UX Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Director

Company: SecurityScorecard

Location: Hybrid (NYC) - New York City, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design & Research Operations

Date Posted: September 14, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the Product Design & Research organization through a strategic transformation towards an AI-native, codebase-anchored operating model.

• Drive design strategy at the executive level, influencing product direction and advocating for design investment.

• Re-architect the team's operating model from a centralized ticket queue to decentralized pods embedded within product-line teams for enhanced continuity and customer proximity.

• Foster a culture of AI-first design leadership, where designers work directly against the codebase to produce implementation-accurate prototypes.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a significant transformation initiative, emphasizing a "rebuild, not maintenance" approach. The focus on AI-native workflows and direct codebase integration suggests a highly technical and forward-thinking design leadership role. The category is defined as Product Design & Research Operations due to the emphasis on operating model, process, and team structure within the design function, aligning with operations principles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Set Design Strategy: Define the multi-quarter design vision for the platform and AI-powered product lines, and articulate design's strategic value to executive leadership.

• Rebuild Operating Model: Transition the design team from a centralized model to decentralized pods aligned with product-line tracks, mirroring Product and Engineering structures for improved collaboration and customer focus.

• Implement AI-Native Workflows: Empower designers to work directly with the codebase (e.g., GitHub) to create interactive, implementation-accurate prototypes, moving beyond static designs.

• Accelerate Cross-Functional Speed: Foster rapid collaboration between designers and Product Managers (PMs) leveraging AI tools, prioritizing customer needs and speed of delivery.

• Govern Design System as Infrastructure: Manage and evolve the design system to measurably improve design and engineering velocity across all product surfaces.

• Drive B2B Design Excellence: Ensure high-quality design for complex, data-dense, multi-persona enterprise workflows, with WCAG 2.2 accessibility as a foundational requirement.

• Embed Research and Data: Integrate usability testing and behavioral analytics (e.g., FullStory, Pendo) to inform strategic roadmap decisions and product iteration.

• Team Building and Development: Recruit, mentor, and develop a team of designers who are at the forefront of AI-enabled design and capable of pushing the organizational bar.

• Cultivate Team Culture: Establish and maintain a culture of direct, kind, and constructive feedback, encouraging strong and opinionated points of view within the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on leadership approach, focusing on process re-engineering, technological adoption (AI, codebase integration), and strategic influence. The emphasis on B2B SaaS, enterprise workflows, and accessibility standards is critical for candidates to address.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.

Experience: 10+ years of UX or Product Design experience with a proven track record as an influential design leader driving organizational change.

Required Skills:

• Organizational Design Leadership: Proven ability to set and execute design strategy at an organizational level, including hiring and developing senior design talent.

• B2B SaaS Expertise: Deep understanding of designing for Business-to-Business Software-as-a-Service, with experience in complex enterprise buying cycles and user research methodologies distinct from B2C.

• AI-Augmented Design Fluency: Hands-on, practical experience with AI-augmented design workflows, including specific tools, processes, and demonstrable built outputs. General AI tool usage is insufficient.

• Proactive AI Adoption: Demonstrated personal drive and initiative to stay current with AI-enabled design advancements through training, cohorts, or peer networks, even without a prior large-scale rollout.

• Collaborative Workflow Resolution: A clear point of view on resolving design and Product Management overlaps within an AI-driven workflow, emphasizing shared ownership over territorial disputes.

• Design System Governance: Proven experience building and governing design systems as essential cross-team infrastructure.

• Accessibility Standards: Strong command of WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards and their practical application in enterprise B2B products.

• Executive Communication: Superior executive-level communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

• Customer Understanding: Experience with deep user research and understanding the nuances of enterprise user needs and workflows.

Preferred Skills:

• Cybersecurity Domain Knowledge: Experience in the cybersecurity industry or a closely related regulated or enterprise-trust sector.

• Scaling Design Organizations: Experience scaling a design organization during a growth stage or significant product expansion phase.

• Formalizing Agile Operating Models: Experience in formalizing agile methodologies and pod-based design operating models.

• Design Leadership Pipeline: History of building design leadership pipelines within an organization.

