Senior UX Architect

VML South Africa; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading creative consultancy in Dubai is seeking a Senior UX Architect to lead user experience strategy and research for enterprise-level clients. This role emphasizes defining experiences rather than visual design, requiring 7+ years of agency-side experience. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to shape impactful experiences across multiple channels and touchpoints. The position offers the opportunity to work on high-profile projects seen by millions while mentoring other UX professionals.

Benefits

Skills progression frameworks

Opportunities for growth and mentorship

Hybrid work environment

Qualifications

• 7+ years of agency-side experience working with enterprise-level clients.
• A portfolio demonstrating research, strategy, and definition work.
• Proven experience leading large-scale, complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the research, strategy, and definition phases of projects.
• Plan and facilitate workshops with clients and internal teams.
• Conduct and oversee user research using various methods.

Skills

UX methodologies

Agency-side experience

User research

Information architecture

Workshop facilitation

Job description

At VML, we are a beacon of innovation and growth in an ever-evolving world. Our heritage is built upon a century of combined expertise, where creativity meets technology, and diverse perspectives ignite inspiration. With the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, we have forged a new path as a growth partner that is part creative agency, part consultancy, and part technology powerhouse.

Our global family now encompasses over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices in 64 markets, each contributing to a culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences. Our expertise spans the entire customer journey, offering deep insights in communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production, and technology. We deliver end-to-end solutions that result in revolutionary work.

We’re looking for astrategicSenior UX Architectto join our growing Customer Experience team. This is a role for someone who thrives onsolving complex problems for enterprise-level clientsand shaping experiences that span multiple channels, touchpoints, and audiences.

You’ll spend your timedefining, not decorating, leading research, mapping journeys, structuring information, and framing the strategic direction for experiences that have real-world impact. You’ll collaborate closely with a multi-disciplinary team of designers, developers, analysts, copywriters, and project managers, but your focus will be onunderstanding users, aligning stakeholders, and setting the blueprint for exceptional experiences.

Part of your time will be dedicated to ahigh-profile, globally significant project, the kind of opportunity that comes along rarely, where you’ll help shape experiences that will be seen and used by millions. Alongside this, you’ll work across a variety of other client engagements, so adaptability and the ability to juggle multiple priorities are essential.

This isnota visual design role, we have an exceptional design team already. Instead, we’re looking for someone who canlead the thinking, inspire others, and bring a depth of UX expertise that will elevate the whole team.

What You’ll Do

• Lead theresearch, strategy, and definitionphases of projects, from discovery through to experience architecture.
• Plan and facilitateworkshopswith clients and internal teams to uncover insights, align on goals, and define experience strategies.
• Conduct and overseeuser researchusing a range of qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Createjourney maps, service blueprints, IA diagrams, wireframes, and flowsthat clearly communicate experience intent.
• Collaborate with visual designers, developers, and other specialists to ensure strategic intent is carried through to delivery.
• Work onmulti-channel and omnichannel experiences, ensuring consistency and cohesion across touchpoints.
• Mentor and support other UX team members, sharing your expertise and helping to grow their skills.
• Manage your time effectively across multiple concurrent projects.

You will have

• 7+ years of agency-side experienceworking with enterprise-level clients.
• A portfolio that demonstratesresearch, strategy, and definition work, not UI design, including sketches, experience maps, and wireframes.
• Proven experienceleading large-scale, complex projectsin a collaborative environment.
• Strong knowledge ofUX methodologiesand the ability to apply them appropriately to different contexts.
• A solid understanding of the true discipline of Information Architecture, structuring and organising information and content - not just navigation design.
• Experienceplanning and facilitating workshopswith senior stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience with a wide range ofuser research methods.
• A track record ofmentoring and developing other UX professionals.
• The ability tobalance detail-oriented problem solving with big-picture strategic thinking.
• It would also be a bonus if you:
• have experience researching and mapping omnichannel experiences
• have any experience with conversion rate optimisation projects
• have any comprehension of cognitive science or behavioural economics

About the Team

You’ll be joining a20-strong CX departmentspread across three countries, made up of visual designers (UI specialists, branding experts, motion designers), researchers, and architects. We’re a collaborative, supportive group who share knowledge freely and are committed toprogression, both individually and as a team.

We have clearskills progression frameworksand agency-wide initiatives to help you grow, and we’ll give you the space and support to make abig impact on our clients, on our work, and on the team around you.

Why This Role is Different

Most UX roles in agencies today ask for hybrids who can do strategyandvisual design. This isn’t one of them. We valuedeep expertise in UX strategy, research, and definitionand we’re looking for someone who wants to focus on those areas and become a leader in them.

If you want to work onhigh-profile, globally significant projects, influence the direction of experiences seen by millions, and help shape the future of a talented, multi-disciplinary team we’d love to hear from you.

#LI-EMEA

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.

When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through ourRecruitment Privacy Policy . California residents should read ourCalifornia Recruitment Privacy Notice . This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.

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When you click "Submit Application", this will send any information you add below to VML. Before you do this, we think it's a good idea to read through our Recruitment Privacy Policy . California residents should read our California Recruitment Privacy Notice . This explains what we do with your personal data when you apply for a role with us, and, how you can update the information you have provided us with or how to remove it.