[Sigia-l] Job: Open Director of User Experience, Ann Arbor MI

[Laura Hunter]

My client in Ann Arbor, MI is the leader in online retail with 20 of the top
100 retail sites and is saying goodbye to their beloved Director of User
Experience due to relocation.  Therefore, an exciting opportunity has opened
up in Ann Arbor for someone with 7 plus years of I/A-UX online experience. 
Previous management level and budgetary responsibilities with experience of
2-5 years leadership skills are critical to this position.  You will oversee
4 locations across the US as well as function in a highly client facing
role.  If championing User Experience, leading a team where excellence is
acknowledged and rewarded, and putting all your years of UX experience to
work sounds appealing, then please read on.

Ann Arbor is a wonderful collage town with excellent restaurants, fantastic
cost of living, wonderfully diverse culture and a sweet "sit on the front
porch, talk to your neighbors and share sun tea" style of living.  If you're
ready to leave the intense traffic, stress and pressure of city life behind,
this may just be your opportunity of a life time!

Come lead a diverse team of talented IA's in an environment where everyone
knows how to work well and play nicely...together!

The position is capped at 100,000 annually with excellent benefits and
great bonuses!   My client is 11 years old with corporate head quarters in
Ann Arbor MI where this position would be located.  Relocation assistance is
available!

Position Title: User Experience Group Director
Department: User Experience Group
Reports to: Managing Director, Ann Arbor

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
This position has two key areas of responsibility:
••Manages Information Architects and Senior Information Architects in the
Ann Arbor, Michigan office as well as Managers, User Experience Group and
Manager, Reporting and Analytics across all 4 office locations
••Participates in sales and project-based work

Management Role
••Sets goals and overall direction pertaining to new methodologies,
staffing, and utilization for the entire User Experience Group, which
includes User Experience and Reporting & Analytics roles 
••Leads User Experience Group recruitment process and hiring decisions in
all 4 office locations 
••Develops and maintains all User Experience Group job descriptions 
••Delivers orientation training, conducts weekly check-in meetings, and
serves as advocate for Information Architects and Senior Information
Architects in the Ann Arbor, Michigan office as well as Managers, User
Experience Group and Manager, Reporting and Analytics across all 4 office
locations 
••Helps facilitate goals, conducts performance reviews, and manages
performance of in the Ann Arbor, Michigan office as well as Managers, User
Experience Group and Manager, Reporting and Analytics across all 4 office
locations 
••Pays attention to what motivates others and encourages them to act 
••Leads recommendation for approval of department promotions 
••Ensures essential departmental training takes place to improve skill level
within the group 
••Provides pro-active suggestions to Executive Staff to advance the
department and the company to the next level 
••Assists Program Managers and Managing Directors in resource management and
assignments 
••Monitors direct report utilization; reports status and staffing needs to
Executive Staff 
••Provides conflict resolution with regard to User Experience Group issues
internally or with clients ••Participates in and leads on-going special
projects such as innovation teams, process development, white paper
development, up-to-speeds, etc.
••Helps Manager, Reporting and Analytics negotiate and finalize contracts
with reporting partners

Sales and Project-Based Role
••Participates in and reviews User Experience Group sales efforts 
••Authors various strategy documents, analyses, user interface and
functional specifications, and user guides ••Works with clients to
understand their business models and goals and leads defining business
requirements, content, and features 
••Participates in and/or leads consulting engagements 
••Leads User Experience Group-portions of projects – from brainstorming and
conception to architecting and training 
••Conducts multiple methods of primary and secondary research including
interviews with key stakeholders, observation, surveys, market research, Web
analytics, etc.
••Analyzes customer segments and their information and functional needs in
order to create personas ••Researches and analyzes industry trends and
competitive information 
••Collaborates with project teams to define strategy, site architecture and
navigation, map out user flow and experience, and define high-level
interaction ••Participates in client training 
••Conducts ongoing usability testing and assessment 
••Defines metrics for assessing success 
••Acts as customer advocate 
••Serves with Manager, Reporting and Analytics as Account Manager for
various reporting and Web analytics engagements

REQUIREMENTS
••Minimum 7+ years directly related information design and strategy
experience 
••Degree work in human factors, HCI, information design, industrial design,
or related area strongly preferred ••5+ years of experience in a managerial
role 
••Excellent people leadership, creative, and analytical skills 
••Ability to work with design team in a collaborative, dynamic environment 
••Strong knowledge of site design and usability principles, issues, and
techniques 
••Previous experience designing complex Web sites 
••Ability to analyze customer needs and define strategies for meeting them 
••Ability to organize large bodies of information 
••Professional customer-relation skills and commitment to customer service 
••Excellent written (i.e., writing, editing, and proofing) and oral
communication skills 
••Excellent skills with VISIO and MS Office suite 
••Strong client education skills 
••Executive-level presentation skills 
••Team-building skills 
••Excellent working relationships with people in a wide variety of
functional areas 
••Regular travel to Fry office locations as well as prospective and existing
client sites

ATTRIBUTES
••Collaborative
••Committed to fostering teacher-learner-teacher environment 
••Excellent listener 
••Appreciative and acknowledging of others 
••Accountable for own actions 
••Strong problem-solving skills and detail-oriented to the core 
••Positive and constructive 
••Sense of humor

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please submit a resume and
examples of work to laura.hunter at vividresources.com and feel free to call or
email with any questions.

Thank you,
Laura
Laura Hunter
Vivid Resources
office-559-684-1070
cell-559-303-9018
fax-559-684-0820
laura.hunter at vividresources.com
www.vividresources.com