• Direct Customer Engagement: Comfort and experience engaging directly with customers, including leading live, collaborative design sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements strongly emphasize practical, hands-on experience with emerging AI design tools and methodologies, rather than just theoretical knowledge. The distinction between B2B SaaS and consumer UX is also a key differentiator. Candidates should prepare to discuss specific examples of AI tool integration and their impact on design velocity and quality.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• AI-Native Design Case Studies: Showcase projects where AI tools were integral to the design process, demonstrating efficiency gains, novel solutions, or accelerated prototyping.

• B2B SaaS Workflow Optimization: Present detailed case studies of complex enterprise workflows designed or significantly improved, highlighting persona-driven design, data density management, and user journey mapping.

• Design System Implementation: Include examples of contribution to or leadership of a design system, detailing its structure, governance, impact on velocity (design and engineering), and how it functions as infrastructure.

• Accessibility Integration: Demonstrate how WCAG 2.2 standards were incorporated into designs, with specific examples of solutions for complex UI elements or data visualizations that maintain accessibility.

• Research & Data-Informed Design: Provide examples of how usability testing, behavioral analytics (FullStory, Pendo, etc.), and user research directly informed design decisions and product roadmap adjustments.

Process Documentation:

• Operating Model Design: Document the proposed or implemented shift from a centralized to a decentralized, pod-based design operating model, outlining the rationale, structure, and anticipated benefits.

• AI-Augmented Workflow Design: Detail the processes for integrating AI tools into the designer's daily workflow, from ideation and prototyping to implementation-ready asset generation.

• Design System Governance Process: Outline the established processes for design system maintenance, updates, contribution guidelines, and ensuring adoption across product teams.

• Research Integration Process: Describe the workflow for conducting and synthesizing user research and behavioral analytics, and how these insights are systematically fed into the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio should clearly articulate the candidate's strategic vision for transforming the design organization. Emphasis should be placed on quantifiable improvements in speed, quality, and efficiency resulting from AI adoption, design system governance, and the new operating model. Demonstrating leadership in process re-engineering is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $320,000 - $365,000 USD per year (base plus bonus).

• Note: This range represents the estimated total compensation, which includes base salary, potential annual performance-based incentive compensation, and equity. Actual compensation will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, affordability, skills, qualifications, and experience, and may vary from the stated range.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package.

• Stock options, offering ownership and potential long-term financial growth.

• Comprehensive health benefits to support employee well-being.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), promoting work-life balance and autonomy.

• Generous parental leave policies to support new parents.

• Tuition reimbursements, encouraging continuous learning and professional development.

• Additional benefits as applicable to the country of employment.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected for a leadership role and hybrid work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific and includes base, bonus, and equity considerations, reflecting a senior leadership compensation structure. The benefits package is comprehensive and aligns with competitive offerings for tech leadership roles, with specific mention of unlimited PTO and parental leave, which are attractive to many professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity Ratings & Risk Management. SecurityScorecard operates in a rapidly evolving sector, providing critical data analytics for cybersecurity posture assessment, third-party risk management, and cyber insurance underwriting. This context demands continuous innovation and a deep understanding of evolving threat landscapes.

Company Size: SecurityScorecard is a growth-stage company, indicated by its funding rounds and significant employee base. This implies a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact, but also potential for rapid change and scaling challenges.

Founded: Founded in 2013, SecurityScorecard has established itself as a market leader, evidenced by its substantial funding and widespread adoption. This history suggests a company with a solid foundation and a proven track record, now focused on scaling and future innovation.

Team Structure:

• Product Design & Research Organization: This role directly leads the Product Design and Research team, which is undergoing a significant operational transformation. The team will be structured into decentralized pods embedded within product-line tracks, requiring strong leadership in managing distributed teams and fostering autonomy.

• Reporting Structure: The UX Director reports directly to the Chief Product Officer (CPO), placing them at the executive table with significant influence over product strategy and direction.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role necessitates deep collaboration with Product Management and Engineering, particularly as design pods will be integrated into product-line teams. The expectation is for a symbiotic, fast-paced relationship driven by shared ownership and AI-enabled workflows.

Methodology:

• AI-Native Design: The core operational methodology will be AI-native, with designers working directly against the codebase (e.g., GitHub) to create implementation-accurate prototypes. This emphasizes a shift from traditional design tools to integrated, code-grounded workflows.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The role requires embedding research and behavioral analytics (e.g., FullStory, Pendo) to inform roadmap decisions, underscoring a commitment to data-informed product development.

