UX Operations Leader: Scale Design & Impact

Unum; Carlow; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Learning & development programs

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Unum is seeking a Director of UX Operations in Carlow to lead talent planning, DesignOps and workforce strategy across Design, Research, Product and Engineering.

You will oversee UX capacity, portfolio and program management, translate business priorities into roadmaps, manage dependencies, and establish scalable, pod-based delivery. This hybrid role shapes UX governance and partner with Finance, Procurement and Technology. The role offers continuous learning and development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience in UX or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience across UX operations, DesignOps, portfolio/program management or similar.
• Experience leading and developing teams, coaching and performance development.
• Experience managing multi-team portfolios across UX, Product and Engineering.
• Strong skills in workforce planning, resource allocation and executive reporting.
• Good understanding of Agile delivery, UX lifecycles, design systems and tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead UX Talent & Workforce Planning; coach and develop UX professionals.
• Develop workforce strategies balancing internal talent, external partners and demand.
• Oversee UX capacity, skills, utilization and staffing across value streams.
• Lead resource planning, pod formation and deployment; address gaps.
• Build an inclusive culture focused on customer outcomes and continuous improvement.
• Lead UX Portfolio & Program Management; oversee planning and delivery across initiatives and streams.
• Translate business priorities into roadmaps, milestones and measurable outcomes.
• Manage dependencies, risks and delivery challenges across UX, Product, Engineering.
• Evolve UX Operations; improve operating model, tooling and governance.
• Define standards for prioritization, reporting, governance and executive decisions.
• Provide portfolio reporting on progress, risks, capacity and investment decisions.
• Scale Research Operations; develop practices, repositories and knowledge sharing.
• Use AI and automation to improve efficiency and insights.
• Manage budgets, forecasts and external UX partners; oversee renewals.

Skills

UX operations

DesignOps

Portfolio management

Resource planning

Leadership

Agile delivery

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Design systems

ResearchOps tools

Job description

Unum is seeking a Director of UX Operations in Carlow to lead talent planning, DesignOps and workforce strategy across Design, Research, Product and Engineering.

You will oversee UX capacity, portfolio and program management, translate business priorities into roadmaps, manage dependencies, and establish scalable, pod-based delivery. This hybrid role shapes UX governance and partner with Finance, Procurement and Technology. The role offers continuous learning and development opportunities.