Director Design

Alaska Air Group; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 182,300 - 291,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free stand-by travel privileges

Travel credits

Well-being programs

401k match

Bonus plans

Job summary

Alaska Airlines seeks a Director of Design to set the long-term strategy and oversee the guest digital experience. As a Creative Director, you will establish the strategic vision for the design practice and partner with product management and technology to deliver remarkable user experiences.

You will lead design teams of product designers, UX researchers, and writers, champion human-centric design, and drive business outcomes with an iterative, data-informed approach.

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience designing user experiences for digital retail.
• 5 years of leadership with at least 3 years leading people.
• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of training/experience.
• Experience defining design processes in an agile environment.
• Authorized to work in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Establish the design practice strategic direction for a multidisciplinary team.
• Set long-term experience design strategy across guest-facing digital products.
• Oversee rapid development of site maps, user flows, journeys, wireframes, mocks.
• Collaborate with product management and technology to deliver UX excellence.
• Develop talent through performance management and feedback.

Skills

UX design

Leadership

Agile concepts

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Team development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Equivalent training/experience

High school diploma

Job description

Role Summary

The Director of Design sets the long-term strategy and oversees the performance of the guest digital experience at Alaska Airlines. As a Creative Director, this role establishes the strategic vision and experience goals for the design practice, and partners closely with counterparts in product management and technology to deliver remarkable user experiences.

Key Duties

• Establish the design practice strategic direction for our team of product designers, UX/UI designers, researchers and UX writers.
• Set the visionary, long‑term experience design strategy across Alaska's guest‑facing digital products.
• Stays abreast of best‑in‑class retail trends, experiential travel trends, ai‑enabled experiences, voice‑interaction experiences, location‑based services and future of communities.
• Owns the entire design approach, methodology and best practices for experience design, overseeing the rapid development of site maps, user flows, customer journey maps, wireframes, mocks and final designs.
• Deploys best practices and an iterative design process for team to design for the full life cycle, from early strategy to requirement refinement to high‑fidelity prototypes.
• Uses a design approach informed by real‑time data, UX research, web analytics, and A/B testing.
• Champions human‑centric design, accessibility, and best‑in‑class digital retail experiences throughout the product development process.
• Applies modern retailing business acumen alongside design expertise to optimize user experiences while driving business outcomes, with a bias toward action.
• Cultivates close partnership with technology counterparts to understand and incorporate technical considerations in design efforts.
• Collaborates with commercial leaders & product management to influence product strategy and road map.
• Develops people through effective performance management and ongoing feedback, focusing on fostering strategic and systems thinking, development of talent, and succession planning across teams and disciplines.
• Shape a culture of innovation across the team through action, presence, and leadership.

Qualifications

• 8 years of experience designing user experiences and interaction design for digital retail businesses.
• 5 years of leadership experience, with at least 3 of those years directly leading people.
• Bachelor’s degree, or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree.
• Demonstrated history of defining a design process in an agile development environment.
• Fluent in agile product development concepts from the UX perspective.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum age of 18.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Experience in building trusted relationships across a large, matrixed organization to promote design goals.
• Experience shaping creative culture and building momentum in a design practice.
• Experience writing creative briefs and managing external design and strategic partners.

Leadership Expectations

Embedded in role: embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be kind‑hearted, deliver performance, and be remarkable. Proactive leader with a demonstrated ability to oversee a portfolio of complex and transformative information technology projects. Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change cross‑divisionally for mutually beneficial strategic and operational impact. High energy, positive, and executive‑level presence, along with top‑notch written and verbal communication, public speaking, influencing, and motivational skills.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $182,300 - $291,700 per year
Total Target Compensation: $228,390.00 - $375,810.00

Salary Details: The pay range and total target compensation package listed above is the expected pay offered for this position at the start of employment. Your pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, your relevant experience/level, experience level, and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Horizon employees. Alaska/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate. Note: We don't typically hire at the top of the range.

Total Rewards: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.
- Free stand‑by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines & Horizon Air with high priority status
- Select number of confirmed travel credits provided annually
- Comprehensive well‑being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
- Generous 401k match program
- Quarterly and annual bonus plans