Ux Designer Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Director of UX Design

Company: ADP

Location: Roseland, New Jersey, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: UX/UI Design Management, Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-22

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and develop a small team of UX designers, fostering a culture of collaboration and high-quality design output.

• Establish and evolve design governance processes, including review and gating mechanisms for new platform components and capabilities, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.

• Contribute hands-on as an individual contributor designer, actively participating in interaction design, flows, prototyping, and visual design across AI-powered HCM product domains.

• Drive cross-functional influence by representing the design perspective in product planning, engineering discussions, and leadership reviews, translating design rationale into compelling communications for diverse audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is uniquely positioned as a "player-coach," requiring a blend of strategic leadership and active design practice. The emphasis on building new processes from scratch in an ambiguous, startup-like environment within a large enterprise highlights the need for a highly adaptable and proactive candidate.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of UX designers, overseeing their growth, performance, and the overall quality of their design work.

• Implement and refine design critique cadences, enhancing team communication and collaboration to elevate design standards across all product domains.

• Actively participate in the end-to-end design process for AI-powered HCM workflows, including user research, interaction design, information architecture, prototyping, and visual design.

• Define and implement a robust design governance framework, establishing review and gating processes for new components and capabilities, ensuring consistency and strategic alignment.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, and UX Research to translate user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective user experiences.

• Represent the design team in cross-functional meetings, product planning sessions, and leadership reviews, articulating design rationale and advocating for user-centered solutions.

• Influence product strategy and technical discussions by providing strong design rationale, backed by market data and user insights, pushing back constructively when necessary.

• Integrate and champion the use of Generative AI and LLM tooling within design workflows to enhance efficiency and innovation.

• Design user experiences for AI-powered or agentic products, addressing the specific challenges of trust, verification, and user control in systems that act on the user's behalf.

• Contribute to the evolution of the platform's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility for "building scaffolding (process, rituals)" and "holding the quality bar" in a new, ambiguous environment suggests a need for a candidate who can define best practices in areas where they may not currently exist. The hands-on IC work across multiple product domains (payroll, tax, HR, reporting, communications) indicates a broad scope of design application.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for Director-level UX roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 10+ years of hands-on UX design experience, with a significant portion involving leadership and process development.

Required Skills:

• Hands-on UX Design Practice: Proven experience in interaction design, user flows, prototyping, and visual design, with a portfolio showcasing recent individual contributor work.

• People Leadership & Development: Demonstrated ability to manage, mentor, and grow a team of designers, providing constructive feedback and fostering a high-performance culture.

• Design Governance & Process Building: Experience establishing and evolving design review processes, gating mechanisms, and design quality standards in a complex environment.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand and articulate how design decisions impact the broader product ecosystem, including design systems and future product development.

• Cross-functional Collaboration & Influence: Skill in working effectively with Product Management, Engineering, and other stakeholders, translating design rationale into clear communications and influencing decision-making.

• Generative AI & LLM Proficiency: Practical experience integrating GenAI/LLM tooling into workflows and a strong understanding of current developments in this technology.

• AI-Powered Product Design: Experience designing for AI-driven or agentic interfaces, understanding user trust, verification, and control challenges.

• Adaptability in Ambiguous Environments: Proven ability to thrive and build processes from scratch in lean, ambiguous settings without extensive pre-existing structures.

• Technical Credibility: Ability to engage in informed technical conversations with product managers and engineers regarding design and technical constraints.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in regulated domains such as payroll, tax, HR, fintech, or healthcare, where user trust and auditability are critical.

• Experience designing for chat-based products, particularly those powered by Generative AI.

• Familiarity with enterprise-scale software development and HCM platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "IC work you did recently and are proud of, not just work you directed" is crucial for portfolio evaluation. The requirement for "strong systems thinking" and "credibility in technical conversations" suggests a need for a designer who can bridge the gap between user experience and technical feasibility.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Individual Contribution: Showcase recent, hands-on UX design projects where you were a primary contributor, detailing your specific role, process, and impact.

• Illustrate Governance & Process Building: Include case studies or examples of how you have established, influenced, or significantly improved design governance, review processes, or quality standards.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Present projects that demonstrate your ability to design complex systems, showing how your solutions integrate within a larger product ecosystem and scale effectively.

• Showcase AI/GenAI Design: Include examples of designing for AI-powered features or products, detailing the unique UX challenges (e.g., trust, verification, user control) and how you addressed them.

• Detail Cross-functional Collaboration: Provide evidence of successful collaboration with product management, engineering, and other stakeholders, explaining how you translated technical and business constraints into user-centered solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping, analyzing, and optimizing user workflows, particularly for complex business processes within HCM domains.

• System Implementation & Automation: Showcase your understanding of how design integrates with system implementation and the potential for automation to enhance user experience and efficiency.

• Metrics & Performance Analysis: Present how you measure the success of your designs, using data and user feedback to iterate and improve, particularly in the context of AI-driven features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is expected to be a critical component, not just for showcasing design skills, but for demonstrating leadership in process creation and hands-on experience with emerging technologies like Generative AI. The ability to articulate the "ripple effect" of component decisions is a key indicator of systems thinking.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on ADP's standing as a large enterprise employer in the tech and HR services sector, and the seniority (Director level, 10+ years experience) and critical nature of this role (leading a team, building new processes, hands-on AI design), the estimated salary range in Roseland, New Jersey would be between $180,000 - $250,000 annually. This estimate considers industry benchmarks for Director-level UX roles in major metropolitan areas, the specialized skills in AI and Generative AI, and the "player-coach" demand.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company match.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, conferences, and continued learning.

• Philanthropic Foundation Support: Access to company-sponsored programs and initiatives for giving back to the community.

• Collaborative Work Environment: A culture that encourages teamwork, learning, and mutual elevation.

• Employee Assistance Programs: Support services for personal and professional well-being.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility depending on project demands and team needs, though the role is designated as on-site.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on publicly available data for similar Director-level UX roles in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, adjusted for the specific demands of a player-coach role involving AI and process creation. Benefits are standard for a large corporation like ADP and are highlighted to reflect the AI-generated list and common offerings.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Human Capital Management (HCM) Software, Payroll, HR Technology, Enterprise Software. ADP is a global leader providing payroll, HR, and benefits administration solutions. The company is actively investing in next-generation AI-native platforms.

Company Size: ADP is a large, established enterprise, employing over 60,000 people globally, which offers stability and resources, but also necessitates navigating larger corporate structures.

Founded: Founded in 1949, ADP has a long history of innovation in payroll and HR services, evolving with technology to meet the changing needs of businesses.

Team Structure:

• This role is part of a specialized, agile team within ADP focused on building a new, AI-native HCM platform for small businesses.

• The immediate team will be small, consisting of designers, and will collaborate closely with dedicated Product Management, Engineering, and UX Research counterparts.

• Reporting structure likely involves a VP or Senior Director of Product Design or Head of Product for the new platform. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using data, user research, and market insights to inform design and product strategy.

• Agile Development: Working within an agile framework to deliver iteratively and respond to changing requirements and market opportunities.

• User-Centric Design: A core principle of deeply understanding and designing for the needs of small business users.

• Innovation with AI: Actively exploring and integrating Generative AI and LLM technologies to create novel and efficient user experiences.

Company Website: https://www.adp.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The "small team inside a large company, working through startup-level ambiguity while solving enterprise-scale problems" is a key cultural descriptor. This implies a dynamic environment where individuals can make a significant impact but must also be adept at navigating corporate processes and expectations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Director-level position, signifying a senior leadership role focused on both strategic direction and team development. It requires a strong blend of strategic thinking, operational execution, and people management skills. The "player-coach" aspect adds a layer of hands-on technical leadership.

Reporting Structure: The Director will likely report to a higher-level executive within the product or design organization for the new AI-native platform, such as a VP of Product Design or Head of Product. They will lead a small team of individual contributor designers.

Operations Impact: This role has the potential for immense impact by shaping the user experience of a next-generation, AI-native HCM platform for small businesses. Success will directly influence user adoption, efficiency, satisfaction, and ultimately, ADP's market position in the small business segment. The focus on Generative AI suggests a forward-looking impact on the future of work technology.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow the design team and expand design influence across other product areas within ADP.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the overall product strategy and vision for the AI-native platform.

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in Generative AI and its application to UX design, becoming a subject matter expert within ADP.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Develop broader influence and leadership capabilities by working across various departments and executive levels.

