UX Product Design Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Product Design Lead

Company: Citi

Location: Tampa, Florida, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: UX/Product Design Leadership

Date Posted: August 06, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and elevate design quality and craft across a designated product area within Citi's Human Resources applications and systems.

• Drive the creation of intuitive, seamless, and delightful user experiences for internal employee tools, transforming complex HR processes into streamlined workflows.

• Mentor and develop a team of UX Designers, fostering their craft, confidence, and career growth through constructive critique and guidance.

• Champion the definition, documentation, and adoption of reusable design patterns and components to evolve Citi's Design System and establish a shared design language.

• Act as a design guardian, ensuring a consistently high standard of user experience and design output across the team through proactive reviews and feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a leadership opportunity within a large financial institution's internal technology division, focusing specifically on enhancing employee-facing HR applications. The emphasis on "design quality and craft," "mentoring," and "defining reusable patterns" clearly indicates a senior-level, influential role requiring strategic design thinking and team leadership capabilities. The mention of "AI-enabled design approaches" suggests a forward-thinking team embracing new technologies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with research, senior stakeholders, product managers, and engineering teams to ideate, conceptualize, and co-create innovative solutions.

• Produce and oversee wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs using Figma, adhering to and contributing to the established Design System.

• Ensure all designs comply with ADA/WCAG standards for accessibility, guaranteeing inclusive user experiences.

• Account for the overall quality of the user experience within your product area, proactively identifying and addressing design gaps and driving continuous improvement.

• Act as a design guardian by reviewing other designers' work, providing constructive critique, and maintaining a consistently high standard of design across the team.

• Define, document, and champion reusable design patterns and components, actively contributing to the evolution of the Design System and the shared design language.

• Guide and mentor other UX Designers, supporting their skill development, building their confidence, and fostering their career progression.

• Confidently challenge the status quo at a senior level, advocating for user needs and encouraging product and engineering partners to address root causes of design issues.

• Apply a positive and constructive attitude when giving and receiving feedback, fostering a collaborative design environment.

• Deliver high-quality design assets to the engineering team, providing clear guidance to ensure accurate implementation of designs.

• Offer ongoing support to engineering through regular UX review checkpoints, ensuring design integrity and adherence to specifications.

• Stay abreast of the latest UX practices, innovations, and tools, including AI-enabled design approaches, and proactively share learnings with the team.

• Manage risks and ensure timely delivery of design assets, escalating issues as needed to maintain project timelines.

• Lead by example, supporting, training, and developing junior and mid-level team members.

• Mediate conflicts between colleagues and stakeholders, guiding them towards constructive resolutions.

• Take a leading role in the broader UX community within Citi, contributing to the definition and refinement of design standards and practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual contribution (design creation, AI tool utilization) and leadership duties (mentorship, design guardianship, conflict resolution, community leadership). The emphasis on "challenging the status quo" and "addressing root causes" points to a role that influences product strategy, not just execution. The specific mention of "Human Resources apps and systems" frames the context for the design challenges.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field.

• Master's degree is considered a desirable attribute. Experience:

• 7–12 years of progressive industry experience in UX Design, with a proven track record of leading design quality across teams or complex products.

• Demonstrable experience in delivering complex, enterprise-scale or consumer-level designs at a senior level.

• Significant experience working with, contributing to, and defining Design Systems and pattern libraries.

• Proven ability to guide and develop other designers through structured critique and mentorship. Required Skills:

• Expertise in professional design tools such as Figma (primary), Sketch, AdobeXD, and InVision.

• Strong proficiency in creating wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

• Deep understanding of design principles, user-centered design methodologies, and usability best practices.

• Comprehensive knowledge of ADA/WCAG standards for accessibility and experience in implementing accessible design solutions.

• Proven ability to leverage AI-enabled design tools and workflows strategically, including generative design, AI-assisted prototyping, and intelligent design systems, with the judgment to guide teams responsibly.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design decisions clearly and persuasively to senior stakeholders.

• Strong analytical skills and a keen problem-solving aptitude.

• Exceptional attention to detail and a highly developed eye for design quality and consistency. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in e-commerce, internet, or mobile product design.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and working within agile teams.

• Experience in the financial services industry or commercial banking.

