Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Symbiotic Digital

Location: Central Toronto (Summerhill West / Rathnelly / South Hill / Forest Hill SE / Deer Park), Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Contract

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Digital Transformation

Date Posted: 2026-08-24

Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end user experience design activities for a large-scale digital transformation initiative within the Ontario Public Sector.

• Drive user research, stakeholder engagement, and usability testing to translate business requirements into intuitive, accessible, and user-centered digital experiences.

• Collaborate closely with product owners, business stakeholders, architects, developers, and cross-functional teams in an Agile environment.

• Provide strategic leadership in user experience, service design, accessibility, and continuous improvement to ensure high-quality digital experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for a major digital transformation within the public sector, requiring a Senior UX Designer to bridge complex business needs with user-centric digital solutions. The emphasis on end-to-end ownership and strategic advisory suggests a high level of autonomy and impact.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the entire UX design lifecycle, from initial discovery and in-depth user research through to design, prototyping, rigorous testing, validation, implementation, and ongoing iterative improvement.

• Strategically plan and execute comprehensive user research methodologies, including in-depth interviews, interactive workshops, targeted surveys, and critical usability testing sessions, alongside proactive stakeholder consultation.

• Synthesize complex research findings and stakeholder input into actionable design artifacts such as detailed personas, comprehensive customer journey maps, intricate service blueprints, robust information architecture, logical user flows, detailed wireframes, polished mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Craft digital experiences that are not only intuitive and user-friendly but also fully accessible and adhere to established UX/UI best practices, human-centered design principles, stringent accessibility standards (AODA, WCAG), and existing design systems.

• Foster seamless collaboration with product owners, key business stakeholders, and Agile delivery teams to ensure a consistent alignment between user needs and overarching business objectives.

• Develop and articulate strategic UX roadmaps and provide expert advisory services on digital experience optimization, service design innovation, usability best practices, and performance measurement frameworks.

• Actively contribute to solution architecture discussions, support options analysis processes, and assist in the development of compelling business cases by highlighting the value of user-centered design.

• Champion the integration of user feedback and critical usability insights throughout all phases of the product development lifecycle, ensuring a continuously refined and user-validated product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a candidate who can manage the entire UX process independently, from strategic planning to execution and stakeholder management. The emphasis on public sector digital transformation and accessibility standards is a key differentiator for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in leading human-centered UX research and design for complex digital products and services, with a strong emphasis on end-to-end project ownership.

Required Skills:

• Minimum of 5 years of dedicated UX research and design experience for complex digital products and services.

• Proven experience in planning and conducting comprehensive user research and stakeholder engagement activities, including interviews, workshops, and surveys.

• Demonstrated ability to lead end-to-end UX design initiatives from the initial discovery phase through to final implementation.

• Strong command of UX/UI best practices and a deep understanding of human-centered design methodologies.

• Experience in collaborating effectively with product owners, business stakeholders, and cross-functional Agile teams.

• Proficiency in using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and design collaboration.

• Hands-on experience working within Agile delivery environments (Scrum, Kanban).

• Familiarity with project delivery tools such as Azure DevOps or similar platforms.

• Experience supporting public sector or large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Preferred Skills:

• 3+ years of experience specifically in service design and digital product delivery.

• Strong understanding of evidence-based design methodologies.

• Practical experience in creating wireframes, prototypes, and proof-of-concepts using Figma or equivalent advanced UX tools.

• In-depth knowledge of accessibility standards, including AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

• Experience contributing to the development of UX strategies, service standards, and digital experience improvement initiatives.

• Experience establishing and tracking key UX metrics and performance measurements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-Have Requirements" section reiterates key qualifications, emphasizing practical experience in public sector digital transformation, Agile methodologies, and specific tools like Figma and Azure DevOps. The preference for service design experience and AODA/WCAG knowledge is crucial for public sector roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX design projects, demonstrating a clear process from research to final implementation.

• Case studies that highlight your ability to translate complex business requirements and user insights into intuitive, accessible digital solutions.

• Examples of user research methodologies employed, including user interviews, usability testing, and stakeholder workshops, with clear articulation of findings and their impact on design decisions.

