Digital User Experience Design Manager

What makes the Connecticut Digital Service a GREAT fit for you? Our Mission. The State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is embarking upon a Digital Transformation journey to uplift the lives and well-being of our citizens, businesses and employees. Our goal is to improve access to our valuable programs and services in a way that makes it easier to interact with government. When you join the Connecticut Digital Service, you’ll be part of a team who will create delightful experiences that are easy, simple and personalized for everyone. If you like working with a curious, supportive, high-performing team who solves complex problems then the State of Connecticut is the place for you.

The Connecticut Digital Service is looking to hire one (1) durational Digital User Experience Design Manager. The Digital User Experience Design Manager will be part of a cross-functional leadership team focused on improving the digital service offerings of the State of Connecticut. The Digital User Experience Design Manager will lead end-to-end research planning and execution using modern practices and tools to arrive at key insights and solutions that can be iteratively developed by the team and tested with users.

The Digital User Experience Design Manager must be a strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, able to solve complex problems while successfully managing ambiguity and unexpected change. The Digital User Experience Design Manager must be teachable and embracing of best practices and feedback as a means of continuous improvement and the candidate selected to fill this role must be a consistently high achiever, marked by perseverance, humility and a positive outlook in the face of challenges.

This position with Connecticut Digital Service offers a flexible work agreement lasting for up to 3 years, a collaborative work environment, encouragement to be innovative and challenge the status quo as well as a generous benefits package.

If you are a motivated, high-performer, with demonstrated ability to influence and lead others and Connecticut Digital Service sounds like something you would love to be a part of; we encourage you to apply for this exciting role.

All applicants must include a resume within the "Resume Tab" of their application.

Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position. State employees currently holding the above title or those who have previously attained permanent status in this class may apply for a lateral transfer.

Questions about these required documents or any other phase of this recruitment should be directed to the hiring agency's human resources office: Theresa Judge at Theresa.judge@ct.gov.  

In a state agency makes or conducts a special inquiry, investigation, examination or installation pursuant to Section 5-198(n) of the Connecticut General Statutes.

This position will manage the end-to-end human-centered design and research process and is responsible for:

• Develops and executes design and research plans to enable ongoing delivery towards our overall vision
  
• Works with stakeholders to define the problem
  
• Conducts discovery sprints, user research and data analysis to define and prioritize problems
  
• Uses both human-centered and data-driven research methodologies to generate insights and key learnings
  
• Defines user requirements and experience goals using such tools as personas, storyboards, scenarios, and flowcharts
  
• Sets up and facilitates user research sessions to assess the usability of designs or live code
  
• Delivers accessible solutions that meet the needs of real people
  
• Communicates research findings, design rationale, and goals both verbally and visually
  Creates visual aids to gain feedback from users and enable development of solutions
  
• Advances our understanding of the problem and potential solutions by developing wireframes, mockups, prototypes, user stories, and other guides that are tested with users and shared with stakeholders
  
• Designs and specifies user interfaces and information architecture, reusing design patterns and global design standards where relevant
  
• Prototypes designs at varying levels of fidelity using static mocks, click-through prototypes, basic CSS and HTML
  
• Partners closely with engineers, product managers, and other team members to translate wireframes and prototypes into iteratively developed products that meet the needs of our users
  
• Pilots and prepares for scaling successful solutions in coordination with the cross-functional delivery team

Collaborates with colleagues and navigates complex situations to deliver meaningful, impactful results for users, stakeholders, and teammates

• Solves complex problems through the use of human-centered design, open-source development and innovation, data-driven decision making, and agile development practices
  
• Serves as a coach and catalyst for leveraging modern data-driven and human-centered design practices across the team and the State in the areas of design research, interaction design, service design, visual design, and information architecture
  
• Collaborates with stakeholders in domains beyond technology such as legal, policy, and administrative roles
  
• Acknowledges and overcomes constraints as they arise
  
• Succeeds in a highly ambiguous environment with little definition or structure
  
• Enables the long-term success of our partners throughout the State
  
• Promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among all colleagues
  

Contributes to the overall development and success of the Connecticut Digital Service

• Mentors, coaches, and motivates teammates to develop skills and behaviors to enhance performance
  
• Maintains strong domain expertise in their own technical role while jumping into other roles as needed
  
• Performs other duties and special projects
  

• Experience leading user experience design and research to iteratively develop digital products or services within large or complex environments as part of a cross-functional team. This experience should include the following: 
  • Leading teams of designers or leading design processes within complex organizations or highly regulated environments
  • Conducting usability tests
  • Using agile, lean or other iterative product development approaches
  • Creating wireframes, prototypes, or other early tested concepts
  • Teaching, coaching, or mentoring non-designers how to use user-centered design methodologies
• Experience conducting user or human centered research in the development of digital products or services.  This experience should include the following:
  • Developing user research plans, interview protocols or question guides
  • Conducting user interviews
  • Conducting contextual inquiry or observational research
  • Conducting qualitative research
  • Conducting participatory design workshops
• Proficient in  the use of modern design and delivery tools and services and the ability to adopt new solutions
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing; and foster communications with all colleagues
• Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively and diplomatically with all levels of government staff
• Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment

Four (4) years of experience in User Experience Design.

A Bachelor’s degree in the computer sciences may be substituted for the General Experience.

The successful candidate will possess:

• 5 years customer experience;
  
• 5 years of experience utilizing web content best practices;
  
• 5 years of experience with user design disciplines;
  
• 3 years of experience in digital product development;
  
• 3 years of experience in digital product delivery.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.