Senior UX Designer (Contract) — Consolidate Multi-Portal Experience + Mobile Apps

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer (Contract) — Consolidate Multi-Portal Experience + Mobile Apps

Company: Navia Benefit Solutions

Location: Moraine, Ohio, United States (Remote OK)

Job Type: Full-Time Contract

Category: UX/UI Design, Product Design

Date Posted: June 24, 2026

Experience Level: Senior (8+ years required, 10+ years implied)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the comprehensive UX design strategy for consolidating Navia's fragmented legacy portals (FSA, HSA, COBRA, commuter, retirement) into a single, unified web portal and accompanying iOS/Android mobile applications.

• Develop and execute the full visual and interaction design across both web and mobile platforms, ensuring a seamless and modern user experience.

• Design a robust role-based access control (RBAC) system, translating complex permissions into intuitive navigation, content surfacing, and interaction patterns tailored for participants, employers, brokers, and internal CSRs.

• Establish a cohesive design system anchored to Navia's new corporate website branding, ensuring a fresh, modern UI that effectively integrates health and retirement product lines.

• Produce high-fidelity designs, interactive prototypes, and detailed development handoff specifications, including Figma component libraries and design tokens.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Senior UX Designer," the emphasis on leading platform consolidation, end-to-end execution, and strategic design thinking positions this as a lead or principal-level individual contributor role within the design function. The contract nature suggests a project-driven focus, likely requiring a highly autonomous and results-oriented individual.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Architect and design the information architecture and navigation models for both the unified web portal and native mobile applications (iOS and Android).

• Translate RBAC requirements into actionable design specifications for user interfaces, ensuring appropriate content and functionality are surfaced based on user roles.

• Develop a comprehensive design system, leveraging existing corporate brand guidelines while establishing new product-level visual decision-making for a unified brand identity.

• Create a unified visual language that effectively blends Navia's health and retirement product lines into a coherent and appealing user experience.

• Produce detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that clearly communicate design intent for engineering teams.

• Generate precise developer handoff documentation, including comprehensive Figma component libraries, design tokens, and visual redlines to ensure accurate implementation.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure design solutions meet business objectives and user needs.

• Conduct user research and usability testing to validate design decisions and iterate on solutions to enhance user satisfaction and platform effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a need for a designer who can operate at both strategic (information architecture, design system thinking, RBAC translation) and tactical (wireframing, prototyping, visual design, developer handoff) levels. The emphasis on "end-to-end" execution implies ownership from initial concept through to final implementation readiness.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, or a related field is often preferred for senior-level roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be strongly considered. Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of professional UX design experience.

• At least 3 years of experience specifically leading platform consolidation or brand consolidation projects from inception to completion.

• Demonstrated experience in regulated industries such as healthcare, financial services, benefits administration, retirement services, or insurance. Required Skills:

• UX Strategy: Proven ability to define and drive design strategy for complex, multi-platform initiatives.

• Visual Design Execution: Strong capability in creating modern, appealing, and brand-aligned visual interfaces.

• Information Architecture (IA): Expertise in organizing and structuring complex information for intuitive navigation across web and mobile.

• Interaction Design (IxD): Skill in designing user flows, microinteractions, and overall user journeys that are efficient and engaging.

• Design Systems: Deep understanding of design system principles, including component-based design, pattern libraries, and design token implementation.

• Figma Proficiency: Fluency in using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and component library creation.

• RBAC & Multi-Persona Design: Experience designing user experiences that accommodate diverse user roles and permissions within a single platform.

• Mobile + Web Parity: Proven ability to design for and maintain consistency across iOS, Android, and responsive web interfaces.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Mastery of tools and techniques for creating low-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with existing brand guidelines and translating them into product-level visual systems.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Understanding of front-end development principles to facilitate effective engineering handoffs.

• Experience with user research methodologies and usability testing interpretation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 8+ years of experience, with at least 3 years focused on consolidation, combined with the portfolio requirement for regulated industries, strongly suggests that candidates with a deep understanding of compliance, user trust, and complex data presentation will be highly valued. The emphasis on "not visual-only" highlights the need for strategic UX thinking alongside aesthetic execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Submit 2-3 curated case studies that are most relevant to the scope of this project. These should demonstrate your ability to:

  • Lead platform consolidation efforts, showcasing how you unified fragmented user experiences.