• Demonstrations of information architecture, user flows, wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes, showcasing your proficiency with design tools like Figma.

• Evidence of applying accessibility standards (AODA, WCAG) and human-centered design principles in your work. Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation of your UX design process, including how you conduct user research, analyze findings, and iterate on designs based on feedback.

• Examples of how you have documented user journeys, service blueprints, and information architecture for complex systems.

• Case studies that illustrate your approach to usability testing, validation, and continuous improvement post-launch.

• Documentation of experience working within Agile frameworks, including how UX integrates into sprint planning, backlog refinement, and user acceptance testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role, the portfolio should not just showcase final designs but also the strategic thinking, research rigor, and iterative process behind them. Public sector and accessibility considerations should be evident.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the senior level, contract nature, and specific industry (public sector digital transformation in Toronto), a competitive hourly rate is expected. Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Designers in Toronto with 5+ years of experience, particularly for contract roles in government or large transformation projects, the estimated range is CAD $70 - $100+ per hour. This estimate considers the specialized skills, high level of responsibility, and demand for UX expertise in complex environments.

Benefits: As a contract position, standard benefits may not be included. However, typical contractual benefits could include:

• Competitive hourly wage reflecting senior expertise and project scope.

• Potential for contract extension based on project performance and needs.

• Opportunities to work on high-impact, large-scale digital transformation projects.

• Exposure to public sector environments and their unique challenges.

• Professional development opportunities through project experience and cross-functional collaboration.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week, with potential for some flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration within the Agile framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on current market data for contract Senior UX Designers in Toronto, factoring in the specific sector and project complexity. Benefits are typical for contract roles, focusing on project-specific advantages.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Information Technology (IT) Consulting and Staffing, with a focus on providing expert technical staff and consulting services. The specific project is within the Government & Public Sector.

Company Size: Symbiotic Digital is a division of Symbiotic Group Inc., which serves IT & Business leaders. While the exact size of the division isn't specified, the parent company aims to provide "top 2%" IT experts, suggesting a curated, high-caliber talent pool.

Founded: Symbiotic Group Inc. has been serving clients, indicating established experience in the IT staffing and consulting sector. The company emphasizes its status as a 100% Indigenous-owned company.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Designer will likely be part of a dedicated project team focused on a large-scale digital transformation initiative within the Ontario Public Sector.

• This team will be cross-functional, including Product Owners, Business Stakeholders, Architects, Developers, and potentially other UX/UI specialists or business analysts.

• The role operates within an Agile/Scrum framework, implying a collaborative and iterative team structure with regular stand-ups, sprint planning, and reviews. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: The role requires a strong data-driven approach, leveraging user research, usability testing, and performance metrics to inform design decisions.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Focus on designing efficient, intuitive workflows and user journeys that optimize user experience and achieve business objectives.

• Automation & Efficiency: While not directly an automation role, the UX design aims to improve digital service efficiency and user self-sufficiency, indirectly contributing to operational efficiency.

Company Website: https://www.symbioticgroup.com/home-sd/

📝 Enhancement Note: Symbiotic Digital positions itself as a provider of elite IT talent. The role is embedded within a client's public sector digital transformation project, requiring adaptation to that environment's unique demands and collaboration styles. The company's Indigenous ownership is a significant cultural aspect.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role focused on User Experience Design. It requires significant autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to lead complex design initiatives. The role is ideal for experienced UX professionals looking to make a substantial impact on a major public sector digital transformation.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a Project Manager, Program Manager, or a Digital Transformation Lead within the client organization, or potentially a Lead UX/Design Manager from Symbiotic Digital if they have a dedicated practice. They will collaborate closely with Product Owners and Agile teams.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is direct and critical to the success of the digital transformation. By ensuring user needs are met, services are intuitive and accessible, and business objectives are achieved through digital means, they directly influence user adoption, satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the overall effectiveness of government services.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in public sector UX, service design, accessibility standards (AODA, WCAG), and large-scale digital transformation methodologies.