• Experience defining or contributing to overall experience principles or a broader design vision for a product suite.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 7-12 years of experience and the emphasis on leading design quality suggest this role is for a seasoned professional ready to take on significant responsibility. The explicit requirement for AI-enabled design tools proficiency indicates a need for candidates who are not only skilled in traditional UX but also forward-thinking and adaptable to emerging technologies in the design space.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of UX/Product Design work, with a strong emphasis on enterprise-scale or complex consumer applications.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and contributions, the design process followed, key challenges encountered, and the measurable impact of your solutions.

• Examples demonstrating your ability to lead design quality, mentor junior designers, and contribute to Design Systems.

• Visuals of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups created using industry-standard tools like Figma.

• Evidence of applying user research and usability testing to inform design decisions and validate solutions. Process Documentation:

• Portfolio entries should detail your approach to user research, including methods used and insights gained.

• Showcase your process for creating and iterating on wireframes, user flows, and prototypes.

• Demonstrate how you contribute to and leverage Design Systems, including pattern definition and component usage.

• Include examples of your collaboration with product management and engineering, highlighting how you deliver design specifications and provide ongoing support.

• Highlight any experience in defining or refining design processes and workflows within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio and a walkthrough during the interview is a critical component. Candidates should prepare to discuss their process, their role in team dynamics, and the impact of their design decisions, particularly focusing on how they've led quality and contributed to scalable design systems. The explicit mention of "AI-enabled design approaches" in the responsibilities should ideally be reflected in portfolio examples.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $125,600.00 - $188,400.00 USD per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Life, Accident, and Disability insurance.

• Dedicated Wellness programs.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) package, including vacation and sick leave.

• Paid holidays.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility within a hybrid work arrangement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is for the primary location (Tampa, Florida, United States) and represents the full-time salary. Citi's benefits package is robust, covering health, financial security, and work-life balance, which are key considerations for senior-level operations and design professionals. The mention of "discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards" suggests potential for additional compensation beyond the base salary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Banking. Citi is a global leader in financial services, providing a wide range of products and services to consumers, corporations, and governments. This industry context means a strong emphasis on security, compliance, user trust, and efficiency.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Citi has tens of thousands of employees globally). For operations and design professionals, this implies working within established frameworks, a high degree of specialization, and opportunities for broad impact across a vast organization.

Founded: 1812. Citi has a long and rich history, suggesting a stable organization with deep-rooted processes and a commitment to long-term innovation.

Team Structure:

• The UX team is part of the broader "Technology" job family group and specifically within "Digital Design Engineering."

• This role likely operates within a matrixed structure, collaborating closely with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and senior business stakeholders across various HR functions.

• The team likely consists of various design disciplines (UX Research, UX Design, UI Design, Content Design) and potentially specialized roles for different product domains. Methodology:

• The team operates within an Agile methodology, emphasizing iterative development, collaboration, and rapid response to user feedback and business needs.

• A strong focus on user-centered design, data-driven decision-making (informed by research and testing), and the strategic application of AI-enabled design tools.

• Commitment to maintaining and evolving a robust Design System to ensure consistency and efficiency across all digital products.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Citi's status as a global financial institution dictates a culture that values stability, security, and compliance. However, the emphasis on "transforming our Human Resources apps and systems" and creating "intuitive, seamless, and delightful" experiences indicates a drive towards modernizing internal tools and prioritizing employee experience, mirroring consumer-grade digital product expectations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead role, signifying a senior individual contributor with significant design leadership and mentorship responsibilities. It sits above a Senior UX Designer and below a Design Director or Head of Design. The role requires not only design expertise but also the ability to influence strategy, guide teams, and advocate for user needs at a senior level.

Reporting Structure: The UX Product Design Lead will likely report to a Director of UX Design or a similar senior design leadership role within the HR Technology or Digital Transformation division. They will manage or mentor other UX Designers and collaborate extensively with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, directly influencing the productivity, satisfaction, and efficiency of Citi's global workforce through improved HR tools. By transforming complex HR processes into intuitive digital experiences, this role contributes to a more engaged and effective employee base, which indirectly impacts operational efficiency and business outcomes across the entire organization.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific HR domains (e.g., onboarding, benefits, performance management) or advanced design methodologies (e.g., AI in design, complex enterprise systems).

• Leadership Advancement: Progress to roles such as Design Manager, Director of UX, or Head of Design within specific product areas or the broader UX organization.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Develop deeper understanding of product management, engineering processes, and financial services operations, enabling a more holistic view of product development.