  • Design for complex systems with multiple user roles and permission models (RBAC).

  • Translate existing brand guidelines into a cohesive and modern product UI.

  • Ensure design consistency and parity across web and mobile platforms (iOS/Android).

  • Apply design system principles and demonstrate proficiency in Figma component libraries.

• Process Documentation: Within your case studies, clearly articulate your design process, including:

  • Discovery & Strategy: How you approached understanding the existing fragmented experience and defined the consolidated vision.
  • Information Architecture: Diagrams or explanations of how you structured content and navigation.
  • User Flows & Interaction Design: Visualizations or descriptions of key user journeys.
  • Visual Design & UI: High-fidelity mockups and explanations of aesthetic decisions.
  • Design System Development: Examples of component creation and system logic.
  • Developer Handoff: How you prepared assets and specifications for engineering.

• System Implementation Focus: Case studies should highlight your ability to design for systems that are not only user-friendly but also technically feasible and maintainable, with a clear connection to how your designs support engineering handoff and implementation.

• ROI Demonstration: Where possible, quantify the impact of your design work, e.g., improved user satisfaction, reduced support queries, increased task completion rates, or alignment with business objectives.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase how you analyze existing workflows and design streamlined, efficient processes within the user interface.

• Implementation Methods: Detail how your designs facilitate smooth implementation by engineering teams, particularly regarding component libraries and design tokens.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Explain how your designs enable the tracking of key user metrics and how you would use this data to iterate and improve the user experience post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application instructions explicitly request a "short note on your approach to consolidating fragmented product experiences" and "2 references from prior platform-consolidation or design-system engagements." This underscores the critical importance of the portfolio demonstrating direct, relevant experience in these specific areas. Candidates should select case studies that most vividly illustrate these capabilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• As this is a contract position, compensation will be based on an hourly or fixed-fee structure. Based on industry standards for Senior UX Designers with 8+ years of experience, particularly those with expertise in platform consolidation and regulated industries in the US market, an estimated hourly rate range would be $70 - $110 USD per hour.

• Methodology: This estimate is derived from analyzing current market rates for contract UX Designers in the US, factoring in the senior experience level (8+ years, with specialization in consolidation), the technical demands (Figma, design systems, multi-platform), and the industry (benefits administration, which often commands a premium due to complexity and compliance). The range accounts for variations in experience depth, specific skill sets, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Contract-Specific Benefits: While full-time employees receive a comprehensive package, contract roles typically offer different benefit structures.

• Competitive Rate: Project-based compensation offers flexibility and the potential for higher earnings depending on the chosen structure (hourly vs. fixed-fee).

• Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully remote work allows for significant flexibility in managing personal and professional schedules.

• Potential for Extended Engagement: While estimated at 10-14 weeks, successful project completion could lead to follow-on work or other opportunities within Navia.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are expected, approximately 40 hours per week.

• The role is fully remote, offering flexibility in daily scheduling, though periodic working sessions over Microsoft Teams will be required. Adherence to project timelines and milestone deliverables is critical.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract nature of this role means that traditional employee benefits like health insurance, PTO, and paid holidays are unlikely to be provided directly by Navia. Candidates should factor their own benefit costs (health insurance, retirement savings) into their desired hourly rate. The "flexible based on your preference" for hourly or fixed-fee suggests an openness to negotiation on compensation structure.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Benefits Administration (Financial Services/Healthcare adjacent). Navia operates within the employee benefits sector, administering health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), COBRA, commuter benefits, and retirement plans. This industry is characterized by a need for high accuracy, security, regulatory compliance, and a strong focus on user experience to manage complex financial and health-related information.

Company Size: Navia Benefit Solutions is a growing company, indicated by the need for creative thinkers and problem-solvers. While not explicitly stated, typical benefits administrators can range from mid-sized to large enterprises. A growing company often means opportunities for impact but also potential for evolving processes and structures.

Founded: The company was founded in 2005. This suggests a company with established operations and experience, but also one that is actively modernizing its platforms and user experiences, as evidenced by this project.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team: The core operations of Navia involve administering benefits plans. This requires robust systems for data management, customer support, and compliance. The UX Designer will likely interact with operations teams (CSRs) to understand their workflows and pain points.