• Leadership Development: Gain experience in strategic UX leadership, stakeholder management, and advisory roles, potentially leading to Lead UX Designer or UX Manager positions on future projects.

• Industry Exposure: Broaden understanding of government operations, public service delivery, and the unique challenges and opportunities within the public sector.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Develop a robust portfolio with high-profile, large-scale government projects that can significantly advance career prospects.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for growth within a specialized domain (public sector digital transformation) and through exposure to large-scale, impactful projects. The senior nature of the role provides a platform for strategic influence and leadership development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly stated as "Onsite" in Toronto, ON. This suggests a traditional office environment within the client's public sector organization.

Office Location(s): Central Toronto (Summerhill West / Rathnelly / South Hill / Forest Hill SE / Deer Park), Ontario, Canada (Postal Code: M4V). This is a well-established area of Toronto, accessible via public transit.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will be within a public sector government office, potentially involving collaboration in shared office spaces, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated project team areas.

• Access to standard office technology, collaboration tools, and potentially specific government-issued software or hardware will be provided by the client.

• Opportunities for close interaction with a diverse team of public sector employees, IT professionals, and fellow consultants, fostering a collaborative and knowledge-sharing environment.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, typical for contract roles in this sector. While Agile environments can sometimes involve intensive sprints, the primary schedule will be aligned with standard business hours, with potential for some flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a specific, well-defined Toronto location is a key detail. The environment is likely that of a government agency, which can have different protocols and collaboration styles compared to private tech companies.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process: The interview process for this contract role will likely involve multiple stages:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by Symbiotic Digital's recruitment team to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Hiring Manager/Client Interview: A more in-depth interview with the client's hiring manager or project lead to evaluate your UX expertise, experience with complex projects, and understanding of public sector needs. This may include discussing your portfolio.

• Technical/Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where you will present specific case studies from your portfolio, demonstrating your process, problem-solving skills, and ability to deliver user-centered solutions. Expect questions on your approach to research, design, accessibility, and stakeholder management.

• Final Assessment: Potentially a final interview with senior stakeholders or a team-fit assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase end-to-end UX design for complex digital products, ideally with public sector or large transformation experience.

• Highlight Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the methodologies used (research, design, testing), key decisions made, challenges overcome, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Emphasize Accessibility: If possible, include projects where accessibility was a core consideration and demonstrate your understanding and application of AODA/WCAG standards.

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to walk through interactive prototypes or key screens in Figma, explaining your design choices and interactions.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as compelling narratives that demonstrate your problem-solving skills and strategic thinking.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for behavioral questions assessing your collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills, especially in a stakeholder-heavy environment.

• Anticipate questions about how you would approach a specific UX challenge within a public sector digital transformation context.

• Review key concepts related to human-centered design, service design, information architecture, and accessibility standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and specific project examples is crucial for this senior UX role. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their thought process and demonstrate practical application of UX principles, especially concerning accessibility and public sector needs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a must-have. Expect to use it extensively for wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative design.

• Azure DevOps: Mentioned as a required tool, indicating its use for project management, user story tracking, and sprint management within an Agile framework.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, experience with analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) and performance measurement frameworks is highly beneficial for validating UX decisions and demonstrating impact.

• Proficiency in creating dashboards or reports to communicate UX insights and metrics. CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM systems may be beneficial for understanding user data context, though not a primary tool for UX design itself.

• Understanding of automation principles in digital services can inform design for efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Azure DevOps is a non-negotiable requirement. While other tools aren't specified, a broader understanding of the digital product development ecosystem is advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and addressing user needs as the primary driver for design decisions.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: A strong dedication to ensuring digital products are usable by everyone, regardless of ability.

• Collaboration: A proactive and inclusive approach to working with diverse teams and stakeholders to achieve common goals.

• Impact & Efficiency: A focus on designing solutions that deliver tangible benefits and improve the efficiency of public services.

• Continuous Improvement: An iterative mindset, embracing feedback and data to refine and enhance designs over time.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamlessly integrating UX activities and insights into the broader Agile development process, working closely with Product Owners, developers, and business analysts.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Proactively engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, from end-users to senior leadership, to gather requirements, present designs, and build consensus.

