Lead UX Designer

W. W. Grainger; Lake Forest (IL); Hybrid; USD 113,900 - 189,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

18 paid time off days annually

6% company contribution to 401(k)

Job summary

A leading distributor of maintenance products is seeking a Lead UX Designer to develop intuitive digital experiences for its customer- and employee-facing products. This role requires leading design initiatives, producing detailed interaction designs, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in UX design within Agile environments. The position allows for a hybrid work model with 2-3 days onsite in Lake Forest or Chicago.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience designing user experiences within an Agile product team.
• 1+ year experience designing B2B digital products preferred.
• Strong expertise in UX design principles including usability and accessibility.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of user-centered digital experiences for Grainger products.
• Create strategic artifacts like user journeys and service concepts.
• Produce detailed interaction designs such as user flows and prototypes.

Skills

Communication skills

UX design principles

Design systems

User testing

Education

Bachelor’s in Human-Centered Design or related field

Job description

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Location: LAKE FOREST, IL, US, 60045-5202 CHICAGO, IL, US, 60661-4555

Work Location Type: Hybrid

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award-winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High-Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. For more information, visit grainger.com.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $113,900.00 – $189,900.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 15% or more, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Overview

The Lead UX Designer is responsible for leading the design of intuitive, user-centered digital experiences for Grainger’s customer- and employee-facing products. This role applies advanced design thinking and UX practices to translate user, customer, and business needs into scalable digital solutions. The Lead User Experience Designer collaborates closely with product, engineering, and research teams to deliver high-quality interaction design and influence product strategy.

This is a hybrid position that is based onsite in Lake Forest or Chicago 2-3 days a week.

You Will

• Partner with Product Managers, Engineers, Data Scientists, and UX Researchers to design intuitive digital experiences for Grainger’s customer- and employee-facing products.
• Create strategic design artifacts including user journeys, service concepts, and experience frameworks to align stakeholders around future product experiences.
• Produce detailed interaction designs including user flows, annotated wireframes, and prototypes that guide product development.
• Contribute to and evolve the design system by aligning with existing UI patterns and introducing reusable components and interaction patterns.
• Lead multiple design initiatives of varying complexity with minimal direction while ensuring alignment with product strategy and business objectives.
• Evaluate existing experiences using user testing, research insights, and behavioral data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Communicate design decisions and rationale effectively to cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Mentor and collaborate with UX and UI designers to strengthen design quality and consistency across the organization.

You Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Human-Centered Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Product Design, or a related field, or equivalent experience required
• 5+ years of experience designing user experiences within an Agile product team required
• 1+ year experience designing B2B digital products or enterprise applications preferred
• Strong expertise in UX design principles including information architecture, usability, and accessibility.
• Experience working with and contributing to design systems and reusable UI patterns.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to articulate design rationale and influence stakeholders.
• Experience working in lean product development or continuous delivery environments.
• Portfolio demonstrating the ability to simplify complex problems and balance user, business, and technical needs.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.