• Design System as Infrastructure: The design system is treated as core infrastructure, with a focus on its governance and measurable impact on design and engineering velocity.

Company Website: https://securityscorecard.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by innovation, rapid growth, and a strong emphasis on employee engagement, as evidenced by industry recognition. The operational shift towards AI-native design and integrated product teams is a defining characteristic of this role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior executive leadership role (Director level) within the Product Design & Research function. It involves not only managing a team but also defining and executing a strategic transformation for the entire design organization. The scope includes setting vision, rebuilding operating models, and influencing product direction at the highest levels.

Reporting Structure: Reporting directly to the CPO, the UX Director has a high-impact position within the product organization. This proximity to executive leadership allows for direct influence on strategic decisions and resource allocation for design initiatives.

Operations Impact: The UX Director will have a profound impact on SecurityScorecard's ability to deliver innovative, user-centric B2B SaaS products. By driving AI-native design, optimizing workflows, and ensuring design excellence and accessibility, this role directly contributes to customer satisfaction, product adoption, engineering efficiency, and ultimately, the company's market competitiveness and revenue growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Expansion: Opportunity to expand influence beyond design into broader product strategy, potentially leading to VP-level roles or broader GTM operational leadership.

• AI Design Innovation: Become a recognized leader in applying AI to design workflows, with opportunities to speak at conferences, publish thought leadership, and shape industry best practices.

• Organizational Transformation Leadership: Gain extensive experience in leading significant organizational change, rebuilding operating models, and scaling teams, which are highly valuable skills in the tech industry.

• Cross-Functional Development: Deepen understanding and collaboration with Product Management and Engineering leadership, fostering a holistic approach to product development.

• Mentorship and Team Building: Develop a high-performing design team, nurturing future design leaders and specialists in AI-augmented design and B2B SaaS UX.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity for a design leader to architect and execute a significant transformation, making it a high-visibility, high-impact position with substantial career growth potential, particularly in the burgeoning field of AI-driven design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as "Hybrid (NYC)," indicating a blend of remote work and in-office presence at the New York City headquarters. This offers flexibility while maintaining opportunities for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): Primarily New York City, NY, United States. This location provides access to a vibrant tech ecosystem and a hub for talent.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Pods: The new operating model emphasizes decentralized design pods embedded within product-line teams, fostering close-knit, cross-functional collaboration and shared ownership.

• Developer-Centric Tools: Designers will have direct access to the codebase (GitHub) and utilize AI tools, integrating them closely with the engineering environment and promoting a "builder" mentality.

• Data & Analytics Tools: Access to usability testing platforms and behavioral analytics tools (e.g., FullStory, Pendo) will be central to the workspace, enabling data-informed design decisions.

• Executive Interaction: The role requires regular interaction with executive leadership, including the CPO, fostering a strategic and high-level work environment.

Work Schedule: While a standard full-time schedule (approximately 40 hours/week) is expected, the hybrid nature and leadership responsibilities may necessitate flexibility to accommodate project needs, team collaboration, and executive engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in NYC suggests a modern work environment that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration, particularly for strategic initiatives and team building.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A conversation with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the CPO focusing on strategic vision, leadership philosophy, experience with organizational transformation, and AI-native design approaches.

• Team & Peer Interviews: Meetings with key Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and potentially senior designers to evaluate cross-functional collaboration, technical understanding, and team dynamics.

• Portfolio Review & Case Study Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, focusing on case studies that exemplify their ability to lead design strategy, implement AI-augmented workflows, govern design systems, and drive B2B SaaS excellence. This will likely include a discussion on rebuilding the operating model.

• Executive/Final Interview: Potentially a final discussion with another senior executive to confirm strategic alignment and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Transformation Narrative: Clearly articulate your vision for transforming the design organization, supported by your experience and proposed methodologies.

• AI-Augmented Case Studies: Present specific examples of how you've leveraged AI in design, detailing the tools, processes, challenges, and quantifiable outcomes (e.g., speed, efficiency, quality improvements).

• Operating Model Design: Be prepared to discuss your approach to moving from a centralized to a decentralized, pod-based model, highlighting potential challenges and mitigation strategies.

• Design System as Infrastructure: Showcase your understanding of design systems as critical infrastructure, demonstrating how you've governed them and measured their impact on velocity.

