Director of Service Portfolio, UX & Communications

UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group); United States; Remote; USD 159,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading HR technology firm in the United States is seeking a Director of Service Portfolio, UX & Communications to lead ESE's service strategy. This role involves championing human-centered design and orchestrating effective communication strategies. Candidates should have over 12 years of relevant experience and a Bachelor's degree. The pay range for this position is $159,900 to $229,800 annually.

Benefits

Wellness programs

Tuition reimbursement

Customizable expense reimbursement

Qualifications

• 12+ years of leadership in service portfolio management or strategic communications.
• Proven ability to design and manage complex service portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy and execution of ESE’s service portfolio.
• Champion human-centered design and elevate the user experience.
• Orchestrate communications that build trust and clarity across the organization.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Communication

Human-Centered Design

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA (preferred)

Job description

Company Overview

With 80,000 customers across 150 countries, UKG is the largest U.S.-based private software company in the world. And we’re only getting started. Ready to bring your bold ideas and collaborative mindset to an organization that still has so much more to build and achieve? Read on.

At UKG, you get more than just a job. You get to work with purpose. Our team of U Krewers are on a mission to inspire every organization to become a great place to work through our award-winning HR technology built for all.

Here, we know that you’re more than your work. That’s why our benefits help you thrive personally and professionally, from wellness programs and tuition reimbursement to U Choose — a customizable expense reimbursement program that can be used for more than 200+ needs that best suit you and your family, from student loan repayment, to childcare, to pet insurance. Our inclusive culture, active and engaged employee resource groups, and caring leaders value every voice and support you in doing the best work of your career. If you’re passionate about our purpose — people —then we can’t wait to support whatever gives you purpose. We’re united by purpose, inspired by you.

Director, Service Portfolio, UX & Communications – ESE (Enterprise Solutions & Experience)

We are seeking a Director of Service Portfolio, UX & Communications to lead the strategy and execution of ESE’s (CIO Org) service portfolio, ensuring every service is valuable, intuitive, and understood. This leader will also champion human-centered design, elevate the user experience, and orchestrate communications that build trust, clarity, and engagement across UKG. This role will report to the VP of IT Strategy & Transformation in the CIO org.

Key Responsibilities

• Service Portfolio Leadership
• • Define, manage, and continuously evolve the ESE service portfolio in alignment with CIO and enterprise strategy.
• • Establish governance, measurement, and prioritization frameworks to maximize impact and transparency across the portfolio.
• • Ensure services deliver clear business value, are easy to adopt, and reflect UKG’s people-first ethos.
• • Anticipate emerging needs and introduce innovative, scalable service models.
• Experience (UX) Strategy
• • Champion human-centered design across the ESE portfolio, embedding empathy, simplicity, and accessibility into every touchpoint.
• • Lead research, journey mapping, and service design to remove friction and enhance employee experiences.
• • Partner across IT, HR, and business units to design services that feel connected and intuitive.
• • Build, mentor, and inspire a UX team that drives measurable impact in adoption, satisfaction, and engagement.
• Communications & Engagement
• • Lead ESE’s communications strategy, ensuring services are clearly understood and consistently messaged across the enterprise.
• • Create compelling narratives that highlight service value, adoption, and impact.
• • Partner with Corporate Comms, Change Management and other functions to amplify ESE’s role in enabling UKG’s purpose and culture through its solutions.
• • Develop change communication strategies that bring employees along the journey and reinforce trust in IT.
• Leadership & Influence
• • Serve as a trusted advisor to the CIO and ESE leadership, providing thought leadership on portfolio investments, design, and storytelling.
• • Build strong partnerships across Product, Technology, Customer Experience, and HR.
• • Foster a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and continuous improvement, consistent with UKG values.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• 12+ years of progressive leadership in service portfolio management, UX, or strategic communications, ideally within global enterprises or technology-driven organizations.
• Proven ability to design and manage complex service portfolios that deliver measurable value and impact.
• Deep expertise in design thinking, service design, and employee journey transformation.
• Bachelor’s degree required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exceptional communication and storytelling skills with executive presence.
• Strong ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders across functions.
• Advanced degree (MBA) preferred.

Key Attributes

• People-First Leader – passionate about creating services and experiences that empower UKrewers.
• Connector – skilled at bridging technology, business, and experience.
• Simplifier – able to cut through complexity to design services that are intuitive and clear.
• Trusted Advisor – inspires confidence through clarity, collaboration, and outcomes.
• Innovator – future-focused and committed to evolving how ESE delivers enterprise experiences.

Where we’re going

UKG is on the cusp of something truly special. Worldwide, we already hold the #1 market share position for workforce management and the #2 position for human capital management. Tens of millions of frontline workers start and end their days with our software, with billions of shifts managed annually through UKG solutions today. Yet it’s our AI-powered product portfolio designed to support customers of all sizes, industries, and geographies that will propel us into an even brighter tomorrow!

Equal Opportunity Employer

UKG is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, disability, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

View The EEO Know Your Rights poster (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EEOC_KnowYourRights_screen_reader_10_20.pdf)

UKG participates in E-Verify. View the E-Verify posters here (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf) .

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Disability Accommodation in the Application and Interview Process

For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the application and interview process, please email [e-mail] .

The pay range for this position is $159,900 to $229,800, however, base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge and location. This position is also eligible for a short-term incentive and a long-term incentive as part of total compensation. Information about UKG’s comprehensive benefits can be reviewed on our careers site at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers/benefits

NOTICE ON HIRING SCAMS

UKG will never ask you for a copy of your driver’s license, social security card, or passport during a job interview. For new hires, we do not ask for payment for equipment purchase, cost for training, or to receive onboarding documents. UKG does not make job offers outside of our formal hiring process. To help protect yourself against potential hiring scams, learn more about our formal hiring process, outlined here (https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers/faqs) .

ABOUT OUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS

All job descriptions are written to accurately reflect the open job and include general work responsibilities. They do not present a comprehensive, detailed inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required for the job. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require that other or different tasks be performed if or when circumstances change.

It is the policy of Ultimate Software to promote and assure equal employment opportunity for all current and prospective Peeps without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, veteran status, and any other legally protected status entitled to protection under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. This policy governs all matters related to recruitment, advertising, and initial selection of employment. It shall also apply to all other aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, compensation, promotion, demotion, transfer, lay-offs, terminations, leave of absence, and training opportunities.