• Product & Engineering: The role reports to the EVP, Product & Engineering. This indicates a strong emphasis on product development and technological solutions. The UX Designer will be a key part of this team, bridging the gap between user needs and technical implementation.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The project necessitates close collaboration with product managers to define requirements, engineers for implementation feasibility, and potentially marketing/brand teams to ensure brand alignment.

Methodology:

• User-Centricity: Navia's mission to "create better lives and provide a simple and amazing benefits experience" highlights a commitment to user-centric design and service.

• Innovation: The company seeks "creative thinkers" and aims to "innovate the way benefits are administered," suggesting an environment that values new ideas and approaches to improve processes and experiences.

• Data-Driven Decisions: As a benefits administrator, Navia likely relies heavily on data for operational efficiency and decision-making. This role will contribute by designing systems that capture and present relevant data effectively.

Company Website: www.naviabenefits.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The "people-first" approach and mission statement suggest a company culture that values employee well-being and customer satisfaction. For a UX designer, this implies an opportunity to make a tangible impact on users' lives by simplifying complex financial and health decisions. The industry context is crucial for understanding the user base and regulatory landscape.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Designer role, specifically focused on a critical, high-impact project: platform consolidation. It signifies a lead individual contributor position requiring significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and extensive experience in end-to-end design execution. The role demands leadership in design strategy, system thinking, and visual execution.

Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the EVP, Product & Engineering. This high-level reporting structure indicates the strategic importance of this project and the designer's direct influence on product direction and executive-level decision-making. It suggests a collaborative relationship with senior leadership.

Operations Impact: The success of this project will have a profound impact on Navia's operational efficiency and customer experience. By consolidating multiple legacy systems into a unified platform, the company aims to:

• Improve User Experience: Provide a simpler, more intuitive interface for participants, employers, and brokers, leading to higher satisfaction and engagement.

• Increase Operational Efficiency: Reduce the complexity and cost of maintaining multiple systems, streamline internal workflows, and potentially decrease support overhead.

• Enhance Brand Consistency: Present a unified, modern brand image across all digital touchpoints.

• Drive Business Growth: A superior user experience can be a competitive differentiator, attracting and retaining clients and participants.

Growth Opportunities:

• Project Leadership: Successfully leading this complex consolidation project offers significant leadership experience and a high-profile accomplishment.

• Skill Expansion: Deepened expertise in design systems, RBAC implementation, and multi-platform design for regulated industries.

• Portfolio Enhancement: A high-impact project like this significantly strengthens a designer's portfolio, showcasing strategic problem-solving and end-to-end execution capabilities.

• Future Opportunities: Demonstrating success in this contract role could lead to further contract extensions or potential full-time opportunities within Navia or their network, especially given the company's growth trajectory.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role, "growth" is often measured by the project's impact and the skills honed. This role offers substantial growth in terms of strategic responsibility and the opportunity to shape a core product offering, which is highly valuable for career advancement in design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The primary work arrangement is fully remote. However, the company mentions that candidates residing within 30 miles of one of their four office locations may be asked to come into the office for a hybrid schedule depending on the role. Given the explicit "Remote OK" and the emphasis on remote work in the job description, it's likely the preference is for fully remote, but candidates should be aware of the potential for a hybrid arrangement if local.

Office Location(s): While the job is remote, Navia has physical office locations. The description states, "Candidates within 30 miles of one of our four office locations..." suggesting these locations are significant hubs for the company. The specific locations are not listed in the provided text but are relevant for candidates considering the hybrid possibility.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The team utilizes Microsoft Teams for "periodic working sessions," indicating a reliance on digital collaboration tools for communication and real-time interaction.

• Tools & Technology: Expect to use industry-standard design software like Figma, along with communication and project management tools. The company provides brand guidelines, and the emphasis on a Figma component library suggests a digitally-enabled design workflow.

• Team Interaction: While remote, the mention of "working sessions" implies opportunities for direct interaction with the product and engineering teams, fostering a collaborative design environment despite the physical distance.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, estimated at 40 hours per week.

