Director, UX Research and Design

About the Department

The Technology Innovation Department (TID) at the MBTA is a design-led technology team focused on making our transit system easy for all riders to use. The Director UX Research and Design establishes strategic direction for the user experience (UX) Research and Design capabilities within their assigned program, such as Fares Technology, Transit Technology, or Rider Tools, manages team resource allocation across UX initiatives, and leads teams in delivering program outcomes that advance MBTA’s mission. The Director sets the vision and standards for UX work, defines long-term strategies for achieving department outcomes, and provides input into strategies across other MBTA departments. This role oversees the UX capability and ensures alignment with broader organizational goals. 

Position Duties

• Establish and execute the strategic direction of UX Research and Design within the assigned program, defining how design capabilities advance program outcomes and support MBTA riders and front-line, operations, or maintenance staff. 
• Define and implement UX standards, principles, and quality frameworks that guide cross-functional teams in delivering value.
  • Establish UX Principles & Design Standards and ensure adoption.
  • Lead the integration of modern UX best practices, service design methodologies, usability heuristics, accessibility standards (WCAG), and human-computer interaction principles.
  • Define the scope and approach for complex, strategic design initiatives.
  • Lead collaboration with other design leaders to ensure consistency across TID.
• Lead and develop research and design staff (including contracted staff) on those teams, including organizational planning, performance management, position descriptions, hiring, and professional growth as applicable. 
  • Determine staffing strategy and resource allocation to meet program outcomes.
  • Allocate UX resources across initiative based on strategic priorities.
  • Hire and onboard new design team members.
  • Administer performance review processes. 
  • Mentor and coach staff on encouraging and maintaining healthy team dynamics.
  • Investigate performance concerns and implement corrective actions.
• Build strategic relationships within the department, with stakeholders across the MBTA, and in the industry to ensure that our work is aligned with the agency’s mission and to influence best practices beyond TID. 
• Define and own strategic plans for UX capabilities, including establishing and monitoring metrics, setting roadmap direction, and ensuring execution.
  • Define Program Outcomes in partnership with Senior Directors and Program leadership.
  • Lead designers and cross-functional teams in achieving outcomes and goals. 
  • Identify and address unrealistic or non-user-focused goals, escalating risks and proposing solutions. 
  • Guide strategic thinking across the organization towards user-centered program outcomes.
• Provide strategic direction on major procurements; manage vendors and hold them accountable to outcomes.
• Lead the execution of capital projects that advance areas of operational responsibility by working closely with program managers and administrative staff. Monitor capital financial reports, including by conducting basic financial forecasting. Occasionally manage small capital rollouts directly. 
  • Observe operations of product teams and attend team rituals.
  • Identify and make plans to address team-level challenges and process issues. 
  • Facilitate better communication and coordination among design and engineering teams. 
  • Facilitate better coordination on cross-team UX initiatives.
  • Identify the right mode of operations (alignment, delivery, etc.) for UX based on phase of work.
• Represent UX Research and Design in strategic discussions, responding to inquiries and information requests in a professional and timely manner. 
  • Escalate all risks in a clear and timely manner; determine and implement solutions to address risks.
  • Communicate strategic recommendations regarding organizational or operational challenges affecting outcomes at the program level.
• Define and articulate standards for how technology is developed and used to serve the public effectively, influencing practices across programs and departments.
• Practice and uphold TID’s working agreements, which are essential to the department’s success. 
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned. 

• Supervises up to eight (8) User-Experience, User-Interface, and/or Service Designers, and Researchers.

Minimum Qualifications

•  Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in software design or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of UX experience in agile software design working in a cross-functional design-led software development team.
• Five (5) years of leadership, managerial, and/or supervisory experience leading multidisciplinary UX teams. 
• Expertise across UX disciplines and methods.
• Experience working on cross-functional teams, including program, product, and engineering in multiple settings. 
• Demonstrated ability to assess when to follow or deviate from UX standards based on broader organizational and user needs.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience applying UX best practices, service design, usability heuristics, accessibility standards (WCAG), and human-computer interaction.
• Ability to provide understanding and examples of how individual design decisions fit into the larger ecosystem of the product, business, and user journey.
• Effective organizational, analytical, confidentiality, multi-tasking and time management skills.
• Previous experience designing workflows and procedures.

Other Qualifications

• A High School Diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• An associate degree from an accredited institution and additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• A master's degree in a related subject may substitute for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one year of experience

• Experience in public sector, transportation agency, and/or civic technology team.