AARP seeks a Sr. Experience Designer to define, drive, and support key AARP Experience Design initiatives and projects. As a Senior Designer, this person will be expected to design, develop and execute human-centered solutions through design research and experiments to the end of enhancing AARP’s relationship with our members and other audiences. Experience in human-centered design/design thinking and lean startup innovation is a must, including design sprints, assumption/hypothesis mapping, experiment design & execution, prototyping, leading consumer interviews, documenting key learnings, and facilitating internal workshops.
Additionally, the Senior Designer will be relied on for thought leadership in the space of Customer Experience and be asked to lead enterprise-wide socializing, influencing and implementing of customer experience best practices (e. g. Journey Mapping, Customer Insights and Validation, Ideation, and storytelling),
Must possess an unrelenting focus on and passion for the consumer, and effectively manage concurrent quick-turnaround experiments and transformational initiatives, across projects and stakeholders. Requires working in close collaboration with internal stakeholders and agency partners focused on customer experience, design research, experiment design, execution and communication, and modeling a consumer-centric mindset.
- Lead large, cross-functional projects strategically and independently through thought leadership on project framing and outputs, high-quality deliverables, and clear and concise communication to relevant stakeholders at the right times.
- Leverage human-centered design/design thinking and lean startup innovation, including design sprints, assumption/hypothesis mapping, experiment design/execution, learnings documentation, journey mapping, experience scans, ideation sessions, co-creation, and experiments/tests (in-person & digitally.) Model creativity and flexibility and be willing to try, fail and adapt in a quick cycle.
- Support and lead consumer interviews and internal team workshops.
- Define meaningful success metrics for experiment outcomes and new solutions more broadly.
- Produce elegant, concise socialization materials to communicate work product effectively to senior leadership and beyond.
- Manage concurrent quick-turnaround experiments and transformative initiatives, across projects and stakeholders.
- Champion customer/member-centric design thinking approach across organization, gaining buy-in from colleagues, and sharing successful CX stories across the organization.
- Provide consultative CX services, when necessary, to projects outside of AARPx, acting as a key stakeholder in the development of new products, tactics, and programs across AARP.
- Manage internal stakeholders, external stakeholders and agencies/freelancers relationships, as well as vendor contracts, work products, and budgets effectively and efficiently.
- 7+ years of professional experience within a customer-focused organization; experience in human-centered design, design thinking and/or lean startup for experience design and/or new product development.
- Proven results in creating products, tactics and/or programs that improve customer experience across all touch points, business units and technologies.
- Passion for understanding consumer and user needs, and an eye for visual design.
- Strong attention to detail with ability to project manage multiple, evolving priorities and tight deadlines.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
- Experienced in seeding innovation methodologies and mindset in a large organization.
- Demonstrated ability to measure and communicate/socialize impact of work product.
- A self-starter with ability to quickly take on new projects with varied subject matters and balance multiple projects and priorities.
- Team oriented and collaborative; passionately advocates and articulates her/his opinion while maintaining flexibility to incorporate others point of views.
- The successful candidate must possess strong leadership, collaboration, vendor management, communication, executive presence and presentation skills.
- Preferred proven experience in a Fortune 500 company leading cross organizational projects. Ideally has led customer centric design projects applying CX (Customer Experience) tools such as journey mapping and co-creation.
AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401K, 100% company funded pension plan, health, dental, vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, paid vacation and sick, and other benefits.