What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Manager, User Experience Strategy, Design Systems position at Vanguard and Careers?
Responsibilities:
Design System Strategy & Ownership
Own and evolve the design system strategy and roadmap to support scalable, consistent experiences across web, iOS, and Android platforms.
Guide the creation, maintenance, and governance of reusable UI components, patterns, and documentation for both direct component libraries and shared libraries.
Ensure seamless integration of the design system into product and engineering workflows across platforms.
Enterprise-Wide Adoption & Advocacy
Champion the adoption of the design system across the enterprise by building strong relationships with product, design, and engineering teams.
Lead workshops, training sessions, and stakeholder engagements to drive awareness, alignment, and usage of the design system.
Act as a visible advocate for design consistency, accessibility, and usability across all digital experiences.
Cross-Platform UX Leadership
Ensure the design system supports responsive, accessible, and high-quality user experiences across web and native mobile applications.
Collaborate with platform-specific teams to ensure parity and cohesion in component behavior and visual language across devices.
Manage UX and design practitioners who work on the design system and coach contributors to the design system
Measurement & Optimization
Define and track KPIs to measure design system adoption, performance, and impact on product development efficiency and user experience quality.
Leverage tools such as Adobe Analytics, Astrograph and others to monitor usage and identify opportunities for improvement.
Gather qualitative and quantitative feedback to inform continuous enhancements.
Collaboration & Cross-Functional Leadership
Partner with product managers, engineers, designers, and accessibility experts to ensure the design system meets evolving business and user needs.
Facilitate cross-functional alignment and decision-making throughout the design system lifecycle—from ideation to implementation and iteration.
User-Centered Design & Accessibility
Embed user-centered design principles and accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA) into all aspects of the design system.
Conduct design reviews and usability testing to validate component effectiveness and ensure inclusive experiences.
Innovation & Continuous Improvement
Stay current with industry trends, tools, and technologies related to design systems, mobile and web UX, and accessibility.
Proactively identify gaps and opportunities to expand the design system’s capabilities and relevance across the enterprise.
Qualifications:
6–10 years of experience in UX/UI design and/or digital product management, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
Proven experience building and scaling design systems across web and mobile platforms (iOS and Android).
Strong knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA), usability principles, and front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
Experience with tools such as Figma, Storybook, and Adobe Analytics.
Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree preferred.
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.About Vanguard
At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.