User Experience Designer Lead

Summary

This position is open to Internal King County Information Technology (KCIT) employees and eligible Priority Placement participants ONLY. Only current KCIT employees and eligible Priority Placement participants applications will be considered.

KCIT is seeking a User Experience Designer Lead to play a vital role in helping KCIT imbed a robust User Experience practice into their delivery process. As a trusted leader with our technology staff, you will oversee User Experience efforts to ensure that all experiences incorporate current design standards for appropriate platforms, are well-organized, and incorporate users' needs.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 7 years of User Experience Design experience, with a demonstrated ability to lead groups of senior level people through strategic discussions regarding interface choices, best practices for design, be able to prove competency in creation of UxD artifacts including wireframes, interactive prototypes, user studies (lab-based, field-based), and be well-versed in responsive experiences that scale from mobile devices to desktop screens. Bonus points for experience with Agile and Lean implementations for User Experience.

King County Department of Information Technology (KCIT)

KCIT uses the power of technology to digitally transform King County. Building vibrant communities through digital equity and social justice, KCIT offers innovative solutions that engage, empower, and serve our residents, businesses, communities and interested stakeholders. As the first-place recipient of the 15th annual National Association of Counties (NACo) Digital Counties Survey, KCIT is recognized for its vision, strategy, innovation, and collaboration. KCIT has a focus of delivering smart technology solutions that support customers, building stronger communities through innovation.

KCIT is providing the building blocks for many of the region's most critical services. As the business solutions partner, we collaborate with the 18 County departments to develop products and services that better serve the needs of our customers and our community. To learn more about KCIT, please visit: http://kingcounty.gov/depts/it.aspx

Job Duties

• Develop overall plans for UX activities for projects; drive UX best practices for KCIT and King County; Have the ability to lead all activities and delegate tasks to junior members of the UX team.

• Provide oversight and design guidance and feedback on a portfolio of projects staffed by fellow UX designers.

• Be seen as a valued resource and advocate for end users.

• Research, study and analyze user behavior; identify and recommend solutions, improvement, and alignment with best practices.

• Provide leadership and guidance across all UX aspects of a project, for a wide range of devices, screen sizes and interfaces.

• Identify design problems and recommend elegant solutions.

• Make strategic design and user-experience decisions related to features and functions.

• Recommend and execute user-centered, iterative testing methods to incorporate user feedback.

• Collaborate with other team members and stakeholders, including technical implementers to ensure feasibility and budget / time constraints.

• Take smart risks and champion new ideas - be curious!

• Prepare documentation that summarizes findings and recommendations, present to stakeholders.

• Implement or assist in implementing identified solutions; work with vendors and other external resources where required to ensure successful problem resolution.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Minimum 7-10 years of User Experience Design/User Centered Design.

• Ability to lead groups of senior level people through strategic discussions regarding design choices.

• Be well-versed in best practices for design.

• Be able to prove competency in creation of UxD artifacts including wireframes, interactive prototypes, user studies (lab-based, field-based) for responsive experiences that scale from mobile devices to desktop screens.

• Strong user research skills, including creating test plans, moderating usability studies, and performing ethnographic research.

• Strong communication skills (for all levels of an organization).

• Proven ability to mentor, lead and manage staff.

• Willingness to be a positive addition to the team.

• Be curious, open to compromise, able to find workarounds.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with Agile and Lean implementations for User Experience.

Supplemental Information

Telecommuting Work

The work associated with this position will be performed through telecommuting complimented with onsite work and meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.

Union

This position is represented by Protec1`7 Information Technology

Classification: User Experience Designer-Principal - 7328500

Work Schedule

The normal workweek for this position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Alternative work schedules may be considered. This position is not eligible for overtime pay.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

Are you ready to APPLY!?

The recruitment for this position is open to all qualified candidates. This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies. A completed King County Application and Resume are required for consideration. Applications submitted without all material will not be considered.

Questions

If you have questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Shannon Hoeper, shoeper@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-6957.