• The remote nature provides flexibility in how the 40 hours are structured daily, but requires strong self-discipline and time management to meet milestones and participate in scheduled team sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Work Environment" section is somewhat contradictory. While "Remote OK" and "Work from home... schedules available!" are stated, the mention of potential hybrid requirements for local candidates adds a layer of nuance. Candidates should clarify their location relative to Navia offices and understand the potential for hybrid work expectations if they are geographically close.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Application Review: Screening of resumes and portfolios for relevant experience, particularly platform consolidation and regulated industry design.

2. Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A likely interview where the candidate presents 2-3 selected case studies, focusing on their approach to consolidation, RBAC, and design systems. This will involve detailed discussion about their process, decisions, and impact.

3. Design Challenge/Exercise (Potential): The company may present a specific design problem related to the project scope (e.g., designing a specific user flow for RBAC, or proposing a navigation structure for the unified portal) to assess problem-solving skills and design thinking.

4. Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with the EVP, Product & Engineering, and potentially other key stakeholders (Product Managers, Engineering Leads) to assess strategic fit, communication skills, and technical understanding.

5. Reference Checks: Verification of provided references, focusing on platform consolidation and design system engagements.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select case studies that directly address platform consolidation, RBAC design, and design system development. Highlight your role and contributions clearly.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, articulate the problem, your process, the solutions you designed, and the outcomes achieved. Quantify results where possible.

• Demonstrate Process: Show, don't just tell. Include wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and final UI designs. Explain the rationale behind key decisions.

• Highlight RBAC & Consolidation: Explicitly detail how you tackled the complexities of user roles and permissions and how you unified disparate experiences.

• Figma Focus: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow, component library structure, and how you facilitate developer handoffs.

• Concise Introduction: Prepare a brief, compelling summary of your approach to consolidating fragmented product experiences as requested.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Core Problem: Familiarize yourself with the challenges of consolidating multiple benefit administration portals into a single, cohesive experience. Consider the diverse user needs (participants, employers, brokers, CSRs) and the regulatory environment.

• RBAC Thinking: Be ready to brainstorm solutions for managing access control and tailoring user interfaces based on roles.

• Design System Application: Think about how you would extend or adapt an existing brand identity to create a unified product experience with its own distinct UI patterns.

• Mobile vs. Web: Consider the differences and similarities in designing for responsive web and native mobile applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application instructions are very specific about the portfolio and a short note on consolidation approach. This means candidates must tailor their application materials meticulously to these requirements. The emphasis on "2-3 case studies most analogous to this scope" is critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as expected for design system and component library creation. This will be the primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and developer handoffs.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma has robust prototyping capabilities, familiarity with other specialized tools might be beneficial, though not explicitly required.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct responsibility of the UX Designer, understanding how user behavior is tracked and reported is valuable. Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) and how design choices impact key metrics will be an advantage. CRM & Automation:

• Navia likely uses a CRM and various backend systems for benefit administration. While the designer won't manage these, an understanding of how user interfaces interact with these systems (e.g., data entry, information retrieval) is beneficial. Collaboration & Communication:

• Microsoft Teams: Specified for "periodic working sessions," indicating its use for team communication, meetings, and potentially collaborative design reviews.

• Project Management Tools: While not specified, familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello is common in design-engineering workflows and could be an asset.

📝 Enhancement Note: The strong emphasis on Figma and design systems indicates that proficiency in these areas is non-negotiable. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with Figma's advanced features, particularly its capabilities for design systems and collaborative workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People First: Navia emphasizes a "people first" approach, suggesting a culture that prioritizes the well-being of its employees and the positive experience of its participants and clients. For operations, this translates to creating efficient, supportive, and user-friendly processes.

• Customer-Centricity: The mission to provide a "simple and amazing benefits experience" highlights a strong focus on customer satisfaction. Operations professionals are expected to contribute to this by ensuring seamless service delivery and intuitive platform interactions.

• Innovation: The company seeks "creative thinkers" and aims to "innovate the way benefits are administered." This implies an appetite for new ideas and continuous improvement in operational processes and technological solutions.

• Collaboration: The mention of "inclusive workplace community" and "creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and go-getters" suggests a collaborative environment where teamwork is valued.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The project requires tight collaboration between design, product management, and engineering. The UX designer will act as a bridge, translating user needs into technical requirements and ensuring design integrity throughout development.

• Process Improvement Focus: Given the project's nature (consolidation), there's an inherent focus on process optimization. Designers are expected to contribute to streamlining workflows and improving system efficiency.