• B2B Enterprise Focus: Emphasize your experience with complex enterprise B2B SaaS products, illustrating your understanding of multi-persona needs, data density, and specific workflow challenges.

• Accessibility Integration: Demonstrate a deep understanding of WCAG 2.2 and how you ensure accessibility is a default, not an afterthought, in complex applications.

• Executive Communication: Practice presenting complex ideas concisely and persuasively, tailored for an executive audience.

Challenge Preparation:

• Operating Model Design Exercise: You may be asked to outline your plan for restructuring the design team, including team roles, responsibilities, and collaboration mechanisms within the new pod structure.

• AI Design Strategy Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would approach integrating AI tools into a specific product challenge or workflow within SecurityScorecard's context.

• Design System Vision: Be ready to articulate your philosophy on design system governance and how it can be leveraged to accelerate development in an AI-native environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess strategic leadership, hands-on technical proficiency with AI design tools, and the ability to drive significant organizational change. The portfolio presentation is a critical component, requiring candidates to demonstrate practical application of their expertise.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• AI Design Augmentation Tools: Proficiency with emerging AI tools for design generation, prototyping, and workflow automation (specific tools to be discussed, but candidates should be ready to showcase their current AI toolset and experience).

• Codebase Integration: Direct experience or strong understanding of working with code repositories like GitHub, enabling designers to produce implementation-accurate prototypes.

• Prototyping Tools: Advanced skills in industry-standard prototyping software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD), with a focus on creating interactive and realistic prototypes.

• Design System Platforms: Experience managing and contributing to design systems built on platforms like Zeroheight, Storybook, or similar, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Behavioral Analytics: Experience with tools like FullStory, Pendo, or similar for user behavior analysis, session recording, and product analytics to inform design decisions.

• Usability Testing Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting remote and in-person usability testing, gathering qualitative feedback.

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret and present data insights using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or integrated analytics dashboards.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management & Workflow Tools: Experience with tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for managing design sprints, tasks, and cross-functional workflows.

• Collaboration Platforms: Proficiency in tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Confluence for day-to-day communication, documentation, and knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-native" and "codebase-anchored" implies a need for designers who are comfortable operating at the intersection of design and development, leveraging cutting-edge tools and integrating directly with engineering workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: A strong emphasis on embracing new technologies, particularly AI, and proactively seeking innovative solutions to design and product challenges.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A commitment to using quantitative and qualitative data, including behavioral analytics and usability testing, to inform design strategy and product development.

• Customer-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and serving the needs of B2B enterprise customers, ensuring that designs are intuitive, effective, and solve real-world problems.

• Collaboration & Shared Ownership: A culture where designers, PMs, and engineers work together seamlessly, fostering a sense of collective responsibility for product success and minimizing siloed thinking.

• Excellence & Accessibility: A dedication to high-quality design outcomes, with a non-negotiable commitment to WCAG 2.2 accessibility standards across all products.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded Pods: The new operating model fosters close, ongoing collaboration within decentralized pods, enabling designers to work hand-in-hand with product and engineering counterparts on specific product lines.

• Direct & Kind Feedback: A culture that encourages open, honest, and constructive feedback, delivered with kindness, to foster continuous improvement and elevate the team's collective output.

• Opinionated POV: Encouragement of strong, well-reasoned points of view on design decisions, fostering robust debate that leads to better outcomes.

• Agile & Iterative: A collaborative approach that embraces agile methodologies, rapid iteration, and continuous learning, allowing the team to adapt quickly to user feedback and market changes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The cultural values emphasize a forward-thinking, data-driven, and collaborative environment that prioritizes both innovation and user needs, all within a framework of strong design and accessibility principles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Organizational Transformation: Leading a fundamental shift in the design team's operating model and workflow from a traditional centralized structure to AI-native, embedded pods. This requires significant change management and stakeholder buy-in.

• AI Integration Complexity: Successfully integrating AI tools into the design workflow in a meaningful, impactful way that goes beyond superficial use, and ensuring designers are equipped with the necessary skills and processes.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Maintaining high standards of B2B enterprise design excellence and WCAG 2.2 accessibility while simultaneously accelerating development cycles through AI and embedded team structures.

• Defining New Roles & Processes: Establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and processes within the new decentralized pod structure, ensuring alignment and preventing overlap with Product Management.

