Senior Director of User Experience (UX) Research and Design

Senior Director of User Experience (UX) Research and Design leads MBTA’s UX, Research, Design, and Content Strategy group to translate user needs into measurable transformation and technology outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Set the organization-wide vision for research, design, and content strategy, including strategic direction and day-to-day practice standards
• Build and lead design teams, directing work to improve the lives of end users including both riders and staff
• Lead and develop the research and design management function, covering organizational planning, performance management, position descriptions, hiring, and professional growth as applicable
• Advocate for and scale UX research, design, and content strategy by establishing standards, frameworks, and best practices
• Spot strategic opportunities across research and service design, and apply research data to inform business, product, and operational decisions
• Support T&T with outcome orientation, ensuring work connects to long- and short-term outcomes
• Serve as a senior leader within T&T by supporting and contributing to the overall Technology vision and strategic direction
• Act as a senior advisor to other MBTA departments, partnering on strategy and synthesizing complex concepts for clear communication
• Participate as a member of a rotating on-call group
• Perform other assigned duties and projects

Requirements

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

Supervision

• Directly supervises 3 to 5 program-area directors and 2 to 5 cross-department staff

Education Substitutions

• A high school diploma or GED plus 7 years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement
• An associate’s degree plus 3 years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement
• A master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for 2 years of general experience
• A nationally recognized certification or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for 1 year of experience

Preferred Experience & Skills

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

Job Conditions

• Ability to read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, and inquiries in English
• At least 18 years of age, except for participation in an approved high school internship/co-op program
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area as required
• Ability to provide courteous and professional experiences to internal and external customers
• Ability to work effectively independently and as part of a diverse workforce team (and supervise, if required)
• Ability to uphold MBTA rights and interests while maintaining effective relationships with employees and coworkers
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and MBTA policies, including EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation
• Satisfactory work record for the 2 years immediately prior to the closing date of the posting, including overall employment, performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions after the closing date may affect consideration)
• Ability to pass a CORI check, comprehensive background screening, and/or medical clinic screening, potentially including physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings
• Ability to work all shifts and/or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for the position, including up to 24 hours per day, 7 days per week when needed for severe weather, emergencies, or circumstances impacting service or safety
• Intern/co-op staff must be enrolled full- or part-time in an accredited educational program and maintain a 2.5 GPA for the duration; must have valid work authorization and a U.S. Social Security Number prior to pre-employment screenings/pre-boarding and throughout the program

Disclaimers and Definitions

• Job description statements summarize typical duties and do not list every task that may be required
• Applicants must complete application details accurately, including updated work and education history; incomplete applications may not be considered; attachments do not replace application fields
• Applicants should apply as soon as possible, as consideration may stop after a sufficiently large applicant pool is established
• Work environment and physical demands described are representative; reasonable accommodations may be available for individuals with disabilities
• All employees must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without MBTA sponsorship; hired employees must have a U.S. Social Security Number and complete a Form I-9
• Interview attendance requirements include arriving on time and being prepared to remain for the full interview period; failure to attend without advance authorization may result in disqualification
• Employees in this classification may be subject to periodic physical examinations and random drug and alcohol testing
• On-call roles require availability to respond to page/text/call and report to work as determined by assigned department or the Authority
• During declared states of emergency, employees may be required to report to work for assigned hours or as directed
• MBTA provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities; contact the ADA Unit at 617-222-5751 or [email protected]
• MBTA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer; terms related to DEI and definitions may be found at mbta.com/careers-app-definitions
• Intern/co-op participants may be eligible for accrued paid sick leave and a monthly transportation pass based on commuting city; no additional benefits are currently offered for interns or co-ops

Location: Boston, MA (onsite)   Salary: USD 162,710 - 188,000 per year   Experience: 10+ years