach improving the efficiency of user research operations within a large organization? What steps would you take to ensure research insights are effectively shared and utilized?" (Focus on operational thinking, collaboration, and knowledge management)
"Walk me through your process for conducting a content review. How do you balance adherence to standards with the specific needs of a product team?" (Focus on practical application, critical thinking, and stakeholder negotiation)
"Imagine you need to onboard a new vendor for user research. What are the key steps and considerations you would include in your process?" (Focus on vendor management, procurement, and operational rigor) Company & Culture Questions:
"What interests you about Export Development Canada and our mission to support Canadian businesses globally?" (Show genuine interest in EDC's purpose)
"How do you see your role contributing to EDC's commitment to employment equity and fostering an inclusive workplace?" (Connect your values to EDC's)
"Describe your ideal collaboration style with UX designers, researchers, and product managers. How do you ensure alignment and effective communication?" (Highlight your collaborative and communication skills) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
Select High-Impact Projects: Choose 1-2 projects that clearly demonstrate your contributions to both content design and design operations.

Prioritize projects with measurable outcomes.

Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline:
1. The Challenge: What problem were you solving?
2. Your Role & Responsibilities: Specifically, what did you do?
3. Your Process: Detail your methodology, including any operational improvements or standardizations you implemented.
4. The Solution: What content or operational changes were made?
5. The Results: Quantify the impact (e.g., improved consistency, adoption rates, efficiency gains, accessibility scores).
Articulate Operational Value: Explicitly explain how your work improved design processes, governance, or efficiency. Use terms like "streamlined," "standardized," "governed," "enabled," "scaled."
Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your decision-making, tools used, challenges encountered, and how you collaborated with others.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation emphasizes practical application, process thinking, and demonstrable impact, aligning with the senior and operations-focused nature of the role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

Submit your application through the Workable application link provided.
Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 7+ years of experience in Content Design, UX Writing, and Design Operations. Use keywords from the job description such as "design systems," "content standards," "research operations," "governance," "accessibility," and "WCAG." Quantify achievements wherever possible.
Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that showcase both your content design expertise and your contributions to design operations (process improvement, standards development, research coordination). Ensure clear case study narratives with measurable results.
Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on articulating your process, strategic thinking, operational contributions, and impact. Be ready to discuss your experience with tools like Figma, Miro, and research platforms.
Research EDC: Understand EDC's mission, values, and recent work. Familiarize yourself with their commitment to supporting Canadian businesses and their emphasis on employment equity and diversity. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Senior UX Content Designer, Design Operations - EN 762