• Talent Acquisition & Development: Recruiting and retaining top design talent who are at the forefront of AI-enabled design and possess strong B2B SaaS experience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership in AI Design: Become a recognized pioneer in applying AI to UX/Product Design, shaping future methodologies and potentially presenting at industry events.

• Organizational Design Expertise: Gain invaluable experience in architecting and executing large-scale operational transformations within a design organization.

• Strategic Product Influence: Deepen strategic influence over product direction, working closely with C-suite executives and contributing to business growth initiatives.

• Mentorship and Team Building: Develop a high-performing, cutting-edge design team, fostering the growth of individual designers into future leaders.

• Industry Best Practices: Stay at the forefront of B2B SaaS UX, cybersecurity product design, and the evolving landscape of AI in creative and product development fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges related to organizational change and technological adoption, but these are directly tied to substantial growth opportunities for a leader looking to make a lasting impact and advance their career in a cutting-edge domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your vision for an AI-native design organization. What are the key pillars of your strategy, and how would you implement it at SecurityScorecard?" (Preparation: Focus on your core principles for AI integration, team structure, and how you'd translate these into actionable steps.)

• "How would you transition SecurityScorecard's design team from a centralized model to decentralized pods embedded within product-line teams? What are the potential challenges, and how would you mitigate them?" (Preparation: Outline your change management approach, communication strategy, and key success metrics for this transition.)

• "Given the emphasis on working directly against the codebase, how would you ensure seamless collaboration and alignment between designers and engineers, and how would you resolve potential conflicts or overlaps with Product Management?" (Preparation: Discuss your philosophy on Product, Design, and Engineering collaboration, emphasizing shared ownership and process.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What is your understanding of the B2B SaaS enterprise market, and how does it differ from consumer UX? How would you ensure our design strategy addresses these nuances effectively?" (Preparation: Research SecurityScorecard's specific market and competitors. Be ready to discuss enterprise user personas and workflows.)

• "How do you foster a culture of direct, kind feedback and strong, opinionated points of view within a design team?" (Preparation: Share specific examples of how you've cultivated such a culture and handled constructive criticism or debate.)

• "How do you measure the impact of design on business objectives, particularly in a B2B context with complex data-dense products?" (Preparation: Prepare to discuss relevant UX metrics, ROI, and how design contributes to KPIs like adoption, retention, and revenue.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Transformation: Organize your portfolio around your ability to drive change. Dedicate specific sections or case studies to initiatives where you've led strategic shifts, implemented new processes, or significantly improved team operations.

• Quantify AI Impact: For AI-augmented design case studies, clearly articulate the specific tools used, the process adopted, the challenges encountered, and most importantly, the quantifiable results (e.g., reduced design time by X%, increased prototype fidelity, accelerated iteration cycles).

• Design System as Foundation: Present your experience with design systems not just as a collection of components, but as a critical piece of infrastructure that enables velocity and consistency. Detail your approach to governance, adoption, and measuring its impact.

• B2B Enterprise Depth: Showcase your understanding of complex enterprise workflows through detailed case studies. Highlight how you've addressed multi-persona needs, data visualization challenges, and enterprise-level user journeys.

• Accessibility as a Standard: Integrate examples of how you've ensured WCAG 2.2 compliance, demonstrating practical solutions for complex UI elements or data-heavy interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to demonstrate not only your design expertise but also your strategic vision, change management capabilities, and a deep understanding of how design operations and AI can drive business outcomes in a B2B SaaS environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/securityscorecard/jobs/8198101

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating AI-augmented design workflows, B2B SaaS enterprise experience, and experience leading organizational design transformations. Emphasize case studies showing quantifiable improvements in efficiency and quality.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 10+ years of leadership experience, focusing on achievements related to strategic design leadership, operational model redesign, AI adoption, and B2B product development. Use keywords like "UX Director," "Product Design," "AI-native," "Design Systems," and "B2B SaaS."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your strategic vision for an AI-native design organization and your approach to rebuilding operating models. Prepare detailed examples for your portfolio presentation, focusing on quantifiable results and your leadership in driving change.

• Company Research: Deeply research SecurityScorecard's product offerings, market position in cybersecurity ratings, and their stated culture of innovation and employee engagement. Understand their target B2B enterprise customers and their potential design challenges.

⚠️ 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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