• Mentorship: Guide and mentor emerging design talent, contributing to the overall design maturity of the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique opportunity to build a design function and influence product direction from the ground up within a large, established company, providing a significant growth trajectory for someone looking to make a substantial impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as "On-site," indicating a requirement to work from ADP's Roseland, New Jersey office. This suggests a traditional office environment designed for collaboration and in-person interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located at 1 ADP Blvd., Roseland, New Jersey, 07068. This location is in a suburban setting, accessible by car and potentially public transportation, offering a professional workspace.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office likely features meeting rooms, brainstorming areas, and open-plan zones designed to facilitate interaction among team members and cross-functional partners.

• Technology & Tools: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized hardware for design work (e.g., powerful workstations, large monitors). The team will leverage ADP's internal technology stack.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for face-to-face interaction with direct reports, peers in product and engineering, and senior leadership, crucial for the "player-coach" dynamic and building design governance.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is likely 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there might be some flexibility in daily start/end times, but core hours will be expected for team collaboration and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a key characteristic of the work environment, emphasizing in-person collaboration and direct engagement, which is vital for building new processes and fostering team cohesion.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Deep dive into experience, leadership style, process-building capabilities, and hands-on design skills, likely with the hiring manager (VP/Director).

• Portfolio Presentation & Deep Dive: A crucial stage where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on examples of leadership, process creation, individual contributions, and AI/GenAI design work. This will involve detailed discussions on design rationale, challenges, and outcomes.

• Cross-functional Panel Interview: Meetings with key partners in Product Management and Engineering to assess collaboration style, technical credibility, and ability to influence.

• Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: Final discussion with senior leaders to evaluate strategic thinking, vision for the design function, and overall fit within ADP's leadership team.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your ability to lead, build processes, and execute as an individual contributor, with a strong emphasis on AI/GenAI and systems thinking.

• Structure for Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process followed (especially any governance or process-building aspects), the solutions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Highlight "Player-Coach" Balance: Ensure your presentation demonstrates both your leadership and mentorship capabilities and your continued hands-on design skills with recent, relevant IC work.

• Showcase AI/GenAI Expertise: Dedicate specific time to discuss your experience with Generative AI and LLM tooling, detailing how you've integrated them and the unique UX considerations involved.

• Articulate Process Building: Be prepared to walk through how you've built or improved design governance, detailing the challenges, your approach, and how you gained adoption.

• Prepare for Technical Discussions: Be ready to discuss design decisions in the context of technical constraints and possibilities, demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively with engineers.

Challenge Preparation:

• Process Design Scenario: You may be asked to outline how you would approach building a design governance process for a new platform or team.

• Design Critique Exercise: Be prepared to critique a design (provided or from your portfolio) and discuss how you would provide constructive feedback to a team member.

• Strategic Vision Question: You might be asked about your vision for UX design within an AI-native HCM platform or how you would foster a strong design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is paramount. Candidates must demonstrate not just design execution but also strategic leadership in process development and a forward-thinking approach to AI in design, aligning with the "player-coach" and "build from scratch" nature of the role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP, or similar industry-standard tools for wireframing, UI design, and interactive prototyping.

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for team communication, project management, and documentation.

• Design Systems Tools: Familiarity with tools used to manage and scale design systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook, or internal component libraries).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for understanding user behavior, tracking feature adoption, and measuring UX impact.

• User Feedback & Research Tools: Platforms for surveys, usability testing, and feedback collection (e.g., SurveyMonkey, UserTesting.com, Hotjar).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM, an understanding of how design integrates with CRM systems and customer data platforms within an HCM context is beneficial.

• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts relevant to HR and payroll processes.

• Generative AI/LLM Tooling: Proficiency and practical experience with AI tools relevant to design, content generation, or coding assistance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Specific tool names are not provided, but the role implies a need for proficiency in industry-standard UX design and collaboration tools. A strong emphasis on Generative AI tooling integration is a critical differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Courageous Team Collaboration: Willingness to engage in difficult conversations, speak up, take ownership, and challenge ideas constructively to achieve the best solutions.

• Deliver at Epic Scale: Focus on achieving simplicity and delivering tangible user outcomes through strong judgment and effective execution, prioritizing client happiness and productivity.

• Curious Learners: A commitment to continuous learning, aligning with smart people, growing together, and learning from mistakes in an agile environment.

• Owner & Doer Mentality: Taking initiative, mastering craft, and being hands-on to solve complex problems, with no task being too great or too small.