• Feedback Exchange: An inclusive culture likely involves open feedback loops, where designers are expected to both provide and receive constructive criticism to refine solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values ("people first," "creating better lives," "simple and amazing benefits experience") should be reflected in how a candidate discusses their approach to design and problem-solving. Demonstrating an understanding of how design impacts user lives and operational efficiency will resonate well.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Fragmented Systems: Consolidating multiple disparate legacy portals into a single, unified experience is inherently complex. This involves harmonizing different data structures, user interfaces, and user journeys.

• RBAC Complexity: Designing an intuitive navigation and permission model that effectively serves multiple distinct user roles (participants, employers, brokers, CSRs) without feeling fragmented or overly complicated.

• Brand Integration: Balancing the need for a fresh, modern UI with existing corporate branding guidelines, ensuring a cohesive visual identity that appeals to diverse user groups.

• Technical Constraints: Working within the realities of existing technology stacks and potential engineering limitations while striving for an optimal user experience.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring all stakeholders (product, engineering, business) are aligned on design decisions and project goals throughout the project lifecycle.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Platform Consolidation Mastery: Gaining deep experience in the strategic and tactical aspects of unifying complex digital platforms.

• Design System Expertise: Enhancing skills in building, scaling, and maintaining robust design systems, including Figma component libraries and design tokens.

• Regulated Industry Design: Deepening understanding of user needs, compliance requirements, and design best practices within the benefits administration sector.

• Executive Collaboration: Working closely with senior leadership (EVP, Product & Engineering) provides valuable exposure to executive decision-making and strategic product planning.

• Project Leadership: The opportunity to lead a significant, high-visibility project from concept to delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should frame these challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities to apply their expertise and further develop their skills. Highlighting how they've successfully navigated similar challenges in past projects will be key.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to consolidating fragmented product experiences. How do you ensure a unified user journey and visual identity across disparate systems?"

• "Walk us through a time you designed for complex role-based access control (RBAC). What were the key challenges, and how did you translate those into an intuitive user experience?"

• "How do you approach building or extending a design system for a new product or platform? What are the critical components, and how do you ensure its adoption and maintenance?"

• "Imagine you're given a set of brand guidelines for a corporate website. How would you adapt and extend these to create a distinct yet cohesive UI for a new product suite (health and retirement benefits)?"

• "Describe your process for ensuring mobile and web parity. What are the key considerations when designing for both responsive web and native iOS/Android applications?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "Navia's mission is to 'create better lives and provide a simple and amazing benefits experience.' How does your design philosophy align with this mission?"

• "How do you approach collaboration with product managers and engineers, especially when working remotely on a critical project like this?"

• "Based on what you know about Navia and the benefits administration industry, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for user experience?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, the solutions you designed, and the quantifiable outcomes.

• Focus on Relevance: Emphasize the aspects of your work that directly address platform consolidation, RBAC, and design systems.

• Showcase Your Process: Use visuals (wireframes, user flows, prototypes, final designs) to illustrate your thinking and design evolution.

• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with stakeholders and engineering teams.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, rationale, and problem-solving approach.

• Address the "Short Note": Have your prepared note on consolidating fragmented product experiences ready to discuss.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate their experience with platform consolidation and design systems. The "short note" request is a specific signal that this aspect is a primary evaluation criterion.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this contract UX Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided link to formally apply through the Navia Benefit Solutions careers portal.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 case studies that most directly showcase your experience in platform consolidation, RBAC design, and/or design system development. Ensure these examples clearly illustrate your process and impact.

• Craft Your Summary Note: Prepare a concise note (as requested) detailing your specific approach to consolidating fragmented product experiences. This should be distinct from your resume and cover letter.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords relevant to UX strategy, visual design, information architecture, design systems, Figma, platform consolidation, RBAC, and regulated industries. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your References: Identify 2 individuals who can speak to your experience with platform consolidation or design system engagements.

• Clarify Availability and Rate: Be prepared to state your availability for the estimated 10-14 week engagement and your preferred rate structure (hourly or fixed-fee).

• Research Navia: Understand Navia Benefit Solutions' mission, industry, and the challenges of consolidating benefit administration platforms. This will help you tailor your application and responses.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding compensation, specific hybrid work expectations, and exact interview processes, should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.