Director Design (UX/UI and Digital Products)

Company Description: Crown Equipment Corporation is one of the world’s largest material handling companies, with a reputation for award-winning product design, advanced engineering and technology, and superior after-sale service. Crown produces a broad range of forklifts, batteries, chargers, automation and fleet management technologies that are revolutionizing the material-handling industry. More than 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Crown forklifts. With over 19,000 employees, 24 manufacturing facilities, and 500 retail locations across 84 countries, Crown has a vast global presence. Crown’s global headquarters is in New Bremen, Ohio USA, with regional headquarters in Australia, China, Germany and Singapore. 

 

Job Responsibilities: Crown is looking for a Director of Software Design to oversee design and delivery for Crown’s suite of digital products. This is a strategic leadership role that handles complex global projects with a high degree of cross-functional collaboration. The incumbent requires a passion for user-centered design, a track record of scaling UX practices, a strong ability to collaborate cross-functionally and experience shaping product strategy. This position reports to the Vice President – Design.

 

Portfolio & Product Strategy

• Partner with cross-functional peers to achieve alignment and shape strategy and product direction for our suite of software products.
• Establish, communicate and maintain a compelling multi-year vision for our software suite that advances Crown business goals, including how the suite creates value in concert with other Crown offerings.
• Drive evidence-informed prioritization of new products, features, and feature enhancements, including cross-product area dependencies.
• Ensure design coherence across the Crown connected product and service ecosystem, with consideration for both physical and digital experiences.
• Oversee the roadmap for digital products Design System, ensuring appropriate alignment with display interfaces and on-product graphic communication.

 

Research & Design Execution

• Ensure Design project priorities are understood, resourced, and aligned to product strategy and prioritization; remove barriers to execution and escalate issues as needed.
• Oversee Design’s responsibilities across the Product Journey Process and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC); conduct design reviews, define and drive key milestones, and ensure process discipline and deliverable quality. 
• Define and track metrics on UX/UI team effectiveness and results.
• Monitor project and team budgets, address risks and concerns (ex: underutilization or over allocation).
• Collaborate with Design Research team and other Design Directors to ensure all projects have the necessary oversight and resourcing.
• Stay on top of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in UX Product Design.

 

Talent Management & Organizational Leadership 

• Steward a positive team culture, inspiring high employee engagement and developing a world-class team, while fostering a culture of collaboration and design excellence. 
• Set clear performance expectations and provide timely coaching and career guidance for Managers, Group Leaders, and Senior Designers; ensure that the full team is getting the right feedback and assignments to develop professionally.
• Create/revise job descriptions, conduct Talent Development discussion sessions, and complete annual wage reviews.

 

Location: This position is based in our New Bremen, Ohio USA global headquarters. 

 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (Design or related field) Non-degree considered if 12+ years of related experience along with a high school diploma or GED
• 8-15 years related experience at various levels of responsibility, including 5 years of project management and supervisory experience
• Ability to frequently travel with overnight stays (6-20%)
• Valid passport
• Reliable transportation to travel locally between company locations d