Human Centered Design/User Experience Lead & Salesforce Designer

Index Analytics, LLC, is a rapidly growing Baltimore-based small business providing health related consulting services to the federal government. At the center of our company culture is a commitment to instilling a dynamic and employee-friendly place to work. We place a priority on promoting a supportive and collegial team environment and enhancing staff’s experience through career development and educational opportunities.

The Human Centered Design/User Experience Lead and Salesforce Designer will be a core member of the Index Analytics HCD Team and work closely with program team members and leadership to define and drive a strategic UX Research and Design vision across programs, projects, and the organization. The ideal candidate is a strong strategic thinker who will champion and advocate for User Experience Design and Research best practices, using various, mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to drive HCD initiatives and deliver meaningful, actionable insights to team members and stakeholders. It is expected that the candidate is a self-starter, able to collaborate with Experience Design practice leaders and other program team members (visual designers, content strategists, engineers, etc.) while adopting a One-Team product mentality to deliver effective, efficient, and satisfying customer experiences.

Candidate should also have a strong understanding of UX for Salesforce, Lightning UI, and have experience communicating research, data, and requirements to architects and developers. Salesforce certifications are preferred, but not mandatory if candidates can demonstrate workable Salesforce knowledge.

RESPONSIBILITIES & CAPABILITIES

• Work closely with HCD Director and Index Leadership to drive comprehensive user experience strategy and vision for our products, ensuring consistency in quality and outcomes.
• Plan, develop and deploy a cohesive user research and test strategy consistent with established best practices and standards.
• Conduct all aspects of user research, from contextual inquiry and semi-structured interviews to moderated / unmoderated usability studies, heuristic evaluation and analysis, using insights to inform decisions and drive requirements and actionable product enhancements, achieving cohesion between user and business needs.
• Lead key discussions around research and design and drive the planning and execution of program HCD efforts from the perspectives of client stakeholders, product owners, team members, and users.
• Lead in research and design thinking services, strategies, and innovative methodologies for program and project initiatives.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to team members, ensuring cohesive, strategic execution of HCD program and project initiatives while establishing and advancing HCD / UX best practices.
• Leverage Design Systems and provide guidance and feedback to designers and engineers to ensure consistency and cohesion across our product portfolio.
• Define and monitor program and team members KPIs, provide regular reporting, and adjust strategies based on performance and results.
• Understand and implement Salesforce Service Cloud and Lightning UI design strategies, working closely with Salesforce Architects and Developers from research, ideation, and proof-of-concept to deployment.
• Create low and high-fidelity designs and prototypes that support and drive program criteria.
• Develop and maintain highly organized / structured repositories of wireframes, design mockups, prototypes, journey maps, service blueprints, design specifications, and other design documents as needed.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (including product managers, designers, engineers, and stakeholders) to define and implement innovative solutions for the product direction, visuals, and experience.
• Ensure decisions are data driven.
• Approach work with highl