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Associate Director of UX and Design

How to Apply

A cover letter and resume are important submissions for the hiring team to get a sense of your experience. In the cover letter, in two pages or less, please let us know how this role aligns with your career aspirations and skill set. Submit both a cover letter and resume as one file (because of system limitations).

What You'll Do

The Center for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan is seeking a qualified individual to lead user experience and design efforts across the university's Michigan Online learner platform, and the center's website, Online Teaching website, and online educational technologies. You will be responsible for leading a team of talented UX and multimedia designers, fostering a culture of user-centered design, and ensuring that our online experiences are intuitive, effective, and delightful for learners, educators, and partners. This role requires a blend of hands-on design responsibilities and effective leadership.

Who We Are

About the Center for Academic Innovation

Through curricular innovation, tools for student success and equity, and educational research and analytics, the University of MichiganCenter for Academic Innovation (https://ai.umich.edu/) is building the future of education. Our vision is a future in which education connects and empowers learners everywhere to reach their full potential throughout their lives. To realize our vision, we make it our mission to collaborate across campus and around the world to create equitable, lifelong educational opportunities for learners everywhere.

About the Marketing and Market Strategy Team

TheMarketing and Market Strategy (https://ai.umich.edu/who-are-we/our-team/#operations) team works with all the center's teams to help enhance the center's awareness and reputation, lead enrollments in online learning experiences, lead user experience and product design, and conduct market research.

For more information, please visit our website:Center for Academic Innovation (https://ai.umich.edu/)

Responsibilities*

User Experience Strategy

+ Define and champion the overall UX vision and strategy across all CAI digital touchpoints, including the Michigan Online website and learning platform, CAI and Online Teaching websites, and CAI educational technologies, aligning them with our goals and product roadmap.

+ Oversee and guide the execution of all phases of the UX design process, from user research and ideation to information architecture, interaction design, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, and implementation.

+ Propose user experience research agenda, site testing, and analytics and be an advocate for users within the team.

+ Stay ahead of user experience practice and design trends, adapting best practices from leading edtech and consumer platforms.

User Experience and Brand Design

+ Provide creative direction, strategy, and design contributions to design systems and interfaces within CAI's technology portfolio.

+ Define the visual identity of CAI's brands in partnership with team members, ensuring cohesive visual branding across websites, platform, course assets, marketing materials, and social channels.

+ Oversee the end-to-end UX/UI design process for Michigan Online course discovery, enrollment, learning progression, and certification, and other user and marketing goals as appropriate; take on key projects where necessary.

+ Ensure contemporary design patterns, libraries, and systems are developed and maintained across Michigan Online and CAI educational technologies to ensure consistency and scalability.

Accessibility and Inclusive Design

+ Ensure the designed solutions meet required WCAG and ADA accessibility standards, making digital content usable for all the center's learners and users.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

+ Work closely with software developers/engineers, marketing strategists, learning experience designers, and other colleagues to define product requirements, design features, and deliver seamless user experiences.

+ Collaborate with marketing colleagues to ensure that brand design and multimedia assets meet marketing goals.

Leadership and Team Management

+ Lead and mentor a team of UX designers and multimedia designers.

+ Manage team members workload; establish, share and monitor priorities; review their work for strategic alignment and quality.

+ Provide mentorship, identify and suggest relevant professional development opportunities, and adhere to CAI performance management processes.

+ Maintain a team work environment that is respectful and upholds U-M Workplace Values by setting clear expectations for behavior as well as leading team and individual conversations.

Required Qualifications*

+ Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), UX Design, Design, or a related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

+ 8+ years of progressively responsible, relevant work experience including 2+ years of supervisory experience.

+ Proficiency with design and prototyping tools, e.g., Figma.

+ Proficiency in html and css

+ Understanding of fundamental design principles, web and mobile design best practices, accessibility standards (WCAG), and responsive design principles.

+ A portfolio demonstrating exceptional UX design skills, strategic thinking, and a user-centered approach to problem-solving.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about thework modes (https://hr.umich.edu/working-u-m/my-employment/ways-we-work-resource-center/ways-we-work-implementation-group/modes-work) .

Must have legal authorization to work in the United States. The mode of work for this position is **Hybrid** . The work requirements for this position allow both onsite and offsite work and you will have an expected regular and recurring onsite presence. On occasion, you may be required and must be available to work onsite more frequently if necessitated by our center's policy and domain leadership or by your job requirements.

Additional Information

Salary Information

The general salary range for this position is $120,000 - $130,000. Candidates can expect to be paid a competitive and equitable salary. Factors used to determine salary include education level, experience, knowledge and skills for the position and internal equity within the unit. All candidates are encouraged to discuss salary questions to honor alignment and transparency throughout the recruiting process.

The salary for this position will be based upon the selected candidate's education and experience.

Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

Excellent benefits are available, for details, seehttp://benefits.umich.edu/ (https://hr.umich.edu/benefits-wellness)

Organizational Statement on Harassment

We believe all individuals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and a safe space for collaboration. Any concerns shared with Individuals with Reporting Obligations in the Center for Academic Innovation will be reported to the Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office to be reviewed and addressed, and the Center for Academic Innovation encourages reporting of any forms of harassment including sexual and gender-based harassment.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

Decision Making Process

Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Job Detail

Job Opening ID

266698

Working Title

Associate Director of UX and Design

Job Title

User Interface Design Eng Lead

Work Location

Ann Arbor Campus

Ann Arbor, MI

Modes of Work

Hybrid

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

FLSA Status

Exempt

Organizational Group

Vp Acad Innovation

Department

Center for Academic Innovation

Posting Begin/End Date

7/28/2025 - 8/27/2025

Salary

$120,000.00 - $130,000.00

Career Interest

Information Technology