UX Strategist

Ascensus; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascensus is seeking a senior UX leader to shape the long-term user experience vision for web, mobile, and AI experiences. You will use design thinking and collaborate across product, design, analytics, and technology to translate strategy into actionable UX direction for product teams.

This hybrid role in Philadelphia requires exceptional collaboration, a portfolio of complex UX work, and the ability to influence at senior levels while guiding teams toward user-centered, accessible solutions

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent in a creative or technical field; graduate degree preferred.
• 10–15 years of UX experience with large-scale clients.
• Portfolio demonstrating complex UX problem solving and thoughtful web/mobile experiences.
• Exceptional collaboration, creativity, empathy, and passion.
• Strong storytelling and data-driven design decisions.
• Proficiency in Design Thinking, Agile, and Lean methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Drive UX strategy and north-star experiences for complex program-level initiatives.
• Present experience vision and recommendations to leadership and senior stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Product, IT, and Analytics to translate opportunities into concrete outcomes.
• Partner with UX research for discovery, journey mapping, service design, and framing.
• Guide teams to prioritize user needs and accessibility.
• Evaluate emerging technologies to inform strategy.
• Lead design reviews and provide actionable feedback and quality oversight.
• Protect confidential data and uphold Ascensus core values.

Skills

Design thinking

Agile

Lean

Collaboration

Storytelling

Communication

AI enablement for UX

Figma

Education

Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

HTML/CSS

Job description

Ascensus is the leading independent technology and service platform powering savings plans across America, providing products and expertise that help nearly 16 million people save for a better today and tomorrow.

Section 1: Position Summary

Shape the long-term user experience vision for web, mobile, and AI experiences that help millions of people achieve their financial goals. Use design thinking techniques and foster strong collaboration across business, product, design, analytics, and technology to translate business strategy, client insights, and market trends into actionable UX direction for product teams. Solve complex, large-scale problems and create experiences our clients love and that drive results for the business. Lead the UX discipline and drive culture and process improvements. Use creative and technical problem-solving skills to guide UX strategy. This is a senior individual-contributor role with broad strategic influence.

*Hybrid to Philadelphia office*

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Drive UX strategy, principles, and north-star experiences for the most complex, program-level initiatives.
• Present experience vision, strategy, and recommendations to leadership and senior stakeholders to guide execution and decision making.
• Partner with leadership across Product, IT, and Analytics to deeply understand core business and user goals to identify new opportunities. Provide the vision and ensure the necessary alignment to translate those opportunities into concrete, outcome-focused solutions.
• Partner with UX research for discovery work, research synthesis, journey mapping, service design, and opportunity framing.
• Guide teams in prioritizing user needs, accessibility, and long-term experience value.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to inform strategy.
• Lead experience and design reviews, providing strategic direction, actionable feedback, and quality oversight for designers to ensure alignment to experience vision and standards.
• Extensive knowledge of the competitive landscape and of the Ascensus brand.
• Drive a user-centered design culture, innovation, and process improvements up, down, and across the organization.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across design, business, development, and analytics teams. Manage expectations within the team and with clients.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data to drive design decisions and ensure that solutions have the intended impact.
• Assist with other tasks and projects as assigned
• Responsible for protecting, securing, and proper handling of all confidential data held by Ascensus to ensure against unauthorized access, improper transmission, and/or unapproved disclosure of information that could result in harm to Ascensus or our clients.
• At Ascensus we are guided by our Core Values of People Matter, Quality First and Integrity Always.

Supervision

• Position will report to SVP, UX

Section 3: Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in a creative or technical field. Graduate degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 - 15 years of experience or equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Portfolio demonstrating extensive experience solving the most complex UX problems and designing thoughtful, innovative web and mobile experiences for large-scale clients.
• Exceptional collaboration skills. High degree of creativity, empathy, and passion.
• Stellar communication skills (storytelling, visualization, use of qualitative and quantitative data) to enlist support for initiatives and ignite enthusiasm to execute. Able to drive clarity on the largest and most difficult projects.
• Expert in Design Thinking, Agile, and Lean methodologies.
• Highly proficient in the use of design and prototyping software (Figma)
• Knowledgeable about AI enablement for UX
• Deep knowledge about web, mobile, and AI UX patterns, best practices, and emerging technologies. Understanding of HTML/CSS.
• Excellent organizational skills. Able to switch between tasks across projects.
• Able to give and receive feedback and interpret critique to enhance project outcomes.
• For virtual remote positions, we require an uninterrupted workspace during business hours and an internet work speed of 25 Mbps or better. If you are unsure of your internet speed before applying, please check with your service provider.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer