UX Strategy Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Strategy Manager

Company: Komatsu (via MRA Recruiting Services)

Location: Milwaukee, WI OR Chicago, IL

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-06

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead a multidisciplinary team of UX/UI researchers and designers to redefine Komatsu's digital product experiences, encompassing websites, fleet management, My Komatsu, eCommerce, and online training platforms.

• Define and execute the overarching UX vision and strategy, aligning with executive leadership and product management to unify the customer experience across all digital touchpoints.

• Own and prioritize the UX team's backlog, proactively identifying initiatives and managing stakeholder expectations through robust UX discovery and delivery processes.

• Establish and maintain a federated design system to ensure brand consistency, flexibility, and a seamless user experience across diverse digital products.

• Champion UX best practices, research, and testing methodologies to inform product development and drive innovation from a customer-centric perspective.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned at a strategic leadership level within UX, focusing on the operational aspects of design delivery and team management rather than pure individual contribution. The emphasis on "organizing and prioritizing the UX team's backlog" and "driving alignment among a diverse range of stakeholders" indicates a strong need for operational excellence and strategic planning within the UX function.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Own the end-to-end design and user experience for global websites, customer-facing digital applications, and eCommerce platforms, ensuring alignment with business objectives and digital transformation goals.

• Team Management & Development: Lead, coach, and mentor a team of UX/UI designers and researchers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment that drives product innovation.

• UX Vision & Roadmap: Partner with executive leadership, strategy, and product management to define and evolve the comprehensive UX/UI strategy, translating it into a actionable roadmap and prioritized backlog.

• Process Orchestration: Proactively develop and manage well-defined UX discovery plans, workshops, and engagement models to facilitate the initiation and execution of new digital initiatives.

• Design System Governance: Own and mature a federated design system, ensuring its adoption for flexibility, consistency, and a unified brand identity across all digital products.

• User-Centric Research & Testing: Establish and uphold best practices for user research and usability testing, providing actionable insights to product owners regarding trends, usability, and customer sentiment.

• Cross-Functional Advocacy: Evangelize the integration of UX practices within digital and product strategy, educating peers and demonstrating the value of UX to key business initiatives.

• Process Documentation & Improvement: Document UX processes from research through testing and identify opportunities for streamlining workflows and enhancing digital products through UX standards.

• Delivery Oversight: Oversee the continuous improvement of the online customer and distributor experience, including the potential consolidation of digital applications into a unified website.

• Vendor & Partner Management: Lead and manage third-party design activities and collaborate effectively with vendors, marketing, and IT teams to advance the organization's digital strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic UX leadership and operational execution. The emphasis on "owning the UX team backlog," "creating well-defined engagement/UX discovery plans," and "documenting UX processes" points to a need for strong project management and process optimization skills within the UX domain.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design, Web Design, User Interface Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a closely related field. Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in leading UX/UI teams, demonstrating a clear career progression in design leadership and strategy.

• Minimum of 7 years of hands-on experience designing and delivering mobile-friendly, responsive B2B and B2C eCommerce websites and complex digital platforms. Required Skills:

• UX Strategy & Vision: Proven ability to define and articulate a compelling UX vision and strategy aligned with business objectives.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Demonstrated experience in leading, coaching, and inspiring multidisciplinary UX/UI teams.

• Design System Management: Expertise in establishing, maintaining, and evolving federated design systems for consistency and scalability.

• User Research & Usability Testing: Proficient in various user research methodologies, usability testing, and translating findings into actionable design improvements.

• Responsive & Mobile-First Design: Deep understanding and practical application of modern web development practices, including responsive design and mobile-first layouts.

• Portfolio of Complex Projects: A strong portfolio showcasing the successful delivery of complex, large-scale digital re-designs with measurable impact.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Excellent skills in managing expectations, building consensus, and influencing diverse stakeholders, including senior executives.

• Agile UX Practices: Experience integrating UX processes within agile development methodologies.

Preferred Skills:

• eCommerce Platform Expertise: Deep understanding of B2B and B2C eCommerce functionalities, customer journeys, and conversion optimization strategies.

• Personalization & A/B Testing: Experience implementing on-site personalization strategies and conducting A/B testing to optimize user experiences and drive conversions.

• Figma & Miro Proficiency: Hands-on experience with design and collaboration tools such as Figma for high-fidelity design and Miro for workshops and ideation.

• Front-End Development Understanding: Familiarity with web front-end development concepts, including HTML/CSS, to facilitate effective collaboration with development teams.

• Third-Party Design Management: Experience leading, organizing, and overseeing design activities executed by external vendors or agencies.

• Omni-channel Marketing Support: Experience supporting marketing campaigns through effective landing page and email design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements (7+ years in leadership and design) and the emphasis on complex, large-scale digital re-designs suggest this role is for a senior-level individual with a proven track record. The inclusion of "leading through influence" and "presenting to Senior executives" highlights the need for strong communication and executive presence.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies of complex, large-scale digital re-designs, focusing on B2B/B2C eCommerce platforms or enterprise-level websites.

• Problem-Solution-Impact Framework: Structure case studies to clearly articulate the initial business/user problem, the UX strategy and design solutions implemented, and the measurable business impact (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction, reduced support costs).

• Design System Examples: Include examples of contributions to or leadership of design systems, demonstrating an understanding of component-based design, style guides, and their role in unifying digital experiences.

• Process Documentation Showcase: Present examples of documented UX processes, such as discovery frameworks, user journey mapping, wireframing workflows, or usability testing protocols.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey & Persona Development: Demonstrate experience in creating detailed user journeys, personas, and empathy maps to inform design decisions.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Provide examples of wireframes and interactive prototypes created using tools like Figma, showcasing the evolution of design concepts from low-fidelity to high-fidelity.

• Usability Testing Protocols & Reports: Include examples of usability testing plans, scripts, and reports that clearly outline findings, insights, and recommended actions.

• Design System Documentation: Showcase examples of design system documentation, including component libraries, style guides, and usage guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's strategic and leadership focus, the portfolio should emphasize not just individual design output but also the candidate's ability to strategize, lead teams, establish processes, and drive measurable business outcomes through UX initiatives. The "process excellence" and "process improvement" responsibilities directly translate into portfolio requirements.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $145,000 - $180,000 per year (Estimated)

Explanation of Estimate: The provided starting salary is $145,000. Based on industry benchmarks for a UX Strategy Manager with 7+ years of experience, leading teams, and managing complex digital transformation initiatives in major metropolitan areas like Milwaukee and Chicago, a competitive range can extend up to $180,000. This estimate considers the significant responsibilities, leadership scope, and the demand for specialized UX strategy expertise in the current market. Regional salary data for Milwaukee and Chicago from sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn Salary indicate that senior UX roles in these areas typically fall within this bracket.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans.

• Health Savings Account (HSA): With potential employer contributions.

• Wellness Programs: Initiatives designed to promote employee health and well-being.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with potential employer matching or employee savings programs.

• Generous Time Off: Paid vacation days and designated company holidays.

• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP): Confidential support services for employees and their families.

• Disability Benefits: Short-term and Long-term disability insurance.

• Life Insurance: Coverage to provide financial security for beneficiaries.

• Learning & Development: Opportunities for professional growth through employee learning and development programs, certifications, and training.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time position, typically 40 hours per week.

• While on-site, Komatsu may offer some flexibility in daily start/end times, subject to team and business needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary of $145,000 serves as a strong anchor. The upper range is an educated estimate based on typical senior UX leadership compensation in comparable US markets, factoring in the company's industry (heavy machinery/industrial) and the scope of digital transformation. The benefits listed are standard for large corporations and are directly pulled from the provided text.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Industrial Machinery & Equipment Manufacturing (Construction, Mining, Forklift, Forestry). Komatsu is a global leader in this sector, known for its innovation in technology and sustainability.

Company Size: Over 64,000 employees worldwide, indicating a large, established, and global enterprise. This size suggests structured processes, significant resources, and opportunities for broad impact.

Founded: 1921. With over a century of history, Komatsu has a deep-rooted legacy of innovation, customer support, and community engagement. This longevity implies stability and a strong foundation for future growth.

Team Structure:

• Digital Office Focus: The role sits within a "Digital Office" initiative, suggesting a dedicated, cross-functional team focused on digital transformation and customer experience modernization.

• Reporting & Collaboration: The UX Strategy Manager will lead a multidisciplinary UX/UI team and partner closely with executive leadership, strategy, product management, marketing, and IT teams. This indicates a matrixed reporting structure and a high degree of cross-functional collaboration.

• Global Reach: As a global company, the UX team will likely collaborate with international stakeholders, bringing diverse perspectives and challenges.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centric Approach: The role emphasizes understanding customer needs, improving customer experience, and developing UX strategy based on research and testing.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: While not explicitly stated for UX, the broader company context and the mention of A/B testing and personalization suggest a leaning towards data-informed design and optimization.

• Agile & Iterative Development: The integration of UX within digital and product strategy, along with managing backlogs, implies an agile or iterative approach to product development and UX delivery.

Company Website: www.komatsu.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context is crucial for a UX Strategy Manager. Komatsu's industrial focus means the digital products will likely serve a professional, B2B audience, requiring a deep understanding of complex workflows, technical specifications, and long-term asset management, distinct from consumer-facing UX. The "Digital Office" initiative signifies a strategic investment in digital transformation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role within the User Experience discipline, specifically focused on strategy and team management. It sits at the intersection of design, product, and technology operations, requiring a blend of strategic vision, operational execution, and people leadership. The scope includes enterprise-wide digital products and a significant team.

Reporting Structure: The UX Strategy Manager will likely report to a Director or VP level within the Digital Office, Product Management, or a dedicated Digital Transformation unit. They will directly manage a team of UX/UI designers and researchers and collaborate extensively with cross-functional leaders.

Operations Impact: The primary impact of this role is on enhancing the customer and distributor experience, driving digital adoption, improving online sales (eCommerce), and unifying the brand's digital presence. This directly contributes to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and revenue generation through digital channels. By establishing cohesive branding and design elements, the role aims to streamline interactions and build customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior Leadership: Potential advancement to Director of UX/Digital Experience, VP of Product Design, or Head of Digital Transformation, overseeing broader product portfolios or strategic digital initiatives.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like eCommerce UX strategy, digital platform unification, or the development of advanced design systems.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Transition into Product Management, Digital Strategy, or Program Management roles, leveraging a strong understanding of user needs and digital product lifecycles.

• Mentorship & Training: Opportunity to develop internal talent, establish UX best practices across the organization, and potentially lead training initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for a UX leader to shape the digital future of a large, established industrial company. The growth potential is substantial, moving from leading a specific function to influencing broader digital strategy and organizational change.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, implying a traditional office environment within Komatsu's facilities in Milwaukee, WI, or Chicago, IL.

Office Location(s):

• Milwaukee, WI: A major industrial and business hub in the Midwest, offering a robust professional network and amenities.

• Chicago, IL: A large, international city with extensive public transportation, diverse cultural offerings, and a strong corporate presence.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Expect a modern office environment that facilitates collaboration, likely featuring open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and dedicated spaces for team brainstorming and design workshops.

• Technology Infrastructure: Access to necessary hardware, software (including design and collaboration tools), and IT support essential for UX strategy and design work.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with the UX/UI team, product managers, engineers, marketing professionals, and other key stakeholders involved in digital initiatives.

Work Schedule:

• Primarily a standard 40-hour work week.

• While on-site, the role may require flexibility to accommodate project deadlines, key meetings, or cross-time zone collaborations, though significant remote flexibility is not indicated.

📝 Enhancement Note: The choice between Milwaukee and Chicago offers candidates flexibility based on personal preference regarding city size, cost of living, and lifestyle. The on-site requirement underscores the importance of in-person collaboration and team integration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening (MRA/Recruiter): A preliminary review of your resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and fit. Be prepared to briefly articulate your leadership experience and strategic approach to UX.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deep dive into your leadership style, strategic thinking, experience with large-scale digital transformations, and team management philosophy. Expect behavioral questions focusing on conflict resolution, stakeholder management, and driving consensus.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with members of the UX/UI team, product management, and potentially IT or marketing leaders. This stage assesses your collaborative skills, technical knowledge, and cultural fit. Be ready to discuss your approach to design systems, research methodologies, and working with cross-functional teams.

