Principal User Experience (UX) Designer

About the position

Here at Discount Tire, we celebrate the spirit of our people with extraordinary pride and enthusiasm. Our business has been growing for more than 60 years and now is the best time in our history to join us. We are opening more locations every year and we are always looking for qualified individuals to join us in our growth. We are a company that promotes from within, both in our retail and corporate operations. The Principal User Experience (UX) Designer shapes the vision of the Company's digital applications (Web, POS, etc.) that solve user issues and address business goals with the focus on simplicity, ease of use and overall user experience. Envisions, prototypes and validates new product ideas using Lean Startup and Design Thinking principles. Requires a thorough understanding of how visual and interactive design work together to create a superior product.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the design, and implementation of experiences and features, across multiple phases of a digital customer experience.
• Work closely with and across teams of developers, product managers, strategists and fellow creatives to deliver exceptional solutions to UX design problems.
• Produce high quality user experience designs through hybrid wireframe and visual designs, flow diagrams, storyboards, sitemaps, and prototypes.
• Partner with internal brand design teams on the creation of new storytelling experiences.
• Collaborate with team members on user research, customer testing, and iterative feedback loops.
• Rapidly iterate on design prototypes and working applications.
• Actively partner with business partners in Brand and Marketing to create consumer and brand-defining experiences that support customer experience and brand differentiation goals.
• Work cross-functionally with Content Strategy, SEO, Brand Awareness, Analytics, Experience Optimization, Product Marketing and Development teams to enhance existing and bring new digital commerce experience to the market.
• Help to define, evolve, disseminate, and audit Discount Tire digital design standards and best practices to other teams and throughout the organization.
• Lead presentations for new or existing work to stakeholders, including management and executive staff.
• Heuristic assessment of digital experiences.
• Competitive landscape audits and benchmarking studies.
• Articulation of project objectives and creative deliverables.
• Planning and conducting stakeholder interviews.
• Planning and conducting customer research - studies, interviews, panels, surveys, etc.
• Evaluation and guidance of ongoing UX design sprints.
• Creation of use case scenarios and user/product journey maps and flows.
• Validation of feature sets and functionality against business and user needs.
• Interprets analytics to identify user behavior with the goal to make recommendations for improved user experience.
• Partner with product owners on product vision, strategy and definition.
• Drive an innovation agenda; push to move at the speed of the consumer, meeting our customer where they are and where they are headed by defining distinctive Discount Tire experiences on new and emerging digital platforms.
• Prioritize the customer's needs and interests at all times and drive the same orientation throughout the team.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on user experience and design thinking for constructing the approach to and interpreting the results of A/B and multivariate test scenarios.
• Define, operationalize and lead the best practice process adoption for including regular customer research, competitive analysis, testing, and adaptive design into the work of the UX team.
• Mentors all levels of UX designers (I, II, & Sr.) as well as educates other members of the organization in the principles of design.
• Ability to make prioritization decisions in the best interest of the user and the organization.
• Serves as a Subject Matter Expert for developer partners.
• Conducts usability and prototype studies through the use of multi-variant testing to inform design decisions.
• Solicits ideas, information and material from corporate and regional stakeholders in order to develop prototypes and strategies to reach targeted audiences.
• Develops strategies to increase engagement and interaction.
• Stays current on the latest industry technologies, trends and strategies.
• Assists employees, vendors or other customers by answering questions related to application development processes, procedures and services.
• Completes work in a timely and accurate manner while providing exceptional customer service.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• This position requires a minimum of eight years of experience creating user-centered designs for ecommerce and retail products.
• A portfolio of work showcasing how content, design and interface work together to create a great user experience.
• Experience with web-based usability testing tools.
• Extensive background leading collaboration sessions with various types of experts and those with differing levels of experience with UX working methodologies.
• Outstanding team player and positive attitude.
• Works well in collaboration environments and can professionally and productively give and receive feedback.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Preferred experience with content management systems.
• Passion for identifying customer needs and mapping experience solutions to technological evolutions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including meeting facilitation and making persuasive presentations to senior leadership.
• Detail orientation and intrinsic passion toward success and high quality delivery.
• Logical reasoning, troubleshooting and creative problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and process excellence.
• Expert knowledge of design tools and best practices.
• Proven experience conducting qualitative user research and usability testing is necessary.
• Proven organizational, strategic problem-solving and decision-making skills in the field of design are vital.
• Proficiency with Microsoft office, including skills with Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint is necessary.
• Ability to extract ideas from key stakeholders, listen to new ideas and move the team along toward business objectives is vital.
• A Can-Do attitude and the ability to adjust to changing requirements are essential.
• Maintaining confidentiality, treating others with respect, and upholding Company values are key attributes.