Director, Design Client Experience

Thrivent Financial; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 178,000 - 241,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401k

Paid time off

Job summary

Thrivent Financial is seeking a Director of Design Client Experience to drive strategic vision, grow talent, and elevate design across the organization. You will lead and mentor managers, cultivate new value creation, and align design practice with business goals.

This role emphasizes cross‑functional leadership with product and engineering, shaping user experiences, and delivering measurable outcomes through innovative design programs and strong stakeholder communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Interaction Design, UI/UX Design, Web Product Design, Web Development or related field
• 12+ years in a related field with 5–8 years in user experience, interaction design, product innovation and research in a product development team
• Proven experience in leading and mentoring design teams and recruiting top talent
• Strong leadership and strategic communication skills with an ability to connect vision to day‑to‑day practicality

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of designers, focusing on strategic vision, talent growth and execution excellence
• Shift to program level work and drive cross‑workstream practices
• Frame research initiatives and prioritize timing to inform strategic decisions
• Shape organizational culture and align with Thrivent’s values and leadership competencies

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Strategic thinking

Design leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in design

Job description

As the Director of Design Client Experience at Thrivent, you will be a dynamic leader focused on strategic vision, growing talent, and driving execution. You will lead and mentor a team of managers, focusing on new value creation, organization-wide leadership, and operational excellence. With your significant management experience and killer skills in design, you will drive the development of innovative practices that drive increased value and appreciation of design both internally and externally.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of essential job functions, but rather a general overview of the principal responsibilities. Lead and mentor a team of designers, focusing on strategic vision, talent growth, and execution excellence. Excel in one area of design, with strong proficiency in two others, and capability in two additional areas. Use design methods not just to solve execution problems but to identify new opportunities for value creation. Complete the shift to 'program' and work across multiple workstreams, driving the development of new practices that drive increased value and appreciation of design. Frame research initiatives and prioritize when to execute research to inform strategic decisions and identify new opportunities. Take an active role in company‑wide leadership initiatives, shaping entire user experiences. Use storytelling and persuasion to connect strategy and vision with day‑to‑day practicality, driving meetings and stakeholder communication effectively. Develop a holistic understanding of organizational context and line of business strategy. Appreciate broader organizational efforts around culture, work, and values, and articulate a compelling vision for the team. Create the team you need by defining problems with cross‑functional leads and managing managers. Coach managers toward strong people management practices and drive broader organizational efforts around culture, work, and values. Recruits, develops, and sustains a high‑performing team while promoting a culture of shared accountability, operational excellence, and partnership across the organization. Supports and/or develops an environment in which Thrivent employees and colleagues are focused on continuous improvement, exceptional employee engagement, and an unwavering commitment to our clients. Shapes and/or supports a culture that represents the Thrivent purpose, promise and values, ensuring that Thrivent’s trust and reputation remain strong with its clients. Models Thrivent’s leadership competencies – Model the Way, Rally the Team, and Deliver Outcomes.

Describe below the audience this role will interact with and level of influence they will have on those roles. Design Managers and Principal Designers (direct supervision and management) Cross‑functional Product and Engineering peers (collaboration) Cross‑functional organizational stakeholders (collaboration, presentations) Product, Design, and Engineering VPs and EVPs (presentations)

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

Required: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Interaction Design, UI/UX Design, Web Product Design, Web Development or any combination of education and experience which would provide an equivalent background 12+ years of experience in a related field, with 5-8 years of experience in user experience, interaction design, product innovation and research in a product development team required. Proven experience in leading and mentoring design teams, with significant management experience and the ability to recruit and hire top talent. Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire teams to achieve their goals. Ability to drive the development of innovative practices that drive increased value and appreciation of design with a strategic mindset. Strong strategic communication skills, with the ability to connect vision with day‑to‑day practicality. Holistic understanding of organizational context and line of business strategy, with the ability to articulate a compelling vision for the team. Experience in talent management; including experience in recruiting, hiring, and professional development. Experience in annual and ad hoc headcount planning for the organization and securing necessary budget. Preferred: Strategic design thinking and the ability to contribute to the overall design strategy of the organization. Knowledge and experience working in diversified financial services. Experience working within a product operating model at scale.

Pay Transparency

Thrivent’s long-term growth depends on attracting, rewarding, and retaining people who are committed to helping others thrive with purpose. We accomplish this by offering a wide variety of market competitive compensation programs to attract, reward, and retain top talent. The applicable salary or hourly wage range for this full-time role is $177,984.00 - $240,803.00 per year, which factors in various geographic regions. The base pay actually offered will be determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, location, relevant experience, skills, and knowledge, business needs, market demand, and other factors Thrivent deems important.

Benefits

Thrivent is unique in our commitment to helping people to be wise with money and live balanced and generous lives. That extends to our benefits. The following benefits may be offered: various bonuses (including, for example, annual or long‑term incentives); medical, dental, and vision insurance; health savings account; flexible spending account; 401k; pension; life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance; supplemental protection insurance; 20 days of Paid Time Off each year; Sick and Safe Time; 10 paid company holidays; Volunteer Time Off; paid parental leave; EAP; well‑being benefits, and other employee benefits. Eligibility for receipt of these benefits is subject to the applicable plan/policy documents. Thrivent’s plans/policies are subject to change at any time at Thrivent’s discretion.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants. Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let us know by sending an email to [e-mail] or call 800-847-4836 and request Human Resources.

#Remote

At Thrivent, we believe money is a tool, not a goal. Driven by a higher purpose at our core, we are committed to providing financial advice, investments, insurance, banking and generosity programs to help people make the most of all they’ve been given. At our heart, we are a membership‑owned fraternal organization, as well as a holistic financial services organization, dedicated to serving the unique needs of our customers. We focus on their goals and priorities, guiding them toward financial choices that will help them live the life they want today—and tomorrow. For over 100 years, Thrivent has been helping people build their financial futures and live more generous lives. Today, it’s a Fortune 500 company that offers a full range of expert financial solutions, serving more than 2 million customers, as well as the communities in which they live and work. Thrivent fosters a diverse workforce to serve our diverse clientele, reflecting a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. If you’re intrigued about our work and the possibility of becoming part of it, we invite you to visit Thrivent.com to learn more. You won’t just build a career; you’ll be part of an organization focused on growing, innovating, and serving.