• Feedback-Driven: An open and receptive approach to feedback, using it constructively to iterate and improve designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture will likely reflect public sector values of service, accessibility, and accountability, combined with Agile's collaborative and iterative nature. Symbiotic Digital's identity as an Indigenous-owned company may also influence cultural aspects.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Public Sector Bureaucracy: Understanding and adapting to the unique processes, policies, and stakeholder dynamics within a large government organization.

• Balancing User Needs with Policy/Constraints: Finding innovative solutions that meet user needs while adhering to public sector regulations, budget constraints, and existing infrastructure.

• Large-Scale Transformation Complexity: Managing the intricate interdependencies and scope of a major digital transformation initiative.

• Accessibility Compliance: Ensuring rigorous adherence to AODA and WCAG standards across all design outputs in a demanding public sector context.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Public Sector UX Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in designing for government services, understanding citizen needs, and navigating public sector digital strategies.

• Advanced Accessibility Skills: Deepen practical expertise in implementing and validating accessibility across complex digital platforms.

• Service Design Leadership: Gain hands-on experience leading service design initiatives that span multiple touchpoints and user journeys within a large organization.

• Agile & Transformation Methodologies: Enhance skills in working within complex Agile frameworks and contributing to large-scale digital transformation projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges inherent to public sector digital transformation, but these are directly tied to substantial growth and learning opportunities in specialized areas of UX and service design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led an end-to-end UX design process for a complex digital product. What were the key phases, your specific contributions, and the outcome?"

  • Preparation: Focus on a project that mirrors the scope of this role. Detail your research methods, design iterations, testing approaches, and how you measured success. Highlight your ability to manage the entire lifecycle.

• "How would you approach balancing user needs with potentially rigid public sector policies or technical constraints in your design process?"

  • Preparation: Discuss strategies for negotiation, finding creative workarounds, advocating for users, and documenting trade-offs. Emphasize your problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate with stakeholders.

• "Walk me through your process for ensuring digital products meet accessibility standards like AODA and WCAG. What tools and techniques do you use?"

  • Preparation: Be ready to discuss specific testing methods, assistive technologies, design patterns, and how you integrate accessibility from the outset. Reference your portfolio examples.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working on a digital transformation initiative within the Ontario Public Sector?"

  • Preparation: Research the specific ministry or agency if known, or general public sector digital goals. Connect your passion for user-centered design to public service impact.

• "How do you typically collaborate with Product Owners, developers, and business stakeholders in an Agile environment?"

  • Preparation: Provide examples of your communication style, how you facilitate workshops, and how you ensure UX is integrated into sprint cycles. Highlight your ability to build consensus.

• "How would you define and measure the success of UX in a public sector digital service?"

  • Preparation: Discuss metrics beyond just usability, such as citizen satisfaction, task completion rates, reduction in support calls, and overall service efficiency.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the solution, the process, and the impact. Use visual aids effectively.

• Focus on Process, Not Just Pretty Pictures: Show your sketches, wireframes, user flows, and research findings to demonstrate your thinking.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use data and metrics to showcase the tangible results of your design work (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced error rates, increased user satisfaction).

• Address Accessibility: Explicitly point out how accessibility was considered and incorporated into your designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating senior-level strategic thinking, practical application of UX principles in complex environments, and a strong understanding of public sector needs and accessibility.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your most recent resume to: RecDep@symbioticgroup.com

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience directly relevant to the job description, emphasizing "Senior UX Designer," "digital transformation," "public sector," "Agile," "Figma," and "accessibility." Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases relevant projects (ideally 2-3 strong case studies), and is easily accessible (e.g., online link). Be ready to present and discuss it in detail.

• Research Symbiotic Digital & the Public Sector Context: Understand Symbiotic Digital's mission and their approach to providing IT experts. Familiarize yourself with common challenges and goals of digital transformation within government.

• Practice Your Pitch: Be ready to articulate your experience, skills, and enthusiasm for the role during initial screenings and interviews. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on process and impact.

⚠️ 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.

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