Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Shaker Recruitment Marketing

Location: Oak Park, Illinois, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX/UI Design, Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-07-24

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end UX design process for career websites, from initial discovery and research through to final launch and iterative improvements.

• Develop and maintain scalable, component-based design systems within Figma to ensure consistency, efficiency, and responsiveness across diverse platforms and custom builds.

• Collaborate closely with Creative Directors, copywriters, developers, and project managers to translate employer brand strategies into intuitive, candidate-centric digital experiences that drive engagement and conversion.

• Champion accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and best practices throughout the design lifecycle, ensuring inclusive and user-friendly interfaces for all potential candidates.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Designer, implying a significant level of autonomy and responsibility for design execution and system thinking. The focus on "recruitment marketing" and "career websites" indicates a specialized application of UX principles within the HR and talent acquisition domain, requiring an understanding of employer branding and candidate journey optimization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Execute comprehensive UX design workstreams, including sitemaps, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs, balancing storytelling, usability, and technical constraints.

• Translate user research findings, heuristic evaluations, and accessibility reviews into actionable design improvements that enhance career website effectiveness.

• Design and manage responsive layouts in Figma, leveraging advanced features like auto layout, components, variants, and design tokens to build robust, reusable design systems.

• Prepare detailed developer-ready specifications and annotations in Figma, ensuring clear communication of interaction states, responsive behavior, and platform-specific constraints for front-end developers.

• Present design concepts and articulate creative rationale effectively to internal teams, clients, and stakeholders, incorporating feedback to refine design solutions.

• Collaborate with project managers to ensure timely delivery of design assets and project milestones, while partnering with developers to ensure designs are structured for modular content systems.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of repeatable processes within the Career Websites practice, enhancing team efficiency and design quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic UX thinking during discovery and diligent execution during design and handoff. The role requires not just individual design contribution but also process improvement and team collaboration, typical of a senior-level individual contributor in a growing creative agency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree required.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in web, UX, or digital design, with a strong preference for agency experience. Proven track record of designing responsive, system-based web projects.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Figma, including mastery of auto layout, components, variants, design tokens, and design system architecture.

• Demonstrated experience in designing responsive layouts and scalable, component-based systems, rather than just static pages.

• Solid understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and responsive design best practices for web interfaces.

• Ability to contribute effectively to the discovery phase, including creating sitemaps, wireframes, and information architecture.

• Working knowledge of HTML/CSS to facilitate clear technical constraint discussions with developers.

• Strong portfolio showcasing system-based web design projects with a focus on user experience and responsiveness.

• Excellent communication skills, capable of articulating design decisions clearly to creative peers, developers, and clients.

• Highly organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage competing priorities and multiple client projects simultaneously. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with recruitment marketing, employer branding principles, or specialized career site platforms.

• Experience with content strategy, collaborative copywriting, or SEO considerations for web design.

• Exposure to motion design or micro-interaction prototyping.

• Knowledge of AI-assisted design tools (e.g., Adobe Firefly) for concept exploration and ideation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, design systems, and accessibility is critical. The "agency experience" preference highlights the need for adaptability and client-facing skills. The "nice to have" skills point towards areas where candidates can differentiate themselves, particularly in the niche of recruitment marketing.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a strong foundation in responsive, system-based web design through case studies that highlight the creation and application of design systems.

• Showcase expertise in Figma, including examples of complex component utilization, auto layout, variants, and design token implementation.

• Include projects that clearly articulate the translation of employer brand direction into intuitive, candidate-focused career website experiences.

• Provide evidence of designing within CMS or platform constraints, illustrating how quality and UX were maintained.

• Present examples of successful developer handoffs with detailed annotations and specifications. Process Documentation:

• Illustrate your process for conducting UX discovery, including the creation of sitemaps, wireframes, and information architecture that inform site structure and user experience.

• Detail your approach to ensuring accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) are met throughout the design process, from initial concepts to final handoff.

• Showcase how you build and maintain design systems, including documentation of patterns, interaction standards, and component libraries to improve efficiency and quality.

• Provide examples of how you collaborate with developers and incorporate their feedback to ensure design fidelity and successful implementation across responsive states and edge cases.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role. It should not only showcase visual design skills but also a deep understanding of systematic design, process, and collaboration, particularly within the context of web platforms and responsive environments. The ability to demonstrate how designs translate into functional builds is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $115,000 - $135,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive pay structure rewarding expertise and contribution.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage for medical, dental, and vision needs.

