Senior Director of User Experience (UX) Research and Design

About the Department

The Senior Director of User Experience (UX) Research and Design leads the MBTA's UX, Research, Design, and Content Strategy group,  a functional team of craft experts and managers who work across numerous product and program lines. The Senior Director of UX Research and Design defines and drives UX strategy, shaping decisions that impact organization direction, long-term outcomes, and cross-portfolio priorities. The Senior Director ensures that Transformation and Technology (T&T) Department services are meeting user needs via well-defined outcomes. Collaborating closely with stakeholders, the role defines scopes, aligns priorities, orchestrates cross-team delivery, and establishes agency-wide standards and practices.

Position Duties

• Shape organization-wide research, design, and content vision, strategic direction, and practice.
• Build effective design teams and direct strategies that are focused on improving the lives of end users, both riders and staff.
• Lead and develop research and design management, including organizational planning, performance management, position descriptions, hiring, and professional growth as applicable.
• Advocate for and scale the functions of UX research, design, and content strategy through the establishment of standards, frameworks, and best practices.
• Identify strategic research and service design opportunities, and use research data to inform business, product, and operational decisions.
• Support T&T with outcome orientation, ensuring that T&T work is in the service of long- and short-term outcomes.
• Serve as a senior leader within T&T, supporting and contributing to the overall Technology vision and strategic direction.
• Serve as a senior advisor to other departments within the MBTA, with the ability to be a strategic thought-partner and to synthesize and communicate complex ideas.
• Serve as a member of a rotating on-call group.
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Additional responsibilities may include focus on one or more departments or locations. See applicable addendum for department or location specific functions.

Supervision

• Directly supervises a team of three to five (3-5) program-area directors and two to five (2-5) cross-department staff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in computer science, graphic design, human computer interaction or other related field.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience supporting or leading major initiatives, program areas, or cross-functional projects requiring strategic judgment, problem-solving, and coordination across multiple stakeholders.
• Seven (7) years of supervisory, managerial, and/or leadership experience. 
• Expertise across UX disciplines and methods.
• Experience leading a team of functional and management staff.
• Experience working in a matrixed organization, including program, product, and engineering in multiple settings.
• Demonstrated ability to generate clarity when provided ambiguous or open-ended problems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with UX best practices, service design, usability heuristics, accessibility standards (such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)), and human-computer interaction.
• Ability to provide understanding and examples of how individual design decisions fit into the larger ecosystem of the product, business, and user journey.
• Demonstrated knowledge of outcome orientation, including translating research/design insights into measurable product, service, or operational outcomes.
• Effective managerial, organizational, analytical, confidentiality, multi-tasking and time management skills.

Substitutions

• A high school diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement. 
• An associate’s degree from an accredited institution and an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• A master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for two (2) years of general experience. 
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one (1) year of experience.

Other Qualifications

• Master's degree from a credited institution in a related field.
• Experience in the public sector, transportation agency, and/or civic technology team.

Benefits

Employment Benefits at the MBTA

Full-Time Employees:

The MBTA offers comprehensive benefits packages. Types of benefits offered at the MBTA are subject to the union affiliation / Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of the position to which you apply. Benefits that may apply to your position include the following:

• Insurance: Health, Dental, Vision, Life (basic and supplemental), and Long-Term Disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Vacation, Personal Days, Sick Leave, and Holidays
• Retirement: Pension or deferred compensation 401(a), plus MBTA contributions
• Complimentary pass for travel on the MBTA transit system (bus, train, ferry, and Commuter Rail)
• Tuition Reimbursement (up to $10,000 per year)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for student loans
• Commuter Choice Parking Program: Pre-tax benefits for parking
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Pre-tax benefits for healthcare-related expenses
• Discounted tickets for concerts, movies, travel / vacation, etc. via TicketsAtWork.com
• Shopping discounts via GovX.com
• Verizon and AT&T service discounts
• And more...

Disclaimer:

The above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the MBTA, which may or may not apply to a specific position. This summary is not a contract and is not meant to change the provisions of union contracts or Authority policies and does not establish a binding practice. Please contact the assigned Recruiter directly or email [email protected] for more information.

The MBTA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerMassachusetts Bay Transportation AuthorityAddress 10 Park Plaza

Boston, Massachusetts, 02116 Phone(617) 222-3200
Website https://www.mbta.com