Lead UX Designer

Job Description

Team: Ivans UX

Salary Range: $120,000-$175,000 USD

Location: Remote US and Canada

Opportunity for Impact

Ivans, a division of Applied Systems, is where insurance technology gets reinvented, and we build it fast. Our cloud software and AI-powered solutions reach thousands of agencies and brokers worldwide, setting the pace for what modern insurance can do.

We’re looking for a Lead UX Designer to join our UX team. This person will be designing complex, multi-step, high-volume workflows that insurance agents will use over and over. Success will result in removing time, friction, and errors. The Lead UX Designer will shape strategic direction for this major initiative, providing product vision and leadership to this critical initiative.

What You’ll Do

Planning and Process

• Defines UX strategies and frameworks for multi-team initiatives.
• Leads planning sessions to align scope, timeline, and success metrics across disciplines.
• Ensures UX activities connect seamlessly to product and business roadmaps.

UX Research

• Shapes research agendas and ensures insights and tangible success metrics drive cross-product decisions.
• Integrates data from multiple sources to inform strategic design direction.
• Guides research prioritization and alignment across teams or product lines.

Information Architecture

• Creates scalable IA frameworks and models that span multiple workflows and systems.
• Aligns content structures and naming conventions across teams for consistency.
• Validates navigation frameworks through iterative testing and stakeholder review.

Interaction Design

• Designs system-level interaction models that unify patterns across products.
• Leads development of design frameworks that support reusable experiences.
• Mentors peers in designing for scalability, accessibility, and maintainability.

Visual Design

• Defines visual direction for complex experiences and ensures system alignment.
• Shapes evolution of visual standards within the design system.
• Drives collaboration with engineering and marketing to maintain brand coherence.

Deploying

• Oversees design delivery and implementation planning across product teams.
• Defines and enforces standards for QA, design fidelity, and usability validation.
• Collaborates with engineering leads to improve handoff tools and processes.

Facilitation

• Facilitates high-impact design workshops and cross-disciplinary planning sessions.
• Navigates competing priorities and builds alignment through structured discussion.
• Mentors others in effective facilitation and decision-making practices.

Storytelling

• Delivers compelling design narratives that shape vision and inspire action.
• Translates design strategy into clear, audience-specific communication.
• Coaches teams in developing storytelling skills for stakeholder alignment.

Key Performance Outcomes

• Execution: Defines and delivers UX strategies that align product vision with user needs and business goals.
• Insights: Applies research & design leadership across complex initiatives, resulting in depth of user understanding and accurate prioritization of highest impact unknowns, and highest business value opportunities.
• Impact: Ensures design consistency across large product areas through system-level thinking and coaching. Raises UX quality through formal and informal mentorship, critique, and design guidance.

What We’re Looking For

• B2B complex interaction design experience, crafting multi-step, high-volume workflows.
• 7+ years of experience in UX/product design, with at least 2 years in a leadership or strategic role.
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Design, HCI, or a related discipline - or equivalent senior experience.
• Proven success leading large-scale design efforts with measurable business and user impact.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating design leadership across complex, shipped digital products.
• Deep experience with user research, design systems, and interaction models.
• Expert-level skills in design and collaboration tools (Figma, Miro, etc.).
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and leading in environments with shifting priorities.
• Mastery of UX design principles, systems thinking, interaction models, and product strategy alignment.
• Exceptional facilitation and communication skills; able to influence senior stakeholders and guide decision-making.
• Deep understanding of research methodologies and their strategic application.
• Ability to coach designers through complex problem spaces and grow team capability.
• Experience working across multiple product domains or platforms.
• Knowledge of technical constraints and development workflows; collaborates effectively with engineering.
• Experience working across multiple product domains and stakeholder groups.

Bonus points if you also have:

• Visionary thinking with the ability to drive long-term design impact while delivering in the short term.

Talent shows up in a lot of different ways, and we mean that. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experience levels, including military members and their spouses and those without a traditional degree or tech background. If this role speaks to you, apply.

Why You’ll Like Working on Team Applied

The best work happens when smart people move fast, together. For over 40+ years, Applied has built technology that solves real problems for insurance professionals - and we’re still pushing what’s possible.

You’ll be part of our people-first culture built on trust, inclusion, and growth - where you’re supported to deliver, collaborate with teammates who care, and grow with leaders invested in your success.

How We’ll Support You

We invest in the whole person, not just the role. Our benefits and resources are built to support your health, your time, and your life outside of work:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Holiday and Vacation Time
• Health & Wellness Days
• A Bonus Day for Your Birthday

Compensation Transparency

Our targeted starting base salary in the United States for this position considers a variety of factors, including depth and breadth of experience, skills and role scope. Depending on the role, team members may also be eligible for additional compensation plans (bonus and commission).

Your Security Matters:

Our candidates’ personal information and online safety are top of mind. Applied communicates with candidates only via a secure @appliedsystems.com email address or through our official careers portal. Recruiters will never request payments or ask for financial account or sensitive personal information like Social Security numbers.

AI Utilization

We leverage AI tools to streamline parts of our recruitment workflow (such as resume parsing and interview scheduling). However, final decisions are always conducted by real humans.

EEO Statement

Applied Systems is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Diversity and Inclusion is a business imperative and is a part of building our brand and reputation. At Applied, we don’t discriminate, and we are committed to recruit, develop, retain, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

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