• Financial benefits designed to support long-term security and well-being.

• Opportunities to work with a growing, innovative agency and contribute to impactful talent marketing solutions.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specified salary range ($115,000-$135,000) aligns with senior-level UX Designer positions in the Chicago metropolitan area, considering the requirement for agency experience and advanced Figma/design system skills. The benefits package is standard for full-time roles in the US, with specific details to be clarified during the hiring process.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Recruitment Marketing, Advertising, Talent Attraction Solutions.

Company Size: Shaker Recruitment Marketing is part of a larger organization, implied by its presence on a recruitment platform and its stated focus on talent needs. The description suggests a growing, tight-knit community within the agency.

Founded: With 75 years of expertise, Shaker has a long-standing legacy in the talent attraction space, indicating stability and deep industry knowledge.

Team Structure:

• The Creative team is growing, with this role being added to meet increasing demand, suggesting a dynamic and expanding department.

• The Senior UX Designer will report to or work closely with the Creative Director, indicating a clear hierarchy and guidance structure within the creative department.

• Cross-functional collaboration is central, involving close partnerships with copywriters, developers, project managers, and client-facing teams. Methodology:

• Data-driven insights and creativity are core to Shaker's approach, leveraging analytics and MarTech expertise.

• User-centric design is paramount, focusing on candidate experience and engagement to drive recruitment results.

• Systemic thinking and efficiency are emphasized, particularly in the design of scalable career websites and component-based systems.

Company Website: [Company URL placeholder - actual URL not provided in source]

📝 Enhancement Note: Shaker positions itself as an agency focused on "impactful things" through "people," emphasizing a supportive and growth-oriented environment. The long history suggests a company that values experience and innovation. The operations context here is how this culture supports creative professionals, particularly in delivering consistent, high-quality digital experiences for clients.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior UX Designer. This level signifies a professional with substantial experience, capable of independently executing complex design projects, owning design systems, and influencing design strategy. They are expected to mentor junior team members and contribute to process improvements.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to the Creative Director and collaborate closely with Project Managers and Front-End Developers. This structure allows for strategic direction from leadership while enabling hands-on execution and cross-functional teamwork.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts client success by designing career websites that attract, engage, and convert top talent. This, in turn, enhances client employer brands, improves hiring outcomes, and contributes to the agency's reputation for delivering effective recruitment marketing solutions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX for recruitment marketing, employer branding, and specialized career site platforms, becoming a go-to expert within the agency.

• Leadership: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers, contributing to design strategy, and potentially leading design efforts on key client accounts.

• Process Improvement: Play a key role in refining and optimizing the agency's UX design and delivery processes for career websites, contributing to scalability and efficiency.

• Skill Expansion: Gain exposure to broader MarTech, content strategy, SEO, and potentially motion/interaction design through cross-functional collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the emphasis on design systems and process ownership suggest a role with significant growth potential beyond individual contribution. The agency environment offers diverse project exposure, which can accelerate skill development and career progression within the UX and creative operations fields.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "On-site," implying a traditional office setting. The company culture emphasizes a "tight-knit community" and "team support," suggesting a collaborative and in-person work environment.

Office Location(s): Lake Street, Oak Park, Illinois, United States. This location offers a suburban setting within the greater Chicago metropolitan area, likely providing a balance of accessibility and a potentially more focused work environment than a downtown core.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is expected to foster collaboration, with designers working closely with copywriters, developers, and project managers.

• Access to industry-standard design tools, particularly Figma, will be essential, along with potential access to other creative software and development environments.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with team members will be prevalent, facilitating knowledge sharing, feedback exchange, and team cohesion.

Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is mentioned, with the understanding that agency work can sometimes require flexibility to meet client deadlines and project demands. The focus on design systems may also encourage structured work blocks for deep focus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" requirement, combined with the company's emphasis on community and collaboration, suggests an environment where in-person interaction and team synergy are valued. The Oak Park location provides a specific context for commute and local amenities for employees.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements. The portfolio is critical here, so ensure it clearly showcases system-based design, Figma proficiency, and responsive execution.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A deeper dive into your portfolio, potentially including a specific design challenge or a detailed walkthrough of 1-2 key projects. Be prepared to articulate your process, design decisions, rationale, and the impact of your work. Focus on how you built systems and handled constraints.

• Team/Manager Interviews: Discussions with the Creative Director and potentially other team members (developers, PMs) to evaluate your collaboration style, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the agency.

• Final Interview: Likely with