• Strategic Influence: Gain opportunities to shape the overall UX strategy, design vision, and standards for Citi's internal digital products.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning in emerging design technologies, AI-driven design tools, and leadership best practices, potentially supported by company-provided training and resources.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title implies a clear path for growth into management or principal-level design roles. The focus on internal HR systems means opportunities to become an expert in a critical business function, offering a unique blend of design and domain knowledge that is highly valuable within large enterprises.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This indicates a blend of remote work and in-office presence, offering flexibility while maintaining in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Tampa, Florida, at the "3800 CITIGROUP CENTER DRIVE BUILDING G TAMPA" address. Citi has numerous global locations, so this specific role is based in Tampa, but the company's overall presence is vast.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages team collaboration during in-office days, with opportunities for brainstorming sessions, design reviews, and team-building activities.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, etc.), collaboration platforms, and potentially advanced AI design tools as mentioned in the role. A robust IT infrastructure is expected within a company like Citi.

• Cross-functional Interaction: Regular interaction with product managers, engineers, researchers, and senior stakeholders, fostering a dynamic and communicative work environment.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week. While hybrid, there's an expectation of availability and responsiveness during core business hours, particularly for collaboration and meetings. Flexibility may be offered, but core team synchronization will be key.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role at a major financial institution suggests a structured yet flexible work environment. Expect a professional setting with a focus on collaboration and adherence to corporate standards, balanced with the modern conveniences of hybrid work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely conducted by an HR recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the direct hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, leadership style, and technical skills.

• Portfolio Presentation & Walkthrough: A critical stage where candidates present their portfolio, discussing specific case studies, design process, challenges, and outcomes. Expect to articulate your role, the impact of your design decisions, and your approach to collaboration and mentorship.

• Team/Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with other UX designers, product managers, engineers, and potentially senior stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, technical depth, and alignment with team dynamics. This may include design critique sessions or problem-solving exercises.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior design leader or executive for final approval.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your experience as a Lead UX Designer, showcasing enterprise-scale work, design system contributions, and mentorship.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your unique role, the process, challenges, solutions, and quantifiable results. Focus on the "why" behind your design decisions.

• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize instances where you've led design quality, mentored junior designers, influenced product strategy, or contributed to design systems.

• Demonstrate Process: Show your thought process, from initial research and ideation through to high-fidelity execution and validation. Include wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes.

• Address AI Proficiency: If possible, showcase projects where you've experimented with or successfully implemented AI-enabled design tools and workflows, explaining the benefits and challenges.

• Prepare for Critique: Be ready to discuss your work critically, explaining trade-offs and how you've handled feedback.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough to ensure a smooth, concise, and engaging presentation within the allotted time.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design challenges or whiteboard exercises that assess your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to articulate solutions under pressure.

• Consider how you would approach improving an existing HR process or designing a new feature for an employee portal.

• Brush up on your understanding of core HR functions and employee lifecycle processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio walkthrough during the interview process is paramount. Candidates must be prepared to not only present their work but also to defend their design decisions, articulate their process, and demonstrate leadership qualities relevant to a Lead role. The mention of AI-enabled design tools suggests interviewers may probe for experience and strategic thinking in this area.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design. Deep proficiency is expected.

• Sketch, AdobeXD, InVision: Familiarity with these tools is also beneficial for broader compatibility and understanding of different design workflows.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a requirement for this UX role, understanding how to interpret user analytics, A/B testing results, and performance metrics from tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BI dashboards will be crucial for informing design decisions and measuring impact. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this UX role, but an understanding of how HR systems (like Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM) function and integrate is beneficial, as this role focuses on improving user experiences within these platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. Experience with other design tools is valuable for versatility. The role implies a need to understand how user data and analytics inform design, even if direct data analysis isn't the primary responsibility. Awareness of enterprise HR systems is also a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and prioritizing the needs of Citi employees, ensuring that HR tools are intuitive, efficient, and supportive.

• Design Excellence: A dedication to high-quality design craft, consistency, and the strategic application of design principles across all digital products.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, cross-functional partnerships, and open communication to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation: Embracing new technologies and methodologies, including AI-enabled design, to continuously improve user experiences and drive efficiency.

• Inclusivity & Accessibility: A commitment to designing for all users, adhering to ADA/WCAG standards to ensure equitable access and usability.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively engaging with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and key HR stakeholders to ensure designs are aligned with business objectives and technical feasibility.