• Give Back to Others: A commitment to doing the right thing for clients and the community, supporting associates in need.

• Commitment to Equality & Equity: Driving lasting change through actions that promote equality and equity.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with Product, Engineering, and Research is fundamental, requiring strong communication and shared ownership.

• Process-Oriented: A culture that values building and refining processes, with an openness to rigorous feedback and continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and lessons learned across the team and with stakeholders.

• Empowerment & Autonomy: Providing designers with the context and space to do their best work, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a proactive, collaborative, and learning-oriented culture, which is essential for a team building new capabilities in an ambiguous environment. The "owner & doer" mentality is particularly relevant for a player-coach role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building Process from Scratch: Establishing design governance, rituals, and best practices in a new product area within a large enterprise without a pre-existing playbook.

• Balancing Leadership and IC Work: Effectively managing a team while still contributing hands-on design work requires excellent time management and prioritization skills.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working within a startup-like environment inside a large company, where clarity may be limited, and adaptability is key.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Gaining buy-in and adoption for new design processes and user-centered approaches from diverse technical and business stakeholders.

• Integrating Emerging AI Technologies: Staying ahead of rapid advancements in Generative AI and effectively translating these into user-friendly and valuable product experiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Expertise in AI/GenAI UX: Becoming a leader in designing for advanced AI-powered products within the HCM space.

• Strategic Product Influence: Playing a pivotal role in defining the future of ADP's small business HCM platform.

• Leadership Skill Enhancement: Developing advanced people management and team-building capabilities within a large corporate structure.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining insights into the regulated domains of payroll, tax, and HR from a UX perspective.

• Cross-functional Mastery: Broadening experience by collaborating extensively with product, engineering, and business leaders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in building and scaling a design function and its processes in a nascent product area. This is also the greatest growth opportunity for a candidate who thrives on establishing order and driving innovation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to build a design governance or review process from the ground up. What were the key steps, challenges, and outcomes?" (Focus on process design, stakeholder buy-in, and iterative improvement.)

• "How would you balance your responsibilities as a people leader with your need to contribute as an individual contributor designer on this new platform?" (Prepare examples of time management, delegation, and prioritization.)

• "Imagine a scenario where engineering proposes a technical solution that significantly compromises the user experience. How would you approach this conversation to advocate for the user while respecting technical constraints?" (Demonstrate your communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.)

• "What is your vision for integrating Generative AI into the UX design process for an HCM platform like ours? What are the key opportunities and risks?" (Showcase your understanding of AI UX and strategic thinking.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you foster a culture of courageous collaboration and constructive feedback within a design team?" (Relate to ADP's values and your leadership style.)

• "What does 'delivering at epic scale' mean to you in the context of UX design, and how do you ensure simplicity and client happiness?" (Connect to ADP's mission and your approach to user-centricity.)

• "How do you stay a 'curious learner' and keep your design skills sharp, especially in rapidly evolving fields like AI?" (Highlight your commitment to professional development.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the "why" (problem), "what" (your role/solution), and "how" (process/tools/collaboration), culminating in the "so what" (impact/results).

• Emphasize Process & Governance: Dedicate specific slides or talking points to how you've built or influenced design processes, design systems, or governance frameworks.

• Showcase AI/GenAI Work: Clearly label and discuss any projects involving AI or Generative AI, detailing the unique UX considerations and your solutions.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your designs and process improvements (e.g., increased adoption, reduced errors, improved efficiency).

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, the trade-offs you made, and how you navigated challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your ability to lead, build, and execute, particularly in the context of AI and new process development. Your portfolio must provide concrete evidence of these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Director of UX Design position at ADP:

• Submit your application through the ADP careers portal via the provided link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your 10+ years of experience, focusing on leadership roles, process-building achievements, and hands-on UX design accomplishments, especially those involving AI/Generative AI and complex systems. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a portfolio that strongly emphasizes your individual contributor work, your experience building design governance, and your expertise in AI-powered product design. Structure your presentation for clarity and impact.

• Research ADP's AI Strategy: Familiarize yourself with ADP's stated goals and initiatives around AI and Generative AI in their HCM platform, as this will be a key discussion point.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse your responses to common interview questions, particularly those focusing on leadership, process creation, collaboration, and AI UX. Be prepared to articulate your vision for the design team and function.

⚠️ 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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