Senior Product Designer and UX Researcher

Full-time - Senior

San Diego, CA

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities

About the position

The Sr. Product Designer and UX Researcher is a pivotal role that provides problem solving through collaboration, understanding personas, evaluating user and business needs and innovates on solutions though documentation such as user flows, gap analysis, user research, wireframes, mockups, and Figma prototyping. This position spearheads the experience of the company's proprietary end-to-end digital lending platform and its supporting processes.

Responsibilities

• Providing visionary leadership for the continuous improvement of user experiences across Guild's digital ecosystem
• Developing and implementing cutting-edge UX research methodologies
• Championing user-centric design principles throughout the organization
• Cultivating a culture of research-driven decision-making among product team leadership
• Balancing user needs with business objectives to create intuitive, efficient, and delightful digital experiences
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of UX insights into product development
• Conduct comprehensive user research, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to gather insights on customer behaviors, motivations, and preferences
• Synthesize research findings to propose data-driven product enhancements and innovations
• Coordinate and execute research projects to validate and refine product roadmaps and future specifications
• Translate business requirements and technical constraints into actionable design artifacts, including use cases, sitemaps, user flows, and customer journey maps
• Create high-fidelity wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes optimized for various devices and interfaces
• Utilize and contribute to Guild's design systems, proposing updates when gaps are identified
• Develop and implement a robust user experience program that integrates client knowledge, industry trends, and business objectives
• Champion a user-centered design approach, emphasizing rapid testing and iteration of designs and concepts
• Cultivate a deep understanding of mortgage business requirements and maintain expertise in client types, behaviors, and financial concerns
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with IT teams, business stakeholders, and product leadership
• Strengthen the research capabilities and UX knowledge of the Experience Design and Product teams
• Set and pursue SMART Goals, embracing calculated risks and advocating for research opportunities
• Stay abreast of UX industry trends and best practices in mortgage and financial services
• Implement and refine methodologies for measuring and improving user experience
• Adapt to evolving project needs and take on additional responsibilities

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree directly related to the position or equivalent, required such as degree in psychology, research, design or related discipline
• Minimum of 10 years' experience in UX research and design experience
• Minimum of 2 years supervisory or leadership experience in a cross-functional environment
• UX and UXR certifications are a plus
• Strong analytical skills to interpret user data, conduct market research, and translate insights into actionable design solutions that enhance product usability and user satisfaction
• Comprehensive research portfolio showcasing ability to drive impactful product changes
• Demonstrated experience with large-scale consumer-facing and internal web and mobile applications
• Track record of successful projects that significantly improved user experiences metrics
• Deep understanding of best practices in UX design and research within the financial services sector
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and compliance issues in digital product design
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required
• Highly detail oriented, strong ability to document intricate systems
• Outstanding organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Strong interpersonal and team building skills
• Self-starter with the demonstrated ability to learn/adapt to new technologies and techniques
• Highly organized and detail-oriented; ability to work in a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment required
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Word, Excel, Wiki, collaborative cloud-based programs, and third-party software applications required
• Commitment to company values

Nice-to-haves

• UX and UXR certifications are a plus

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• AD&D insurance
• LTD insurance
• 401(k) with employer match