• Constructive Critique Culture: A supportive environment where feedback is given and received openly and constructively, fostering continuous improvement and growth among designers.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, learnings from research and testing, and insights from AI design applications to elevate the entire team's capabilities.

• Empowerment and Autonomy: While adhering to company standards, designers are encouraged to take ownership of their work and contribute to strategic decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Citi, especially within its technology divisions, likely emphasizes professionalism, accountability, and a commitment to delivering reliable and secure solutions. For this UX role, there's a strong overlay of creativity, user advocacy, and a forward-thinking approach to design technology.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Enterprise Complexity: Designing for a large, global organization with diverse user needs, existing legacy systems, and stringent compliance requirements.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Advocating for user-centric solutions while balancing them with technical limitations, budget, and strategic business priorities.

• Driving Adoption of New Tools/Processes: Encouraging the adoption of new design patterns, AI tools, and best practices among a broad range of stakeholders and designers.

• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a unified and high-quality user experience across a wide portfolio of HR applications, especially in a hybrid work environment.

• Leading Without Direct Authority: Influencing product and engineering partners and mentoring junior designers effectively, often without direct reporting lines for all individuals.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Specialization: Opportunities to become a leader in applying AI-powered tools and workflows for design ideation, prototyping, and optimization.

• Enterprise UX Leadership: Developing expertise in managing design for large-scale, complex enterprise systems within the financial services sector.

• Mentorship and Team Building: Honing leadership skills through formal and informal mentorship, and potentially contributing to the growth of the UX team structure and capabilities.

• Industry Conferences and Training: Access to industry events, workshops, and certifications related to UX design, AI in design, and digital transformation.

• Domain Expertise: Gaining in-depth knowledge of Human Resources functions and employee lifecycle management, becoming a subject matter expert in HR technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexities of working in a large, regulated industry, while the growth opportunities point towards becoming a highly specialized and influential leader in the field of enterprise UX, particularly with a focus on emerging AI technologies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to advocate for a user-centered design approach when faced with strong business or technical opposition. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on stakeholder management, persuasive communication, and data-driven arguments.)

• "How do you define and maintain design quality across a product area or team? What metrics or processes do you use?" (Preparation: Discuss your approach to design guardianship, critique, and establishing design standards.)

• "Imagine you're tasked with redesigning a complex HR onboarding process. Walk us through your initial steps, key considerations, and how you'd involve other teams." (Focus on process, collaboration, and user empathy.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to Citi, and specifically to this role focused on internal HR applications?" (Preparation: Research Citi's mission, values, and recent initiatives in employee experience or digital transformation.)

• "How would you foster a collaborative and constructive design critique culture within a team?" (Focus on your mentorship style and approach to feedback.)

• "How do you see AI-enabled design tools impacting the future of UX and how would you guide a team in adopting them responsibly?" (Preparation: Be ready to discuss specific AI tools, their benefits, limitations, and ethical considerations.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: For each case study, follow a clear narrative: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased completion rates, reduced errors, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Showcase Leadership: Highlight instances where you mentored junior designers, led design initiatives, or contributed to design systems.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Explain how you worked with product managers, engineers, and researchers.

• Demonstrate AI Integration: If applicable, clearly explain how AI tools were used, what value they added, and any lessons learned.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and alternative solutions you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a blend of strong design craft, leadership potential, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate a large corporate environment. The emphasis on AI tools means candidates should be prepared to discuss their practical experience and vision in this area.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link: https://citi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/2/job/Tampa-Florida-United-States/UX-Product-Design-Lead_26983413

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in enterprise-scale design, design leadership, mentorship, design system contribution, and proficiency with Figma and AI-enabled design tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 impactful projects that best showcase your skills as a Lead UX Designer. Ensure each project includes a clear case study detailing the problem, your role, process, solutions, and measurable outcomes. Prepare to present your portfolio walkthrough, focusing on leadership and strategic contributions.

• Prepare for Behavioral and Situational Questions: Practice articulating your experience with stakeholder management, conflict resolution, design critique, and mentorship. Be ready to discuss how you would approach complex design challenges.

• Research Citi and the HR Tech Space: Understand Citi's business, its commitment to employee experience, and the landscape of HR technology to demonstrate genuine interest and industry awareness.

⚠️ 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.