UX Design, Executive Director - Design Systems

Role Summary

• Lead the strategic vision and execution of a global Employee Experience Design System, focusing on standardization and reuse across a diverse employee population.
• Drive innovation in employee experience by staying current with design system best practices, accessibility standards, and emerging technologies.
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive design culture, acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and cross-functional partners.
• Implement and govern processes for design system contribution, quality assurance, and release management to ensure consistency and accelerate delivery.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive Design System strategies that align with business objectives, focusing on interaction design, information architecture, and standardization for reuse.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of experience designers, promoting collaboration, professional growth, and high performance.
• Drive innovation by researching and integrating industry trends in design systems, accessibility, and emergent technologies to enhance the employee experience.
• Define and implement robust governance models for the Design System, including intake processes, contribution guidelines, prioritization frameworks, and decision rights.
• Establish and manage a predictable release and versioning process for design assets, ensuring alignment between design libraries and coded component libraries.
• Define and enforce quality standards for usability, consistency, and accessibility, embedding compliance through system guidance and review mechanisms.
• Partner closely with Engineering leaders to ensure seamless integration of design libraries with reusable coded components, thereby improving implementation consistency and reducing rework.
• Develop and execute enablement programs, including documentation, office hours, training, and onboarding, to accelerate Design System adoption and foster self-service capabilities across product teams.
• Leverage AI technologies to enhance team velocity, optimize design processes, and improve employee experience outcomes.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships across Product, Engineering, Content Design, Research, and Accessibility teams to champion user-centered design principles and influence decisions organization-wide.
• Utilize data fluency and key performance metrics to inform decision-making, optimize experiences for diverse employee segments, and measure the impact of the Design System.

Skills & Qualifications

Education

While not explicitly stated, an Executive Director role in a field like UX Design typically requires a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field.

Experience

7+ years of experience or equivalent expertise in user experience design, with a strong focus on interaction design and information architecture. Demonstrated experience in leading and mentoring design teams.

Required Skills

• 7+ years of experience in user experience design, with a specialization in interaction design and information architecture.
• Proven experience in leading, mentoring, and developing diverse teams of experience designers.
• Advanced skills in visual design, storyboarding, and data fluency for creating compelling digital product elements.
• Demonstrated success in applying inclusive design principles and accessibility guidelines to create equitable experiences for all users.
• Strong understanding of market trends, product knowledge, and technological advancements, with the ability to leverage emerging technologies.
• Proven ability to establish operating models, including governance and workflow processes, that scale design quality across multiple teams and products.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and driving cross-functional alignment with Product and Engineering leaders in matrixed organizations.
• Experience delivering design systems across web, mobile, and conversational UI platforms.
• Deep understanding of design system principles, including patterns, components, tokens, and guidelines.

Preferred Skills

• Specific expertise in Design Systems.
• Experience applying AI directly to design practices.
• Experience delivering design systems for agentic AI experiences.
• Design leadership or managerial experience.
• Experience scaling accessibility-by-default through reusable components and standards in large organizations.

Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials

• Showcase examples of complex enterprise or platform experiences designed, demonstrating interaction design and information architecture expertise.
• Include case studies demonstrating leadership in guiding design teams, fostering collaboration, and driving user-centered design outcomes.
• Present projects that highlight a strong understanding and application of inclusive design and accessibility standards.
• Provide evidence of experience in developing and scaling design systems, detailing contribution models, governance, and adoption strategies.
• Demonstrate how data fluency and KPIs were used to inform design decisions and optimize user experiences.
• Feature examples of cross-functional collaboration with Product and Engineering, illustrating successful alignment and delivery.

Process Documentation

• Detail your approach to establishing and refining Design System governance, including intake, prioritization, and contribution models.
• Outline your methodology for defining and implementing quality standards and ensuring accessibility compliance within a Design System.
• Provide examples of how you have partnered with engineering to align design libraries with coded component libraries.
• Describe your process for developing and executing enablement programs to drive Design System adoption.
• Illustrate how you leverage AI technologies within design processes and for improving team velocity.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range

Based on industry benchmarks for an Executive Director level UX Design role at a major financial institution in New York City, the estimated salary range is between $180,500 - $260,000 annually. This range accounts for the executive-level responsibility, specialized expertise in Design Systems, and the high cost of living in Brooklyn, NY. The specific salary will be determined by the candidate's experience, skills, and the final scope of responsibilities.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health care coverage.
• On-site health and wellness centers.
• Retirement savings plan.
• Backup childcare services.
• Tuition reimbursement program.
• Mental health support services.
• Financial coaching resources.
• Competitive total rewards package including base salary, potential commission-based pay, and/or discretionary incentive compensation (cash and/or forfeitable equity).

Working Hours

Standard full-time work hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be flexibility depending on project needs and team dynamics, but it is not a remote position.

Team & Company Context

Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. JPMorgan Chase is a global leader in investment banking, consumer and small business banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. This industry context means a focus on security, compliance, reliability, and scalability in all digital experiences.

Company Size: Large enterprise (over 10,000 employees). This implies complex organizational structures, established processes, and a wide reach for the impact of the Design System.

Founded: Over 200 years of history. This legacy suggests a company that values stability, expertise, and long-term vision, while also being committed to innovation.

Team Structure

• The role is within the Employee Experience function, specifically focusing on Design Systems. This team likely collaborates closely with dedicated Product Management, Engineering, and other UX disciplines (Content Design, Research, Accessibility) within various internal product teams.
• The Executive Director will lead a team of experience designers, reporting into a higher-level leader within Employee Experience or Design.

Methodology

• Data-driven decision-making is emphasized, utilizing KPIs and performance metrics to inform strategy and optimize experiences.
• A strong focus on user-centered design principles is expected, ensuring that employee needs are at the forefront of all design initiatives.
• The role requires establishing and managing governance models and operating processes, indicating a structured, process-oriented approach to design system development and deployment.
• Innovation is encouraged, with an expectation to stay abreast of industry trends, including AI technologies, and integrate them into the design practice.

Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level

Executive Director. This level signifies a senior leadership position responsible for a critical functional area (Design Systems within Employee Experience). It involves setting strategic direction, managing a team, influencing organizational practices, and driving significant impact on employee productivity and satisfaction.

Reporting Structure

The role will report to a senior leader within Employee Experience or Design, such as a VP or another Executive Director. They will, in turn, lead a team of experience designers. This structure allows for strategic direction from above and direct management and mentorship of design talent.

Operations Impact

The Design System is a foundational element for delivering consistent, efficient, and high-quality employee experiences across all of JPMorgan Chase's digital platforms. Success in this role directly impacts employee productivity, satisfaction, operational efficiency for development teams, and the overall employer brand. By scaling the Design System, this role enables faster delivery of new features and improvements, reduces UI inconsistencies, and enhances accessibility, all of which contribute to the firm's operational excellence and employee engagement.

Growth Opportunities

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to expand the scope of the Design System to cover more employee journey areas or to take on broader responsibilities within the Employee Experience organization.
• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the future of employee experience at a global scale, influencing technology adoption and product strategy related to employee tools and platforms.
• Industry Recognition: Contribution to a leading Design System in the financial services industry can lead to industry recognition and speaking opportunities.
• Cross-functional Leadership: Potential to move into broader leadership roles in Product Management, UX Strategy, or even business-aligned roles leveraging deep product and user understanding.
• Mentorship and Development: Opportunity to mentor and develop a team of talented designers, fostering their growth and building a strong talent pipeline for the firm.

Work Environment

Office Type

The role is designated as "On-site," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. JPMorgan Chase typically offers well-equipped corporate offices.

Office Location(s)

Brooklyn, NY (4 Chase Metrotech Ctr). This location is a significant corporate hub for JPMorgan Chase, suggesting access to extensive resources, facilities, and a large employee base.

Workspace Context

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic workspace designed to foster collaboration among design, product,