Lead UX Designer

Swoon; Newport News (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Swoon is seeking a Lead UX Designer/Strategist in Newport News, VA, hybrid, to establish a strategic UX direction and help build a scalable design system across web, mobile, and desktop products.

You will own product design end-to-end, lead discovery through high-fidelity artifacts, and mentor a design team while collaborating with product, engineering, creatives, and marketing to deliver accessible, compliant experiences in regulated banking environments.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of UX/Product Design experience.
• Experience building robust design systems across web, desktop, and mobile.
• Strong UI/UX skills and basic research.
• Experience leading team members (direct or indirect).
• Ability to present designs to stakeholders and justify design decisions.
• Expert in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, plus other design tools.
• Comfortable with Jira, Confluence, and remote collaboration tools.
• Strong knowledge of WCAG and ADA standards.
• Experience in regulated banking/financial services environments.

Responsibilities

• Own Product Design (UI/UX) across the entire omni channel experience.
• Lead design initiatives from discovery conversations through high-fidelity mockups.
• Support the design and development of a robust design system.
• Work with product managers, developers, creatives, marketers, and business stakeholders.
• Hands-on lead role; set direction and execute.

Skills

Design leadership

UX design

Prototyping

Information architecture

Stakeholder communication

Design systems

Remote collaboration

Accessibility

Regulated environments

Tools

Figma

Adobe Creative Suite

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Our client, one of the largest and most trusted credit unions in the country, is hiring a new position, Lead UX Designer/Strategist to join them as they build out a UX function and full design system. An exciting position to make large business impact and help establish their strategic UX direction!

Location: Newport News, VA (hybrid)

Day to Day:

• Own Product Design (UI/UX) across the entire omni channel experience
• Lead design initiatives from the first discovery conversation through high-fidelity mockups
• Support the design and development of a robust design system
• Work side by side with product managers, developers, creatives, marketers, and business stakeholders
• This is a hands‑on lead role, you'll set the direction and also execute

Requirements:

• 10+ years of UX/Product Design experience
• Prior experience building robust design systems which span web, desktop, and mobile apps
• Skilled within UI, UX, and basic research
• Experience leading team members (direct or indirect reports)
• Ability to confidently present designs to stakeholders; and justify design decisions
• Expert in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, plus other design and prototyping tools
• Comfortable with Jira, Confluence, and remote collaboration tools
• Strong knowledge of WCAG and ADA standards
• Experience in regulated environments i.e. banking, financial services, or insurance