UX Designer

Job Summary

Ithaca College's Marketing Communications division is seeking a versatile UX Designer to help shape an exceptional and dynamic user experience for our website and other digital properties. You should be adept at understanding user needs, translating them into intuitive designs, and effectively collaborating with cross-functional teams to help build a continuous improvement cycle aimed at maintaining an optimal user experience for all digital properties. This includes translating wireframes and user flows into interactive prototypes. The ideal candidate will approach this technical work through a storytelling lens, working in partnership with the marketing, communications, design, and IT teams from ideation through implementation to ensure that meaningful stories are effectively communicated through thoughtful design. This person will be instrumental in refining and integrating our existing design system for web and digital applications, collaborating closely with other designers and front-end developers to ensure thorough documentation, strict adherence to design requirements, and a smooth transition from design to development.

Key Responsibilities

• Ideate, create, and manage the user experience (UX) for applications and campaigns across all digital properties.

• Lead the effort to refine and integrate the existing design system with tools like Figma, Zeplin, Storybook, Zeroheight, and Drupal.

• Help streamline our style guide and maintain clear documentation to ensure a cohesive and well-organized design system that fosters consistency and efficiency across digital properties.

• Collaborate with the marketing and communications team to develop design plans and concepts, then translate wireframes and user flows into interfaces that adhere to design system and brand guidelines.

• Develop interactive prototypes using tools such as Figma or Adobe XD to help ensure accuracy in user testing and facilitate a seamless transition from design to development.

• Help manage the design-to-development process, collaborating closely with graphic designers and front-end developers to ensure an efficient and coordinated implementation of our design system.

• Facilitate cross-functional learning about UX principles to encourage more user-centric, effective collaboration across diverse roles and responsibilities.

• Integrate the collaborative capabilities of our design tools to foster seamless teamwork and efficient communication throughout the entire design and development process.

• Ensure consistency in visual elements, layouts, and interactive components, aligning design elements with the overall design system and guidelines.

• Conduct usability testing, gather user feedback, and analyze findings to guide design decisions, iterate designs, and contribute to the development of a continuous improvement cycle, including design refreshes and updates.

• Support the marketing team with visual design work such as digital ads, email newsletters, and digital screens.

• Stay updated on UX/UI design trends, best practices, and emerging technologies.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years working in a design or marketing role, with at least 3 years of focused UX design experience

• Portfolio showcasing design work, design system experience, interactive prototypes, and documentation skills. Demonstration of additional visual design work is a significant plus.

• Proficiency in Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma, or similar design tools

• Expertise in using analytics, user behavior tools, and user testing tools to inform design decisions

• Strong grasp of UX/UI design principles and interaction design

• Familiarity with accessibility standards and a commitment to designing inclusive user interfaces

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills

• Ability to work independently and schedule your time effectively

• An interest in working in an inclusive environment that cultivates and encourages innovation, focuses on user experience, and challenges the status quo

• Basic understanding of CSS and HTML

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, Interaction design, HCI, or a related field

• Experience with Zeplin, Storybook, Zeroheight, Drupal

• Experience in higher ed, or in fields with similar diverse audience groups

This is an Ithaca-based hybrid position.

This position is 37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

Application Instructions:

Interested applicants must apply online and attach a resume, cover letter, and list of three professional references. Questions about online applications should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (607) 274-8000 or humanresources@ithaca.edu.

Ithaca College is committed to building a diverse academic community and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply. Experience that contributes to the diversity of the college is appreciated.

Visa sponsorship is not provided for this position.

Hiring Range:

$75,000 - $80,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

We pride ourselves on providing our benefit-eligible employees with comprehensive benefits, including:

• Healthcare including vision and dental

• Generous Paid Time Off Policies

• 403B Retirement Savings Plan with Matching Employer Contribution

• EAP

• Flexible Work Plans

• Educational Benefits

• Career-Enhancing Trainings

• For an overview of our benefit offerings, please visit https://www.ithaca.edu/human-resources/employee-benefits-wellness