User Experience Project Manager Job at Jobs via Dice in Chicago

Job Description The Digital User Experience team seeks a UX Program Manager to enhance Design Operations by leading initiatives that improve design throughput, consistency, quality, and transparency. Reporting to the Manager of Program Management, you will be responsible for implementing planning, tracking, and reporting mechanisms. You will collaborate with design teams to adopt design processes and guidelines and strengthen connections across product teams. Your role involves working with Design, Research, Product Management, and Engineering teams to establish scalable approaches that amplify design efforts. As a UX Program Manager, you will operate with a high degree of independence and ownership in areas where program strategy is still being defined. Your knowledge and experience in product, software, and user experience design will inform your decisions, and you have successfully established and managed various design‑related processes, resources, and programs that have yielded measurable results. You are adept at evolving, improving, and simplifying processes that scale across multiple teams and methodologies. You excel at driving clarity and alignment among partners and stakeholders, promoting operational excellence, process improvement, and team enablement across design functions, and collaborating with cross‑functional teams to streamline workflows and optimize work practices. Responsibilities Manage design operations, including intake processes and backlogs Work closely with design managers on prioritization, goal‑tracking, and resource planning Drive review cadences, status updates, and timely delivery across product development lifecycles Document and optimize frameworks, standard processes, and best practices for the design teams Establish predictable, repeatable processes that help Studio leaders and contributors prioritize, plan, and execute multiple parallel projects Foster cross‑org transparency by working closely with Design, Research, Product, and Engineering leaders to create, maintain and publish reporting and dashboards that share project information and illustrate progress against goals Work with the Manager of Program Management and cross‑functional leadership to identify and implement new programs to raise the customer‑experience bar for the entire Digital organization Facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration across UX portfolio teams Create seamless onboarding experiences and team‑wide standards for new hires Identify opportunities for training and support resources to enhance the team's capabilities Facilitate cross‑functional collaboration between design, business, and engineering teams Provide regular updates and communicate effectively with key stakeholders Escalate issues, anticipate trade‑offs, and balance business needs with customer experience constraints Preferred Qualifications Strong knowledge of project management tools and methodologies (Agile to Waterfall) Deep understanding and knowledge of human‑centered design process Experience managing UX programs and working with Design and Research Strong ability to effectively manage cross functional projects, dependencies and bottlenecks Experience escalating issues and anticipating and making hard trade‑offs between business and customer need Excellent written and verbal communication skills Ability to work effectively with tight deadlines in a fast‑paced environment High attention to detail and proven ability to manage multiple, competing priorities simultaneously with minimal supervision Strong sense of ownership, urgency, and drive Task Breakdown Lead design operations: intake, backlog management, and prioritization. Collaborate with design managers on goal‑tracking and resource planning. Drive review cadences and ensure timely delivery across product lifecycles. Document and optimize frameworks, processes, and best practices. Create and maintain dashboards and reporting tools for transparency. Facilitate onboarding, training, and knowledge sharing. Escalate issues and manage trade‑offs between business and user needs. Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level Employment Type Full‑time Job Function Information Technology Industries Software Development Job Type & Location Contract position based out of Chicago, IL. Pay and Benefits $55.00 - $65.00/hr Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long‑term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type Hybrid position in Chicago, IL. Application Deadline Anticipated to close Nov 28, 2025. Equal Opportunity Employer The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. Skills Project management, UX, Digital, Program management, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite #J-18808-Ljbffr