• Executive Presentation/Portfolio Review: A critical stage where you will likely present a selected case study from your portfolio to senior leadership. Focus on demonstrating your strategic impact, ability to drive business outcomes, and your vision for Komatsu's digital experience. This is also where your ability to "present, and share strategies, working across organizational teams to deliver results" will be evaluated.

• Final Offer: Based on successful completion of all interview stages.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best align with Komatsu's B2B eCommerce and digital transformation goals. Prioritize projects demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and measurable results.

• Emphasize the "Why" and "Impact": For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your strategic approach as a leader, the challenges overcome, the solutions implemented, and the quantifiable business outcomes achieved (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved customer satisfaction scores, enhanced user engagement).

• Showcase Process & Collaboration: Illustrate your UX process from discovery to delivery, highlighting how you managed your team, collaborated with stakeholders, and leveraged research and testing.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, clearly outline your role in developing, managing, or evolving a design system, emphasizing its benefits for consistency and efficiency.

• Prepare for Presentation: Be ready to walk through your portfolio, tailoring your narrative to Komatsu's context. Practice your presentation to ensure it is concise, engaging, and clearly articulates your strategic value.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic UX Case Study: You may be asked to analyze a hypothetical UX challenge facing Komatsu (e.g., improving the online parts ordering process, unifying customer portals) and outline a strategic approach, including discovery methods, team involvement, and key deliverables.

• Design System Discussion: Be prepared to discuss your philosophy on design systems, their operational benefits, and how you would implement or evolve one within a large organization.

• Leadership Scenarios: Anticipate questions about managing team conflicts, driving adoption of UX best practices, and presenting complex design strategies to non-design audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "presenting to Senior executives" and "leading through influence" strongly suggests that the final interview stage will involve a significant presentation component. Candidates should prepare a compelling narrative that showcases not just design skills but strategic leadership and business acumen.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly preferred, explicitly mentioned), Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop – for graphic design aspects).

• Collaboration & Ideation: Miro (highly preferred, explicitly mentioned), Mural, Confluence, Jira.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Hotjar, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, Maze.

• Design System Management: Tools for component libraries, style guides, and documentation (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, or internal systems).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (or similar enterprise-level analytics platforms).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, or built-in reporting dashboards within analytics platforms.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO (Visual Website Optimizer), Google Optimize.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce (likely used by sales/marketing, impacting customer data insights).

• Marketing Automation: HubSpot, Marketo (relevant for understanding campaign integration and user journeys).

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with enterprise CMS platforms (e.g., Adobe Experience Manager, Sitecore) may be beneficial for website strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Miro is critical. Candidates should highlight their proficiency and experience with these tools. Understanding how UX integrates with broader MarTech and CRM stacks is also a key differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ambition & Perseverance: A drive to achieve significant goals and overcome challenges, crucial for large-scale digital transformation projects.

• Collaboration & Authenticity: Openness to diverse perspectives, honest communication, and a commitment to working together effectively across teams to achieve shared objectives.

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that digital products deliver value and a seamless experience.

• Efficiency & Excellence: A dedication to process improvement, adopting best practices, and striving for high-quality outcomes in all UX initiatives.

• Innovation: A forward-thinking mindset that embraces new technologies and approaches to continually enhance digital offerings.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Emphasizes seamless collaboration between UX, Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Sales to ensure cohesive product development and strategy.

• Data-Informed Dialogue: Encourages discussions grounded in research findings, user feedback, and performance analytics to guide design decisions.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: Fosters a culture where continuous feedback is shared and acted upon, allowing for agile refinement of designs and strategies.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promotes an environment where best practices, learnings, and insights are shared openly among team members and across departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Komatsu's stated core values (Ambition, Perseverance, Collaboration, Authenticity) are directly applicable to the operational demands of a UX Strategy Manager. The emphasis on collaboration and authenticity is key for navigating complex stakeholder landscapes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Digital Transformation Complexity: Navigating the inherent complexities of a large-scale digital transformation initiative within a well-established industrial company. This involves managing change, aligning disparate teams, and overcoming legacy systems or processes.

• Unifying Diverse Digital Assets: Integrating and standardizing a portfolio of digital products (websites, portals, eCommerce platforms) that may have evolved independently, requiring strong strategic vision and execution.

• Balancing Business Needs with User Experience: Effectively advocating for user needs while ensuring alignment with demanding business objectives, revenue targets, and technical constraints.

• Driving Adoption of UX Best Practices: Educating and influencing stakeholders across various departments, some of whom may not fully grasp the value of UX, to adopt new methodologies and standards.

• Managing Remote/Global Teams (Potentially): If future initiatives involve distributed teams, adapting leadership and collaboration strategies for remote or international team members.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Digital Strategy Leadership: Deepen expertise in enterprise digital strategy, eCommerce optimization, and customer journey mapping within a B2B industrial context.

• Advanced UX Methodologies: Explore emerging UX research techniques, AI-driven personalization, and advanced analytics for user behavior insights.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Gain broader business understanding by working closely with product management, sales operations, marketing, and engineering leadership.

• Industry Trends: Stay abreast of digital innovations and UX trends specifically within the industrial, manufacturing, and heavy equipment sectors.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities for formal leadership training, executive coaching, and participation in industry conferences relevant to UX, digital transformation, and product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the nature of the role and the company's strategic objectives. The growth opportunities focus on expanding leadership capabilities and deepening strategic expertise within the digital and UX domains.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a comprehensive UX strategy for a large-scale digital transformation initiative. How do you ensure alignment with business objectives and stakeholder buy-in?" (Focus on your strategic framework, research methods, and communication plan.)

• "How would you approach unifying multiple customer-facing digital applications into a single, cohesive website experience? What are the key challenges and how would you mitigate them?" (Highlight your experience with platform consolidation, design systems, and change management.)

• "Walk me through how you would establish and maintain a federated design system across a diverse set of digital products. What are the operational benefits, and how do you ensure adoption?" (Detail your understanding of design system governance, tooling, and stakeholder engagement.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Komatsu and the industrial sector, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for our digital customer experience?" (Demonstrate research into Komatsu's business and industry.)

• "How do you foster a culture of UX excellence within a team and advocate for user-centricity across an organization, especially with stakeholders who may not be design-focused?" (Focus on your leadership style, communication strategies, and ability to demonstrate value.)

• "Describe a time you had to influence senior executives to adopt a UX-driven approach or invest in UX initiatives. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a STAR method response highlighting your influencing skills and executive presence.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Executive Summary First: Start with a high-level overview of the project, the key business challenge, and the ultimate impact.

• Focus on Strategic Decisions: Emphasize the "why" behind your strategic choices and how they addressed business goals and user needs.

• Showcase Leadership & Process: Clearly articulate your role in leading the team, managing stakeholders, and the UX process you followed.

• Quantify Impact: Present data-driven results and ROI where possible (e.g., conversion rate improvements, engagement metrics, cost savings).

• Tailor to Komatsu: Draw parallels between your past successes and Komatsu's stated objectives for digital transformation and eCommerce growth.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, team management, and strategic rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice is tailored to the leadership and strategic nature of the role, emphasizing strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and the ability to articulate business value, all of which are critical for a UX Strategy Manager role at a company like Komatsu.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Strategy Manager position:

• Submit Your Application: Navigate to the provided application link (https://komatsu.jobs/job/UX-Strategy-Manager/35028-en_US) and complete the online application process, ensuring all fields are accurately filled.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your experience in leading UX strategy, managing teams, and delivering complex digital re-designs, particularly within B2B eCommerce or enterprise website contexts. Structure these to clearly show the problem, your strategic solution, and the measurable business impact.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight leadership experience, strategic UX contributions, team management accomplishments, and your proficiency with key tools like Figma and Miro. Use keywords from the job description such as "UX Strategy," "Design Systems," "eCommerce," "Stakeholder Management," and "Digital Transformation."

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your selected portfolio case studies. Focus on articulating your strategic thinking, leadership approach, and the business value you delivered. Be ready to present to senior leadership and answer in-depth questions about your process and decision-making.

• Research Komatsu: Thoroughly research Komatsu's business, its current digital presence, its industry position, and its stated values. Understand their target audience (customers, distributors) and the unique challenges of the industrial equipment sector to better tailor your responses and demonstrate cultural fit.

⚠️ 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.